Training

• Paramedics must complete three levels of increasingly challenging EMT training: Basic, Intermediate and Paramedic. While required courses vary according to program, aspiring paramedics typically attend lectures and labs focusing on airway management, trauma management, disaster preparedness, pre-hospital pharmacology and drug administration. Paramedic training programs are offered at technical schools and community colleges, and usually result in an associate's degree. The paramedic program must be approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs to qualify for certification.
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Clinicals

• Clinical training provides potential paramedics with on-the-job training in the topics they've learned in the classroom. A majority of clinical training takes place in an emergency room or an ambulance. Paramedic students treat actual patients suffering from respiratory, cardiac, endocrine, metabolic or toxicological emergencies. Students also practice their splinting, bandaging, oxygen administration, traction and medication administration techniques. Aspiring paramedics learn how to check equipment, replace supplies and decontaminate the inside of the ambulance after transporting a patient with a contagious disease.
  
  

Licensure

• Paramedics must be licensed by the state in which they plan to practice. A majority of states require aspiring paramedics to pass the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician. Paramedic re-certification requirements vary according to state. Some states require re-certification every four years, while others require license renewal every two years. Continuing education, or CE, requirements also vary, ranging from 24 to 144 classroom hours. The National Association of EMTs offers numerous courses that are approved for CE credit.
  
  

Other Qualifications

• Successful paramedics should possess excellent manual dexterity, physical coordination, eyesight, color vision and agility. They must also be strong enough to lift and carry heavy weights. Paramedics are typically on call for 24 hours a day, so they should be physically and mentally prepared for sleep deprivation and to spend time away from their families. Paramedics also must be emotionally able to handle human suffering, exhaustion and high stress levels.
  
  

Occupational Outlook

• The job growth for paramedics is expected to increase much faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The reason for the job growth is due to the aging of the Baby Boomers, who will need more emergency care in the short-term future. Paramedics have opportunities to advance with job experience and continued training. Many paramedics become leaders in the emergency medical services industry, working as EMT course instructors, administrators or physician assistants. Some go back to college to become nurses or doctors.