As the national job market deteriorates, many savvy job seekers realize the health care industry is largely unaffected by such conditions, and would like to know how to become a paramedic. Being a paramedic is an extremely rewarding career, so if you are a compassionate individual who likes helping people on what is most likely the worst day of their lives, you may want to join the 221,760 other individuals in the U.S. who choose a paramedic career. Further, if you are seeking another career in emergency health care, such as a firefighter, physicians assistant, ER assistant, etc, becoming a paramedic can make the transition much quicker and weed out much of the competition. For instance, firefighter positions usually have thousands of applicants for each job opening, but for those with paramedic status, the competition is cut significantly.

Paramedics are highly trained emergency care professionals who are at the highest level of the five emergency medical technician (EMT) levels – in fact, the official paramedic classification is EMT-Paramedic. As seen from our EMT job description, the five EMT levels in order from lowest to highest include EMT-First Responder, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate (I/85 and I/99), and EMT-Paramedic.

While the qualifications for EMT-FR through Intermediate levels require relatively little time and financial investment, paramedics have reached the pinnacle of the emergency services ladder, which requires a much larger time and financial investment. Paramedic tuition can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000, plus the cost of books.

Be warned, becoming a paramedic is not the “walk in the park” many believe it to be.

Steps to Become a Paramedic

1. Become an EMT. – Obtaining a paramedic license requires a minimum of one year experience at the EMT-Basic level. So the step to becoming a paramedic is to complete the EMT-Basic qualifications and pass the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) exam. To save space in this article, see step by step guide on how to become an EMT, which includes certification requirements, study resources, and more.
2. Obtain Degree or Certificate in Paramedic – Next, you must complete your certificate or a degree, such as an Associates in Applied Science (AAS) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in Paramedicine. Many degree programs allow you to complete the AAS requirements and then apply credits toward the BS. While technically, the AAS can qualify you for the same salary as the BS with some experience, many prefer the more thorough, well rounded education that a BS offers. Plus BS holders can apply the degree to many more fields and aren’t locked into one career like a Paramedic certification alone. Paramedic courses include Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Advanced Pediatric Life Support, ECG analysis and management, airway management including endotracheal intubation, laryngeal mask airways, cricothyrotomy, and percutaneous transtracheal ventilation.
3. Take the National Registry Paramedic Exam (NREMT) – You must be 18 years or older and have national certification at the EMT Basic level and completed Paramedic coursework within 2 years of taking the NREMT-Paramedic exam. If you took the classes more than 2 years prior to the NREMT exam, and never gained your state license at the Paramedic level, you must complete an entire state-approved Paramedic course prior to applying for certification. You will also need verification from the program director that you’ve obtained your CPR certification for health care providers, and displayed Paramedic skills competency.
   

   Resources

   • NREMT Paramedic Practice Test by EMS Success
   • NREMT Paramedic Practice Test by EMT National
   • Amazon Paramedic Test Prep Books
   • Jones & Bartlett Online Paramedic Test Prep
   • National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

4. Get Your State License – All 50 states require paramedics to be licensed upon successful completion of the coursework and the examination.

After completing the above steps, individuals can benefit substantially over continuing at the EMT-B or EMT-I levels. For instance, a paramedic salary is roughly twice as much as that of an EMT–not to mention the significant transferable skills medics have to become nurses, firefighters, and numerous other professions.

Now you’re ready to enter the exciting Paramedic field and start looking for jobs. Congratulations, becoming a licensed Paramedic is definitely no small feat!