Paramedic

What is a paramedic?

A paramedic evaluates people with illnesses or injuries, provides emergency medical care and helps transport people to hospitals. They’re a first responder — a trained health professional who goes to a scene where people need immediate help. They make vital decisions quickly and in high-stress situations.

Paramedics work as part of an emergency medical services (EMS) team. If you call 911 or another emergency services number, an EMS team responds by coming to wherever you are. This team includes paramedics, as well as:

• Emergency medical responders (EMRs). EMRs assess the situation and help you using minimal equipment (like CPR and direct pressure on wounds).
• Emergency medical technicians (EMTs). EMTs have specialized training that allows them to use basic equipment on an ambulance to provide care until you arrive at a hospital. Some EMTs with more advanced training can use more specialized equipment and do more complex treatments.

Paramedics have the highest level of training and qualifications. They can give many types of emergency treatments and use all the equipment on an ambulance. They also supervise and coordinate the work of other EMS team members.

Where do paramedics work?

Paramedics typically work as part of EMS teams that transport people to hospitals on ambulances or helicopters. They’re often on the move and travel wherever they’re needed, from private homes to the side of the highway.

Some paramedics work in community settings. For example, they might: 

• Provide support in places where people could get injured, like sporting events.
• Work in hospitals, urgent care centers and other healthcare facilities.

What does a paramedic do? 

Paramedics work with other first responders to assess a given situation and decide how to handle it. For example, they check people with injuries or illnesses to see if they need treatment right away. If they do, paramedics can provide many forms of treatment and use specialized equipment. This immediate treatment can help keep a person stable until they’re taken to a hospital. 

Paramedics can do many different things to help you when you need emergency care, including:

• Draw blood samples.
• Do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
• Initiate and maintain IV fluids.
• Place equipment that helps you breathe, including face masks, artificial airways and high-flow nasal cannulas. 
• Perform and interpret electrocardiograms (EKGs), tests that check your heart rhythm and rate.
• Use methods like electrical cardioversion and defibrillation to put your heart into a normal rhythm.
• Control bleeding with direct pressure, tourniquets or wound packing.
• Use braces or splints to immobilize injured parts of your body.
• Give you medications in many different forms, including through IVs and injections into your muscle.
• Assist with childbirth, including complicated deliveries.

EMT vs. paramedic

EMTs and paramedics are both emergency medical service (EMS) workers. Both do important, life-saving work every day in high-stakes situations. But paramedics have more specialized training. They’re qualified to use more advanced equipment in an ambulance. They can also perform more complex care that has a higher risk of harming a person if done incorrectly, compared with other types of care that an EMT can do.

How do I become a paramedic?

You need to satisfy requirements in all four areas listed below to serve as a paramedic legally:

• Education, which ensures you have the knowledge to work as a paramedic.
• National certifications, which involve an external agency (not your school) verifying your competence in safely and effectively caring for patients.
• State licensing requirements, which give you legal authority to perform a clearly defined set of duties.
• Credentialing, which involves a physician medical director stating that you’re authorized to perform the duties of a paramedic. This happens when you’re hired for a specific job.

These areas make up the practice model for paramedics that all U.S. states use to regulate emergency medical services (EMS). 

In practice, this means you’ll need to:

1. Earn a high school diploma or equivalent. It helps to take courses in life sciences and get your certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during this time.
2. Complete an EMT educational program. This typically involves up to two hundred hours of schooling at a technical institute or community college.
3. Earn national certification at the EMT level. This involves passing a written exam and a hands-on skills test. 
4. Meet EMT licensing requirements in your state. You may need to take another exam and pass a background check. 
5. Gain work experience as an EMT. You might need anywhere from six months to two years of experience depending on your state’s requirements. 
6. Complete a paramedic program. You can earn a diploma, certificate or associate’s degree from a community college or vocational school. You may also choose to attend a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree.
7. Earn national certification at the paramedic level. This involves taking and passing a written exam offered by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
8. Meet paramedic licensing requirements in your state. Your license gives you the legal authority to work as a paramedic according to the rules and regulations of your state. Some states refer to this authority as “certification,” rather than “license.” But it’s not the same as national certification, which you must achieve first.
9. Be hired as a paramedic. The final step is getting your first paramedic job. A physician medical director will verify your credentials and authorize you to work in this role.

How long does it take to become a paramedic?

Schooling to become a paramedic typically takes a year or two. Your schooling may take longer (up to four years) if you choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Keep in mind that you’ll need schooling, certification and experience as an EMT before starting paramedic school. How long this takes depends on:

• The EMT program you choose.
• How long your state requires you to work as an EMT before applying to paramedic school. 
• Other personal factors that may influence how quickly you move through your training.

If you wish to start your new career as quickly as possible, you can talk to admissions counselors at your current or prospective school. They’ll help you decide which path is best for you (for example, a certificate vs. an associate’s degree) and tell you how long each one might take.

Paramedic salary

How much you make as a paramedic depends on many factors, including where you work and your experience level. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is a useful resource for learning more about potential salaries in different careers.