What is an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic?
Example of EMT or Paramedic Job Assess injuries, administer emergency medical care, and extricate trapped individuals. Transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.
Life As an EMT or Paramedic: What Do They Do?
- Perform emergency diagnostic and treatment procedures, such as stomach suction, airway management, or heart monitoring, during ambulance ride.
- Communicate with dispatchers or treatment center personnel to provide information about situation, to arrange reception of victims, or to receive instructions for further treatment.
- Observe, record, and report to physician the patient’s condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment.
- Drive mobile intensive care unit to specified location, following instructions from emergency medical dispatcher.
- Coordinate with treatment center personnel to obtain patients' vital statistics and medical history, to determine the circumstances of the emergency, and to administer emergency treatment.
- Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as an EMT or Paramedic?
When polled, Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Types of Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic
- EMT-P
- Ambulance Driver-Paramedic
- EMT, Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic)
- EMT/Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic)
- Emergency Room Technician
What Kind of EMT or Paramedic Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 248,000 jobs for Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 15.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 37,400 new jobs for Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic by 2026. There will be an estimated 19,400 positions for EMT or Paramedic per year.
The states with the most job growth for EMT or Paramedic are Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Mississippi, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
EMT or Paramedic Salary
The typical yearly salary for Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics is somewhere between $22,760 and $58,640.
Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics who work in Washington, District of Columbia, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $30,260 |
| Alaska | $47,780 |
| Arizona | $38,260 |
| Arkansas | $31,800 |
| California | $39,350 |
| Colorado | $42,320 |
| Connecticut | $46,890 |
| Delaware | $40,730 |
| District of Columbia | $57,270 |
| Florida | $35,790 |
| Georgia | $33,950 |
| Hawaii | $54,370 |
| Idaho | $37,960 |
| Illinois | $41,940 |
| Indiana | $34,040 |
| Iowa | $35,760 |
| Kansas | $30,520 |
| Kentucky | $31,430 |
| Louisiana | $36,930 |
| Maine | $34,170 |
| Maryland | $49,490 |
| Massachusetts | $41,570 |
| Michigan | $33,720 |
| Minnesota | $42,460 |
| Mississippi | $33,310 |
| Missouri | $34,560 |
| Montana | $33,020 |
| Nebraska | $33,130 |
| Nevada | $36,240 |
| New Hampshire | $38,390 |
| New Jersey | $37,460 |
| New Mexico | $35,660 |
| New York | $44,120 |
| North Carolina | $36,200 |
| North Dakota | $32,680 |
| Ohio | $32,200 |
| Oklahoma | $33,020 |
| Oregon | $42,470 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,980 |
| Rhode Island | $40,070 |
| South Carolina | $34,570 |
| South Dakota | $32,360 |
| Tennessee | $36,600 |
| Texas | $36,620 |
| Utah | $33,870 |
| Vermont | $34,290 |
| Virginia | $35,310 |
| Washington | $67,600 |
| West Virginia | $30,690 |
| Wisconsin | $34,780 |
| Wyoming | $34,120 |
What Tools & Technology do Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft operating system
How to Become an EMT or Paramedic
What education or degrees do I need to become an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic?
How Long Does it Take to Become an EMT or Paramedic?
Where Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics Work
Below are examples of industries where Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics work:
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
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