Do you excel at providing care or comfort to those in distress? If so, then being an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) may be for you. EMTs perform pre-hospital care for injured people, usually in an ambulance, and assist with rescue and recovery efforts during disasters.

Employment Trends
From 2006 to 2016, approximately 62,000 new jobs will be created. This job is growing at a faster than average rate, with an expected growth rate between 14 and 20 percent.

Typical Work Activities

• Give first aid treatment or life support to people in pre-hospital settings, such as in an ambulance.
• Execute emergency diagnostic and/or treatment procedures, such as clearing an injured individual’s airway, monitoring their heart, or performing stomach suction.
• Observe, record, and report to the physician about a patient’s illness or injury, the treatments administered, and the patient’s response to the treatments.
• Immobilize patients so that they can be safely transported into and out of an ambulance.
• Comfort and reassure patients.

Work Styles

• Dependability Reliability, responsibility, and dependability, and ability to fulfill obligations.
• Integrity Need to be honest and ethical.
• Self Control Ability to maintain composure, keep emotions in check, control anger, and avoid aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Stress Tolerance Ability to accept criticism and deal calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Examples of Work Locations

• Hospital
• Fire Station

Stepping Stone Positions

• Being an EMT or Paramedic typically requires vocational training or at least an associate’s degree.
• There are two recognized Federal apprenticeships in this field: Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician.
• Information on apprenticeships can be found on the US Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship site. For more general information on apprenticeships, go to the US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship site.

Further Resources
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)
National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT)
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), EMS Division