There are various levels of certification for providers in the field of emergency medical services (EMS). Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are the most common provider in EMS. EMTs acquire the necessary skills to assist in life-threatening circumstances. They often continue their education by earning an Advanced EMT certificate or becoming a paramedic.

1. What Is the Difference between a Paramedic and an EMT
Kailee Goldfein

2. Introduction
There are various levels of certification for providers in the field of emergency medical
services (EMS). Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are the most common provider
in EMS. EMTs acquire the necessary skills to assist in life-threatening circumstances.
They often continue their education by earning an Advanced EMT certificate or becoming
a paramedic.

3. EMTs respond to medical emergencies and 911 calls. They transport patients to
hospitals, perform routine medical procedures and serve as first responders. As a
medical professional, you must function well under duress to make life-saving
judgments in high-stress situations. EMTs work closely with other healthcare
professionals, such as paramedics, police officers, and firefighters.

4. Paramedics undertake more complex procedures than EMTs and are frequently the
most trained and empowered rescue team members. This means that you must
possess excellent leadership abilities and conduct complex life-saving functions under
great stress. A paramedic's responsibility is to maintain composure and authority
among their team members in situations where a single error can mean the difference
between life and death.

5. The primary distinction between EMTs and Paramedics is in their level of education and
the level of treatment they deliver to patients. If you are pursuing certification as an
EMT, you must complete a minimum of 170 hours of instruction. Your training focuses
on looking at a patient and seeing if they have any life-threatening injuries or illnesses.
This includes splinting a patient's wounds after a car accident, giving them life-saving
epinephrine for an allergic reaction, or giving them CPR if they have a heart attack.

6. Additionally, you will learn how to provide oxygen, do bag valve mask ventilation, deliver
a newborn, and even administer many drugs. An EMT's ability to quickly tell if someone
is dying is the best tool in their toolbox and the main thing they learn in school.

7. You do not need any prior medical training to enroll in an EMT course in most cases.
Prerequisites and qualifying requirements for EMT and paramedic courses differ by
school. Before enrolling in a course, check the school's and your state's rules. For
instance, in California, you must be at least 18 years old to become an EMT.

8. Students pursuing a paramedic (PM) license must complete a program between 1,200
and 1,800 hours and may last between six and twelve months. Anatomy, physiology,
cardiology, drugs, and medical procedures are all included in paramedic courses.

9. Courses for paramedics build on the training that EMTs get. They teach skills like giving
medications, starting intravenous lines, providing advanced airway management, EKG
interpretation for patients, and learning how to provide emergency care to people who
have life-threatening medical or traumatic emergencies. The training prepares you to
pass the national certification examinations for pre-hospital care providers through
lectures, skills labs, hospital internships, and EMS field internships.

10. To be eligible for paramedic training, you must be an EMT with a minimum of six
months of experience. Admission requirements for paramedic programs vary. Some
require you to study college-level anatomy and physiology before enrollment, and many
need confirmation of immunizations and a physical examination as part of the
admissions process. Additionally, schools may conduct a criminal background check,
an admissions interview, or administer an entrance exam to evaluate your admission
eligibility. Each school's standards vary slightly, but the objective is to choose
applicants to succeed in the training program.