Are you a pre-med student looking for clinical experience? Or maybe you just want to make the switch to a job that allows you to dedicate more of your time to helping others? Either way, you may want to consider becoming an EMT.
I worked as an EMT while I was a pre-med student applying for medical school, and it was an amazing learning experience for me. If you’re thinking about following the same path, I’m here to tell you everything you need to know about the life of an EMT!
This post is all about learning what do EMTs do.
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Answering: What Do EMTs Do?
What Is an EMT?
An EMT, or emergency medical technician, is a medical professional who responds to 911 calls and administers life-saving care to patients either at the scene of an emergency or in an ambulance en route to the hospital.
As an EMT, you will be responsible for completing the following duties:
- Patient assessment. Evaluating a patient’s condition, including vital signs, symptoms, and medical history, to determine the appropriate course of action.
- Basic medical interventions. Performing CPR, bandaging wounds, splinting fractures, administering oxygen, managing childbirth, etc.
- Transportation. Operating an ambulance and making sure patients are safely secured during their journey to the hospital.
- Medical documentation. Maintaining accurate records of patient assessment, treatment provided, and other important information.
EMTs need to be able to stay level-headed in stressful situations, make quick decisions, and communicate effectively with both patients and hospital staff. As a first-responder, you will be responsible for assessing the situation, deciding the right course of action, and letting the doctors at the hospital know what’s going on. It’s a lot to juggle, but it’s a very exciting and rewarding job!
My Day in the Life as an EMT
You might be surprised to hear that not every day in the life of an EMT is full of crazy calls and running all over the place. There are days like that for sure, but I also had a lot of chill days when I was an EMT. You really never know what you’ll be in for when you clock in each day.
EMT Work Schedule
When you’re an EMT, you have to be ready to either start your day early or stay up pretty late. An EMT shift can last for 9, 12, or even 24 hours depending on your location. There were many days when I would be ready to clock in by 5:30AM and then work straight through (with a few breaks, when you’re lucky) until around 5PM. It’s a long day, but it always feels very rewarding by the end.
Most EMTs work full-time, meaning you will complete a full 40 hour work week, if not more. You can take on more shifts if you want, and you should expect to work during both the day and the night as well as on holidays and weekends.
What Do EMTs Do?
Throughout your day, you will go on a variety of calls that are given to you by dispatch. You will work with a partner so that one of you can drive while the other handles the tech and takes care of the patient. My partner and I would usually spend half the day in each role. So, if I started out driving for the first half of the day, I would then switch to patient care and tech for the second half. Occasionally, on slower days, we would switch back and forth every few calls. It all depends on finding a system that works for you and your partner!
When you are the one in charge of tech and patient care, you will also have to write up a Patient Care Report, or PCR, after each call. The PCR is essentially a record of the patient’s conditions and the treatments administered during the call. It’s an important document that the service needs in order to accurately document the care given to each patient.
You encounter so many different types of situations as an EMT. Sometimes, you might meet a helicopter or plane to pick up a patient and transfer them to the hospital. On those calls, I always enjoyed the opportunity to talk to the flight nurses and learn more about what their experiences are like. You might also perform transfers where you move a patient from one facility to another. Then, of course, there are the more intense calls where you have to be ready to handle a more high-caliber emergency situation.
What Do EMTs Wear?
Your uniform may be different depending on where you work, but my EMT uniform consisted of a black collared shirt with “EMT” patches on the arms and matching black slacks. It’s important to wear appropriate shoes as an EMT as well. Usually, you want a pair of comfortable boots that provide both support and protection for your feet. Look for durable material, slip-resistant soles, and protective toe-caps.
How Much Does an EMT Make?
Just like your uniform, your wages will also differ depending on where you work. The range of hourly wages for EMTs in the United States is between $16 and $21, with the average hourly wage coming in at $18. If you have additional training or have been working for a longer period of time, you could earn more than the average.
