What jobs can you get with EMT Certification?

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ZAZA67401

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So, I was thinking I might take an EMT-B class this summer and I was just wondering what other jobs you can get with this certification besides being an EMT? Just in case there are not any jobs as EMT? Like can you be a Pateint Care Technician or do you have to be a CNA? I just need some ideas of what job or job description I should be looking for if I get take this EMT course? I would really appreciate any ideas?

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ZAZA67401 said:
So, I was thinking I might take an EMT-B class this summer and I was just wondering what other jobs you can get with this certification besides being an EMT? Just in case there are not any jobs as EMT? Like can you be a Pateint Care Technician or do you have to be a CNA? I just need some ideas of what job or job description I should be looking for if I get take this EMT course? I would really appreciate any ideas?

1. 911 ems service
2. transport ambulance service
3. emergency room tech
 
I got certified as an EMT and worked as a Patient Care technician and then as an ER Tech. Its a great way to get hospital experience, and get paid for it as well. Working in the hospital pays much better than working on an ambulance and you get to see and do a whole lot more (plus make the all important connections for letters of recs). It was probably the smartest thing I did as a premed. I made money, got great experience, and had a lot to talk about during interviews.
 
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Benjiii said:
I got certified as an EMT and worked as a Patient Care technician and then as an ER Tech. Its a great way to get hospital experience, and get paid for it as well. Working in the hospital pays much better than working on an ambulance and you get to see and do a whole lot more (plus make the all important connections for letters of recs). It was probably the smartest thing I did as a premed. I made money, got great experience, and had a lot to talk about during interviews.

Can you get certified by just taking a summer course?
 
Freakingout said:
Can you get certified by just taking a summer course?

Yup, they have summer courses for EMT-Basic certification. ~110-130 hours depending on the state you're in. Try your local community colleges or fire departments/fire training centers for classes.
 
OSUdoc08 said:
1. 911 ems service
2. transport ambulance service
3. emergency room tech

4. Dispatcher
5. ER Tech
6. MA at an urgent care or physician's office (though most want a paramedic)
 
Try to figure out what's available before taking the class. I took a summer class, got my certification, then found out our campus has about 300 certified EMT's competing for VERY few openings in the areas mentioned above. The only EMT work I have been able to find is volunteering at our school's sporting events.
 
medic170 said:
4. Dispatcher
5. ER Tech
6. MA at an urgent care or physician's office (though most want a paramedic)

Most services I have worked for require a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher. This is a different course than EMT.

Some of the low budget EMS agencies just use the EMS staff, I'm sure.
 
OSUdoc08 said:
Most services I have worked for require a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher. This is a different course than EMT.

Some of the low budget EMS agencies just use the EMS staff, I'm sure.


Well, in Michigan anyway, you can be an EMS dispatcher with an EMT license. We don't have a separate licensure for dispatchers.
 
OSUdoc08 said:
Most services I have worked for require a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher. This is a different course than EMT.

Some of the low budget EMS agencies just use the EMS staff, I'm sure.
From what I hear the EMD class for 911 certification is a weekend class. Not hard to get at all. It's a good way to get your foot in the door with the EMS services.
 
NEATOMD said:
From what I hear the EMD class for 911 certification is a weekend class. Not hard to get at all. It's a good way to get your foot in the door with the EMS services.

It is most commonly a 3 credit hour course at a community college, but I did find an accelerated 1 week course, which was all day.
 
OSUdoc08 said:
It is most commonly a 3 credit hour course at a community college, but I did find an accelerated 1 week course, which was all day.
How many credit hours are the EMT courses at those colleges?
 
NEATOMD said:
How many credit hours are the EMT courses at those colleges?

EMT = 6 credit hours

EMD = 3 hours

both have a required A & P prerequisite = 4 hours
 
Benjiii said:
I got certified as an EMT and worked as a Patient Care technician and then as an ER Tech. Its a great way to get hospital experience, and get paid for it as well. Working in the hospital pays much better than working on an ambulance and you get to see and do a whole lot more (plus make the all important connections for letters of recs). It was probably the smartest thing I did as a premed. I made money, got great experience, and had a lot to talk about during interviews.
1) emt is a technician in the hospital, what exactly do you do? how do you compare it with emd, and the other courses.
2) how old do you have to be in order to take the course
3) what "major" would it be under if you were to find it on a college website?
 
OSUdoc08 said:
EMT = 6 credit hours

EMD = 3 hours

both have a required A & P prerequisite = 4 hours
I've heard of requiring A&P I and II for a paramedic batchelors degree, but never for an EMTB licence or even EMTP license (it would be useful to many though). Not even the national licensing requires that. Still, I guess individual colleges can make you take whatever they want to get more money from you though. I didn't get trained by a college, so I never had to deal with that mess. All that was required for us before starting the class was a CPR for health care provider cert. Then again, I didn't get any college credit for taking the class either.

If you are thinking about becoming an EMT: You don't have to take the class through a college or university!

Back to EMD's, I'd say any EMT should meet all EMD requirements. They must be able to communicate on the radio and phone. They have to be able to instruct someone else how to do CPR or other lifesaving measures until emergency crews get there, etc. I've never heard of any of the EMD's I know taking a 3 hour class at a college (not saying that some don't). Most 911 EMD's I know did two 12 hour training sessions and got a certificate. You don't even have to have an EMD to dispatch for a private company.
 
Hermit MMood said:
1) emt is a technician in the hospital, what exactly do you do? how do you compare it with emd, and the other courses.
2) how old do you have to be in order to take the course
3) what "major" would it be under if you were to find it on a college website?

1) If you are an EMT in a hospital, you assist the nurses in the ER. Most EMT's are found on ambulances.

2) 18 to be certified in most states. You can begin the class younger if you will turn 18 before completion.

3) It could be one of these: Paramedicine, Emergency Medical Technology, Emergency Medical Services, Allied Health, Medical Technology, etc.
 
Hermit MMood said:
1) emt is a technician in the hospital, what exactly do you do? how do you compare it with emd, and the other courses.
2) how old do you have to be in order to take the course
3) what "major" would it be under if you were to find it on a college website?

1.a) EMT's are technicians, but not limited to hospitals. Paramedics are EMT's and they ride ambulances along with EMT-B's and EMT-I's.
b.)An EMD mean's emergency medical dispatcher, they are trained to recieve emergency phone calls, dispatch emergency crews, help crews with directions, and provide emergency life support instructions over the phone.
Technically, the EMT and EMD classes are really not affiliated with universities.
c.)Each state is in charge of licensing but you can get nationally licensed too. Many states are now requiring national licensing since if you are nationally licensed you can be state certified in any state you live in, while limited by repricocity. Some college/universities offer the class, but they can not license you (Your state has to).
d.) Additionally, many people must test into their regional system once licensed by their state.

2.) You must be 18 to take the exams to be licensed. You can take the class at whatever age you want, but most people won't let you take the class unless you will at least nearly 18. (It would be pointless to take it early because you would forget alot before you took the exam and you would have to keep up your CE hours even without the license.

3.) I've seen the EMT courses under "Allied Health Proffessions" at a couple junior colleges, but I can't vouch for where it would be at your local college or university. My university doesn't even offer the class though.
 
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