Emergency Medical Technology (EMT) Paramedic

What training is required to become certified as a paramedic?

A criminal background check, drug test, appropriate PSB-HOA test scores, and successfully passing the program's entrance exams are required. After completing your EMT certification, you'll continue learning skills most medical staff need. Paramedics receive training in pathophysiology, pharmacology, venous access, medication administration, and specific medical emergencies, including pulmonary, cardiology, neurology, endocrinology, toxicology, and hematology. To complete your degree, you must study infectious and contagious diseases, allergies and anaphylaxis, obstetrics, neonatology, pediatrics, geriatrics, particular challenges, and home health care patients. After completing your clinical experience and classroom requirements, you can sit for your National Registry Exam to become a Certified NREMT Paramedic.

Who should choose to be a paramedic as a career?

If you decide to pursue a paramedic career, you will find it very rewarding. Paramedics can make a difference through the many lives they can save. They are trained to provide care and treatment at the scene of an emergency. If helping others in times of need is something you would like to do, this career will give you that opportunity. Paramedics are an essential part of your community and highly demand employment. A career as a paramedic also opens the door to other professions, including fire service, law enforcement, and other health care careers. To join, you must be 18 or older, have finished high school, or have the State of Illinois High School Diploma (previously called the GED).

Are all firefighters also paramedics?

Not all firefighters are required to be paramedics, but most departments need you to be an EMT. However, many fire departments, particularly in the US, prioritize recruiting licensed paramedics and firefighters; some require it.

Is a paramedic and an EMT the same thing?

Paramedics provide more extensive pre-hospital care and do the work of an EMT. For example, a paramedic can give oral medications, set up an IV, interpret an EKG, or other complex medical devices. Emergency EMTs are trained to provide essential medical assistance with minimal equipment, such as banding a wound, visually assessing a condition, and communicating with doctors and nurses at the hospital. You may be asking yourself, what do paramedics do? As an EMT-P, you'll be able to do everything an EMT does, but with more complexity.

What will I study in a paramedic training program?

ECC's training programs teach the basics of various emergency services fields. Experienced faculty focus on training you for roles such as firefighters, emergency dispatchers, and EMTs (both basic and paramedic). The training covers fire science and safety, basic emergency medical techniques, paramedic skills, and emergency dispatch. You gain entry-level knowledge and skills required for success in these areas, learning from current practitioners in the field. The programs are also beneficial for experienced professionals seeking to update their skills. When you graduate from ECC, your certification aligns with local, Illinois, and national standards, making you job-ready.

What is the difference between the EMT-B and the EMT-P program certificate?

You will need to complete the EMT-Basic as it is a prerequisite for meeting the minimum requirements to apply for the paramedic program (EMT-Paramedic). The paramedic program is taught at our two local partners, Advocate Sherman Hospital and Amita Health St Joseph Hospital. You will receive the lifelong skills to help you begin your career in this rewarding field.