Does it matter where I get the EMT certification from?

[lovemedicine416]

Hi everyone,

So this summer I finally decided to become an EMT. I have two EMT courses offered around me, one at a local community college and one at an Emergency Medical Institute. I'm having a hard time choosing between the two as the one at a local community college finishes a month before school starts, so I have some time during summer to actually apply for an EMT job, while the one at an Emergency Medical Institute seems to have a better reputation but completes 2 weeks after fall semester starts, which might be a hassle for me apply for an EMT job during the school year.

I was wondering if it would look bad on my resume or when I apply to EMT jobs/med school if I complete the course at a community college? Or should I go for the reputation and would I have a better chance at finding an EMT job if I got certified at somewhere that seems to have a better reputation?

Thank you so much!!

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[Catalystik]

So this summer I finally decided to become an EMT. I have two EMT courses offered around me, one at a local community college and one at an Emergency Medical Institute. I'm having a hard time choosing between the two as the one at a local community college finishes a month before school starts, so I have some time during summer to actually apply for an EMT job, while the one at an Emergency Medical Institute seems to have a better reputation but completes 2 weeks after fall semester starts, which might be a hassle for me apply for an EMT job during the school year.

I was wondering if it would look bad on my resume or when I apply to EMT jobs/med school if I complete the course at a community college? Or should I go for the reputation and would I have a better chance at finding an EMT job if I got certified at somewhere that seems to have a better reputation?

Thank you so much!!

Is the "Emergency Medical Institute" an accredited educational institution (or is it sponsored by a Community Center or local fire dept)? If it's not at a "real school", the GPA won't be included in your med school GPA, nor will you need to provide a transcript. The CC class is probably at an accredited school, so a transcript must be submitted. I'm just bringing this up in case those grades are important to your strategy and the med school application process.

Local EMTs can give you better perspectives on which EMT course is likely to make finding a job easier.

 

[spiffysteve]

Personally, I would do it through the community college. The people who do the hiring won't care where you got your cert, as long as you pass all of the required exams and practicals. I believe that most paramedics actually get their degree through community colleges, so it isn't unusual at all.

I got my EMT cert through a company who wasn't affiliated with any type of college, and I feel like my instructor was very sub-par, and thus my education wasn't as complete as it should have been. If you take the community college course, I would imagine that it will be somewhat more organized and structured than it would be otherwise (Also, the place I got my cert through went out of business shortly after I graduated, which seems less likely to happen to a community college.).

 

[Dr.Forssmann]

'm having a hard time choosing between the two as the one at a local community college finishes a month before school starts, so I have some time during summer to actually apply for an EMT job, while the one at an Emergency Medical Institute seems to have a better reputation but completes 2 weeks after fall semester starts, which might be a hassle for me apply for an EMT job during the school year.

I don't think reputation matters too much. Companies are always hiring EMTS for various reasons. EMT is a spring board certification so people are always quitting and creating availabilities. I would go with the community college option.

I was wondering if it would look bad on my resume or when I apply to EMT jobs/med school if I complete the course at a community college?

NO it wouldn't. In fact its better cause they are accredited teaching institution. Plenty of people where i'm from got a EMT cert from a CC and they seemed much more prepared. also when it comes to finding jobs it won't matter too much. For medical school. i think the length of time you spend working is more important than where you trained. and like catalystik said you have to report it so make sure its p/np or get a good grade. I think to med schools the quality of your experience would matter way more than anything else.

Or should I go for the reputation and would I have a better chance at finding an EMT job if I got certified at somewhere that seems to have a better reputation?

I don't think reputation matters like I said earlier. its more about the quality of your experience for med school and for getting a job its about whether your competent enough to work for them.

The people who do the hiring won't care where you got your cert, as long as you pass all of the required exams and practicals.

This^^^ because they are always hiring replacing emt's who quit to become fire fighters, paramedics, nurses, doctors... so on.... so forth...

 

[aldol16]

Talk to EMTs who have come out of the company vs. the community college. If one or the other seems to have a high washout rate, you probably don't want to go there because either 1) the company is bad at teaching or 2) the people there are bad at learning and if so, they'll likely drag you down. You want to successfully pass the class and the EMT certification exam (NREMT or whatever your state one is) and that's the most important.