How cuickly can EMT training be completed?

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vokey588

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I will be taking a gap year after undergrad and before med school and I think it would be fun to be an EMT for that year, in addition to helping my application. If I have maximum free time, how quickly can I get EMT training finished and ready to start work? I don't want to do it if it takes like 9 months and I only have 1 to actually work haha.

If that doesn't work out, I'm thinking of just doing something fun like working at a resort golf course while doing some shadowing to show a continued interest in medicine.

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If that doesn't work out, I'm thinking of just doing something fun like working at a resort golf course while doing some shadowing to show a continued interest in medicine.

TRUST ME man, do this one. Seriously, don't even repy to this thread any more--enjoy that year off and be as lazy/worthless as possible.
 
On the EMT subject, the program I teach with is a semester, others can be completed in as few as 4 or 5 weeks. An approved US-DOT program, such as a National Registry (for most states, NREMT) program has a minimum around 110 hours, better programs usually teach about 140 hours. If you can commit to an ambulance service full-time, (which might be one or two 24-hour shifts a week), they will in many cases train you in-house - not always the case, but often.
 
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I did a National Registery EMTB course in 8 weeks. 4 days a week for 8 hours a day.

Apparently we did alot more than the 110 minimum, damnit

I also found a volunteer 911 service where they let Non-certified members join as long as they were planning on getting a certification, and they were allowed to ride along and help give patient care after some minimal in-house training.
 
TRUST ME man, do this one. Seriously, don't even repy to this thread any more--enjoy that year off and be as lazy/worthless as possible.


If you don't mind me asking, did you take a gap year or, looking back, you wish you had?
 
I did a intense two week course in Bloomington, IN. It was as expensive as heck, and you spent 12 hours a day in the classroom, but it got you the EMT-B. Some will argue that you can't learn anything in two weeks, but that's simply not true, especially for just a Basic. I did very well on all my skills and passed the written exam with flying colors.
 
EMT Inc. in Bloomington, IN offers EMT courses that last only two weeks. Class is 12 hours each day every day. I went through the course and got a job in Indianapolis before my license came back. I'm not from the area either. The only downfall of this program is that it is expensive. Good luck!
 
I took my class in a month, M-F, 0800-1600. I spent a lot of money in gas and I was very miserable for that month (I was trying to work 20 hour weekends at my crappy food service job), but it was nice to get it done and over with. However, my training also was free because I'm a vollie in MD, so that also paid a big part in it...only having to pay for gas was definitely a perk.
 
I did a intense two week course in Bloomington, IN. It was as expensive as heck, and you spent 12 hours a day in the classroom, but it got you the EMT-B. Some will argue that you can't learn anything in two weeks, but that's simply not true, especially for just a Basic. I did very well on all my skills and passed the written exam with flying colors.


i took the emt b program with them in June of 2007. it was worth 1300 dollars. and was great prep for my RN/MEdic class. is it odd that i found the Paramedic part harder than the Nursing part?
 
i took the emt b program with them in June of 2007. it was worth 1300 dollars. and was great prep for my RN/MEdic class. is it odd that i found the Paramedic part harder than the Nursing part?

No, from a current paramedic student I'd say that sounds about right. :p
 
My course was only 3 weeks (M-F, 0900-1800). But just remember that you have to wait until you're done with the course to take the National Registry (or whatever test your state requires), and then you have to wait to get your cert. So even if your class is super-quick, you still won't be able to work for a little while. But I agree with others - if EMS isn't something you are particularly interested in for whatever reason, don't do it.
 
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