Is Being an EMT Stressful?
Yes, but not always. That totally depends on the day since you can encounter so many different situations and some are definitely more relaxed than others.
On a day when you have a lot of calls, you might not even get a break in between. Some days, I was able to eat in peace during a dedicated break. Other days, I’d have to quickly grab a snack en route to a call or while filling out my PCR. It can be truly a crazy schedule, but for me it was so worth it!!
How to Become an EMT
Everyone’s journey is different, so your path to becoming an EMT might look different from mine. I became an EMT after already earning my Bachelor’s, but you don’t have to have a degree to get started. However, there are other requirements to be an EMT, so let’s go over them.
1. Driver’s License
Since you will be expected to operate an ambulance or other emergency vehicles, you will need to have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record to become an EMT.
2. CPR Certification
For many aspiring EMTs, CPR certification is the first step in their career path. Some EMT training programs require you to already have your CPR certification prior to applying, while others will offer CPR classes as part of your training.
You can obtain your CPR certification through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association either online or in-person.
3. EMT Training Program
Once you have your CPR certification, you can enter an EMT training program. In the program, you will learn all the skills you need to be a successful EMT, including performing primary assessments, AED use, airway ventilation, EMS operations, pharmacological interventions, and more.
Many community colleges and local institutions offer state-certified EMT training programs, but if you need help finding an accredited program, you can search the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs’s database. You can also elect to receive your EMT training directly through the American Red Cross.
4. EMT Certification
After completing your EMT training, the final step is certification. The EMT certification process involves an application to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) and two different exams: a cognitive exam and a psychomotor exam.
The cognitive exam is a computer-based test that consists of between 70 and 120 questions. It will test you on the subjects you covered in your EMT training, including trauma care, resuscitation, ventilation, and more. You will have a total of two hours to complete the exam.
The psychomotor test is administered by either the State EMS office or your local EMT training institute. It will evaluate your ability to perform important emergency skills, such as cardiac arrest management, bleeding control, supplemental oxygen administration, and more. To find a psychomotor exam near you, you can visit the NREMT’s website.
Successfully passing both exams and obtaining your certification means that you’re finally ready to apply for a job as an EMT!
EMTs Vs. Paramedics
One question that I see a lot is “Are EMTs and paramedics the same thing?” Though both EMTs and paramedics are first-responders who handle emergency situations, they are not actually the same thing. Paramedics go through more training than EMTs, so there are duties that paramedics can perform that EMTs are not certified to do.
While an EMT course is usually 150 to 250 hours in length, a paramedic training program can take up to 1,800 hours to complete. EMTs also do not need any prior medical experience. Many paramedic training programs, on the other hand, require you to spend at least 6 months gaining experience as an EMT before enrolling.
The extra training paramedics complete qualifies them to perform more advanced life-saving procedures than EMTs. Here are a few examples of things paramedics can do on the job that EMTs cannot:
- Provide oral and intravenous medication.
- Monitor electrocardiograms (EKG).
- Perform intubations.
Why Become an EMT?
Working as an EMT is extremely fulfilling work. Every time you clock in, you get to spend your day (or night) helping others. It’s definitely hard work, but I always went home feeling like I had done something to make a difference.
Also, being an EMT is also great clinical experience for pre-med students. I worked as an EMT to gain hands-on patient care experience while applying for medical school. It was the perfect opportunity to learn about the pre-hospital setting and how to provide quality patient care. I learned something new everyday, so I highly recommend working as an EMT if you have the chance to try it out during gap years!
If you could use more tips to help you get accepted to medical school, I share tons of strategies in my Free Premed Workshop. You’ll learn what it means to apply early, how to cast a wide net, write compelling essays (without sounding cliché) and much more. Sign up for the next available date and maximize your chances of acceptance!
I hope this blog gave you some insight into what daily life is like for an EMT so you can decide whether or not this could be the right pre-med career path for you.
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