becoming an emt

[harold]

so ive noticed alot of people saying they work as an emt for an EC. 1. how good of an EC is this compared to volunteering, shadowing etc. and 2. how do you go about becoming an emt? thanks

[jhtran]

so ive noticed alot of people saying they work as an emt for an EC. 1. how good of an EC is this compared to volunteering, shadowing etc. and 2. how do you go about becoming an emt? thanks

I know that EC from emt is just as good as EC volunteering, if not better. One reason behind this is EMT has much more responsibility. When you are on board, you are the man. No one look over your shoulder, no one tell you what to do, the only one who whine are patients. I've tried volunteering in the hospital, and it is really hard to kill someone. However, being a paramedic, my negligence could kill 70% of our patients. So there is a huge difference.

I don't know about shadowing.

How to become an EMT? Easy, take a course at your Community College (university doesn't offer EMT) and take the test. Depending on where you live, you could take the state or national registry exam. If you pass, you get your license in the mail. If you dont... take it again. Course are valid for 2 years, clinical 1 year.

hope this help,

jhtran

[Emmccull]

I am actually working an EMS shift at this moment. I became an EMT for the premed experience and I have loved every part of it. I have been volunteering for a year and a half now. It has been great experience. Don't just get your cert to look good. You need to actually use it for it to really count. Look into volunteering or getting a tech job at the hospital. In my town they only hire medics for EMS, but if you can get on an EMS service, I would recommend that too.

Check local trade schools and community colleges for EMT basic training. I've actually just started to hear about some that offer most of the class work online, you only have to come in for the labs. Good Luck!

[harold]

what exactly is a tech job at a hostpital?

[hotdog]

what exactly is a tech job at a hostpital?

Assisting the nurses... so basically cleaning up patients, transporting patients, running lab specimens, EKG's, apply spints, teach crutch walking, do compressions, bag patients, draw blood, stocking hospital equipment etc. Basically whatever nurses could train you to do.

[sm]

roughly how much is the pay to be an EMT either on an ambulance or as a tech in a hospital? im going to be living in an expensive city soon and it would help to have good paying job.

I am applying to med school right now so i have a year to work. Is it even work getting my cert right now and then getting a job as an emt or since so little time left it would be hard to find job?

Thanks,
SM

[CC64]

If you consider the amount of money that you make in a job/profession to be equivalent to the number of hours of training recieved...EMT-basic training is a minimum of 110 hours classroom time; that is a national standard that may be upped by individual states. That also doesn't count for the number of hours of patient care time, either in an ED or on an ambulance, that states will require before sending you your card or even allowing you to take the test.

Or, most of the EMTs that I know make about $10/hour. Some places pay less, some pay more. Paramedics do make more, but that is a year of training, plus there is a requirement that you be an EMT-B first.

The best thing to do, sm, should you decide to go the EMT route, would be to look up the EMS training center for your county. Most of them offer condensed summer courses, but at this time of year it may be too late. Otherwise, you're looking at a full semester for training - 3-4 hours a night, two nights a week, with the occasional weekend training session for some of the more involved technical stuff (vehicular rescue, trauma treatments, practical exams)

Emmccull - I've heard good things about some of the online training courses, but aren't they rather expensive, since you have to go to them for the labs, even if you're from out of state?