What kind of schooling should I look into to become a paramedic?

Answer 1

First, you need to graduate high school or get a GED. You usually need to be 17 to enter an EMT program and 18 to get certified.
The first class you will need to take is CPR course. It's usually a weekend class, and you will learn adult and child CPR.
Secondly, you will need to take an EMT-Basic course. It usually takes 2-3 months (part time classes) and is available at some fire departments, vocational schools, etc. You will learn basic assessments, some anatomy and physiology, how to recognize and treat trauma and medical emergencies, how to administer oxygen, how to spinally immobilize a trauma patient, how to administer oral glucose, how to help a patient with their inhaler, epi-pen, or nitro tablets, and how to administer activated charcoal. At the end of this class, you will be eligible to take the state and national tests (usually a written test and a practical test).
The next course you need to take is the EMT-Paramedic course. It might be a good idea to work on an ambulance for a few months or a year to get some experience first and make sure this is really what you want to do before you invest all the time it takes to complete a paramedic course. Paramedic courses are available at a lot of community colleges around the country. It will take a year or two to complete, and you will either have your certificate or associates degree at course completion (depending on what kind of course you took). In paramedic school, you will learn advanced anatomy and physiology, advanced assessments, how to read cardiac monitors, how to intubate (put a tube down someone's throat to help them breathe), how to use electricity to shock someone's heart back into a sustainable rhythm, how to start IV's, how to administer up to 60 different drugs, how to perform surgical airways, how to put needles into someone's chest to relieve a collapsed lung, how to use medications to paralyze someone so you can intubate them, and a host of other procedures that I can't remember right now.
You will also have to take advanced cardiac life support classes, advanced pediatric life support classes, basic trauma life support classes, 12 lead EKG classes, and a few other classes (they usually have them combined with the paramedic course).
When you are finished with the course, you will have to take state and national tests (written, oral, and practical tests), and then you will be certified as a paramedic!
The pay sucks (10.00 to 15.00 an hour to start in most places) and the hours are long, but it's an exceptionally rewarding career. If you have any more questions, feel free to email me (my email is on my Q&A page).
Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hi, great story by the way. I am a little biased I guess, because I want to become a paramedic. My wife is a personal trainer trainer who might like to become a physical therapist (interestingly!). Now to be honest, I do believe that the money is much better in physical therapy and it is a booming industry as anything else in the fitness or physical health field, however, as you have described so vividly, the rush of trying to save someone's life is unlike anything else. I consider you very fortunate to have had that experience with your neighbor. It has never happened to me. I can only imagine. It is that rush that I have heard described by others that I want to experience for myself. So I don't know, but based on your descriptions, I would go with paramedic, even though I might have a bias - trying to be as objective as possible, I think at the end of the day the money doesn't matter all that much, an EMT makes decent pay too, but even better though is if you can obtain your PCP designation (Primary Care Paramedic - in Canada) that is more advanced and the money is better than EMT. Plus with PCP you should have an easier time getting a full time job as there are plenty of EMR's and EMT's but fewer PCP because it is more advanced and fewer people wanna study that long. I didn't get if you are in the US or Canada though. Such is the situation in Canada where I reside, and I'm not sure at all if it is the same in the US but I would imagine that competition is much crazier ;-) Hope this helped a bit. Good luck following your dream. Follow your gut - that rush you experienced is natural, you can't fake that, that is the answer for you.

Answer 3

You first need to complete and pass an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class. It is reccomended (but not required) that you work as an EMT for a year before taking a paramedic education program. You need to be 18 to become an EMT. To be a paramedic you need to be an EMT, 18, and have a high school diploma or GED.

Contact your local Community College as they often have EMT classes. You can also call your local EMS agency about where to take an EMT class

Answer 4

US Army needs medics. They will teach you everything any Paramedic needs. Serve your time & get a gig in any Fire Rescue anywhere.

Answer 5

Contact your local community college many offer classes for paramedics....or they will refer you to another source...Best of luck we need people like you! Best wishes...Mama Jazzy Geri

Answer 6

emt Emergency Medical Technition

Answer 7

Project Hope at Cerritos college in LA. Really good school.

Answer 8

Check the local college in your area and see if the offer the coarses...

Answer 9

Try to find one that is accredited in most states, so if you move to a different state, you can still work.

Answer 10

look into your local red cross .. they offer training courses and education.. on the job training.. most states offers these programs .. you will have to pay for each course though...