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What is an emergency medical technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Forrest Kuiper
introduction image

An emergency medical technician (EMT) responds to emergency situations and provides immediate medical care to patients. EMTs are trained to assess the patient's condition, provide basic life support, and transport patients to healthcare facilities. They work in settings including ambulances, hospitals, and emergency departments. EMTs serve as first responders and their quick actions can make a significant difference in patient outcomes. The job requires communication skills, physical stamina, and the ability to work under pressure.

What general advice would you give to an Emergency Medical Technician?

Forrest Kuiper

Fire Chief, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Work hard and listen to those already in the field. This is an incredible profession, take care of your mind and body and it will be a long and successful career.
ScoreEmergency Medical TechnicianUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $39,743

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 4.52%

Black or African American 6.61%

Hispanic or Latino 15.50%

Unknown 5.63%

White 66.92%

Gender

female 39.06%

male 60.94%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
9.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.6

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Emergency Medical Technician?

Pros

  • High degree of job satisfaction

  • Competitive salary and benefits

  • Opportunities for advancement and specialization

  • Ability to make a difference in people's lives

  • Sense of purpose and fulfillment

Cons

  • High-pressure work environment with time constraints and intense decision-making

  • Exposure to infectious diseases and hazardous materials

  • Dealing with difficult or uncooperative patients

  • Limited control over patient outcomes or treatment plans

  • Constant exposure to death and dying

Emergency Medical Technician career paths

Key steps to become an emergency medical technician

  1. Explore emergency medical technician education requirements

    Most common emergency medical technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    35.5 %

    Associate

    26.1 %

    High School Diploma

    15.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific emergency medical technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients19.25%
    CPR11.08%
    EMS6.60%
    Customer Service5.71%
    Life Support5.03%
  3. Complete relevant emergency medical technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New emergency medical technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an emergency medical technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real emergency medical technician resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming an licensed emergency medical technician usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed emergency medical technician in most of states. 35 states require emergency medical technicians to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense Url
    KentuckySpecific course requiredThird-party exam requiredAdvanced Emergency Medical Technician
    MarylandDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredEMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (PARAMEDIC) AND CARDIAC RESCUE
    Alabama--Registered Intermediate Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
    AlaskaSpecific course requiredState exam requiredEmergency Medical Technician
    ArkansasSpecific course requiredThird-party exam requiredEmergency Medical Technician
  5. Gain additional emergency medical technician certifications

    Emergency medical technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific emergency medical technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for emergency medical technicians include Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

    More About Certifications
  6. Research emergency medical technician duties and responsibilities

    • Provide medical emergency response, non-emergency transport services, event medical services, manage transportation services and paramedic and EMT training.
    • Demonstrate manual dexterity, with ability to perform all tasks relate to quality patient care.
    • Coordinate emergency transport of patients while providing treatment and triage in a variety of emergency situations.
    • File reports for patients, restock ambulance and supplies at base, have ACLS training, injection.
  7. Prepare your emergency medical technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your emergency medical technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an emergency medical technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Emergency Medical Technician Resume templates

    Build a professional Emergency Medical Technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Emergency Medical Technician resume.
    Emergency Medical Technician Resume
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    Emergency Medical Technician Resume
  8. Apply for emergency medical technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an emergency medical technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Emergency Medical Technician Job

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Average emergency medical technician salary

The average Emergency Medical Technician salary in the United States is $39,743 per year or $19 per hour. Emergency medical technician salaries range between $26,000 and $59,000 per year.

Average Emergency Medical Technician Salary
$39,743 Yearly
$19.11 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do emergency medical technicians rate their job?

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5 Stars

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2 Stars

1 Star

Emergency Medical Technician reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022
Cons

Nothing


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

taking care of people love it been doing it for 34 years and getting patient back home and be able to return to there daily activities


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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