If you are considering becoming an EMT and/or Paramedic, you probably want to know how long this is going to take you to achieve. If you want to be a Paramedic someday, you will first need to become licensed as a EMT. In most States, you will first need to become certified by the NREMT(National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians) as an EMT before you can apply for a State license as an EMT.
An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class will typically take between 2-4 months to complete the approximate 140-200 hours of training, depending on the hours/week of the class. There are accelerated classes that can be completed more quickly. Check with your local ambulance services and/or colleges about EMT classes available in your area. Make sure you check with your State’s EMT licensing office prior to taking a class, some States require taking a class that is accredited in order to apply for a State License.
The main difference between a Paramedic and EMT is the amount of training they receive.Paramedic school takes approximately 1400-1800 hours (1-2 years) to complete. Both EMTs and Paramedics work on an ambulance, but an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) provides Basic Life Support (BLS), and a Paramedic provides Advanced Life Support (ALS). A Paramedic will first need to be certified as an EMT before starting Paramedic school.
EMT classes range in price from from approximately $500-$1800, or more. Paramedic School can range in price from approximately $2000-$10,000 or more. The NREMT requires that Paramedic applicants complete a CAAHEP-accredited Paramedic program prior to applying for certification, so make sure whatever program you take is accredited.
As an example, when I attended an EMT class taught by my local ambulance service, I attended 2 nights a week (5 hours/night) for approximately 4 months. You may be able to take an accelerated class at your local ambulance service or college, and be done quicker than I was.
In order to pass my EMT class, I had to pass the final exam, and all practical stations, and then I was able to take the NREMT written test and practical exam. After receiving my NREMT certification, I was then able to apply for my State License as an EMT. You will need to renew your NREMT certificate every 2 years, and your state license every 2-4 years, respectively.
My Paramedic class was an accelerated class, and took approximately 8 months to complete (not including the EMT class), but most classes take 1-2 years. You may complete a Paramedic course for a certificate or possibly an associates degree (I personally do not have an associates degree) through a college (some States may require this), but like I said above, make sure it is accredited so you can get a Paramedic certificate through NREMT (although some states may not require NREMT for a State License).
Conclusion
This post is a small part of another post that lists the differences between EMTs and Paramedics ( you can find here. ) If you are an EMT or are going to become an EMT, see my recommended items for EMTs. If you need information about how to become an EMT, you can an article I wrote that gives information how to become certified in all 50 States. Thanks for reading!