EMT Training - Become an Emergency Medical Technician

EMT Program

 

Online EMT Course

 

EMT training online is different from other studies because of the hands on nature of emergency medical skill teaching. For this reason online EMT classes are offered as hybrid programs with both an online component and mandatory classroom time.

 

Frequently the student is required to finish the online portion of the program before they can begin to participate in the classroom skills portion.

 

The online curriculum allows students to learn academic lesson plans with flexibility, but requires self-discipline. Online Emergency Medical Technician Basic programs tend to cost less than an accelerated program, but more than a public EMT program.

 

Like all of the private EMT courses price will vary depending on your state and locality but they tend to cost around $900 in California and around $1200 in Texas.

 

Online EMT Program MacBook

I don’t know how effective this teaching method is as an EMT program, but it probably requires a highly motivated student to complete all the at-home coursework.

 

My experience with online classes is that it becomes very tempting to just do what’s required to pass with a good grade. EMT training teaches how to assess a patient on scene quickly and accurately while using critical thinking to determine the best course of treatment.

 

These prehospital skills are very important and learning the fundamentals will determine your assessment abilities when working on the ambulance later. It is very important to learn these skills early in school so you can improve on them throughout your EMT training.

 

For these reasons, I’d only recommend the online EMT courses under certain circumstances. EMT classes online can be great for people with prior healthcare experience or knowledge.

 

They may also be a good option for individuals who are good at learning without supervision and who can stay self motivated and disciplined.

 

Accelerated EMT Program

 

EMT Program Accelerated Rocket ManThese programs are a convenient way to get all the required Emergency Medical Technician skills and knowledge very quickly. However, they are a more expensive way of getting your EMT studies done.

 

A nice thing about accelerated programs is the high cost often includes extras like the CPR BLS card and National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) Exam preparation. (You can find information on our National Registry of EMT Exam page.)

You can find accelerated EMT-classes that are offered weekdays or even ones scheduled for full-time workers. Here is an example schedule from an EMT accelerated program in California.

 

The EMT-B class begins September 14, 2017 and ends November 11, 2017 and the classes are offered on Nights and Weekends. Specifically on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5-9pm and on Saturdays from 9-3pm. The overall cost of the course is around $1300 and there is a payment plan available.

 

EMT Program Keyboard WhiteAs you can see this is a great schedule for anyone needing to attend school while working full-time. If your interested in getting more information about the program above check it out here.

 

Accelerated EMT programs can be found in many states and are a good way to get licensed quickly if your able to learn fast and finances aren’t an issue.

 

EMT Boot Camp

 

EMT boot camps are basically a super accelerated school for the Emergency Medical Technician – EMT B. This education style is not for everybody because involves long hours in the classroom and is a more expensive way of getting certification. An EMT boot camp will often advertise with headlines answering the question how long is EMT school such as “Become an EMT in 18 days” or “EMT 14-Day Boot Camp.”

 

Infographic EMT Program Boot CampsThese programs are fast paced and usually involve 8-12 hour days spent learning classroom and clinical skill. For example, the 18 day boot camp program above is from a school in Massachusetts and requires students meet Monday through Friday from 9-5pm.

 

Like other accelerated EMT programs, the boot camps often have extras included in the price such as CPR BLS Certification for healthcare providers and assistance to help students successfully pass the National NREMT exam.

 

The cost for the Massachusetts-based EMT boot camp varies from $1400 – $2000 depending on the dates you choose, and if you don’t live near the campus locations there will be additional costs for accommodations.

 

They do offer payment plans and financing to help cover costs. If you want more information about this EMT program check it out here.

 

Overall, EMT boot camps are a good option for anyone who wants to get licensed very quickly, is willing to travel, wants guarantees from their education program to pass the NREMT exam, and don’t mind spending extra money.

 

Free EMT School

 

I have not been able to find legitimate Emergency Technician Programs that are free. Also I have spoken to anyone who attended a free school and was working as an Emergency Medical Technician.

 

The only exceptions I have seen are occasion small local classes offered that waive the fees for Military Veterans.

 

Most of the websites claiming to be free EMT education programs have been misleading headlines that actually led to pay programs once I clicked into their sites. If you’re wondering why people do this, it’s a type of Clickbait (online term) combined with the old Bait and Switch (offline term).

 

I don’t recommend doing business with anyone who uses deceitful tactics like this to trick people into clicking on their link.

 

I definitely would not want to give my credit card information to anyone who uses manipulative tactics like promising free classes when they know there are no free classes available.

 

I recommend sticking with businesses who are honest and straightforward with what they offer and what it costs.

 

Advanced EMT Training AEMT/EMTI

 

Emergency Medical Technician Intermediate (EMTI) has slowly been transitioning in the role of AEMT since 2013. Therefore, depending on your state this level of training may be referred to by either title. I will be using AEMT since many states have changed over to this already.

 

Let’s start by answering the question: What is an AEMT?

 

An Advanced Emergency Medical Technician is a mid-level Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider, which means they are a level above EMT-B and a level below a Paramedic (EMTP) in training. An AEMT is trained to do many of the same skills the EMTI is able to do.

 

These will vary based on state regulations, but in general the skills of an AEMT includes the initiation of peripheral intravenous (IV) therapy, administration of specific intravenous (IV) fluids, the administration of epinephrine, basic airway management, supraglottic airway insertion, and the administration of certain medications like nalaxone (Narcan), glucagons, Nitrous Oxide, and Albuterol.

 

These are called limited Advanced Life Support (ALS) skills and you will continue to expand on them in Paramedic school.

 

There are a couple of options professional Emergency Medical Technicians have when it comes to advancing their career level. It’s possible to skip the basic level and train for the Advanced level directly, or you can become an EMT-B and then go back to school to become an AEMT at a later date.

 

Before making this decision it’s important to know that not all areas use AEMT’s, so make sure you are familiar with the practices of your state before starting your education.

 

For example, according to emsa.ca.gov California mostly uses Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians in areas that are rural or sparsely populated, and there are about 100 AEMT’s certified through local EMS agencies.

 

Training hours required for a candidate who is already a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B) include a total of 160 hours. Eighty of the hours are didactic (academic) and skills, 40 are clinical training, and 40 are field internship.

 

This is quite a bit of extra emergency medical education, so you want to make sure your area will hire and pay an AEMT salary.

 

EMT training is available in all the same EMT-B program formats discussed above. The program costs are likely to be more expensive than the EMT-B training if you are starting your Emergency Medical Services (EMS) education and going straight to AEMT.

 

However, if you are already a certified Emergency Medical Technician the schooling should be about the same costs as EMT-B school. For example, Lenoir Community College in North Carolina offers a 16 week EMT-B to AEMT/EMTI course which is an online hybrid format.

 

The tuition is $180 but after textbooks and other costs such as uniform and EMS testing, the class ends up costing around $550 total.

EMT Program Class Instruction

After completing an EMT training program, candidate must pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam for AEMT in order to obtain certification.

 

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