Becoming an EMT-B

[Officialjake]

After talking to one of my friends at my college and finding out he was an emt I realized that I never knew it was possible you could be an emt while in college.  Now I have my heart set on quitting my office job and going to take an EMT-B class either my my current uni or local community college.  What sucks though is that you have to be 18 in my state to be a certified emt and I don't turn 18 until next month.  I know its not that long but it seems like it.  So are there any emt/paramedics (I DO know the difference between the two.) that could give me some tips or useful information about the emt-b courses or getting a job once I have my cert? 

[Statua]

Idk if its the same in the states but in canada you go to college to get your certificate. Its a full time program that takes 11 months and must be your primary focus in order for you to succeed.

[Officialjake]

Idk if its the same in the states but in canada you go to college to get your certificate. Its a full time program that takes 11 months and must be your primary focus in order for you to succeed.

Its different in California then. The local community college offers a two month program then you take the NREMT.

[wakeboarderCWB]

One of my teachers just got his certificate.

Good luck during the program.

[Officialjake]

One of my teachers just got his certificate.

Good luck during the program.

Thanks I'm so excited for it.

[Keskjer]

I got my EMT-B with AMR which was a 11-13 week program. Before graduation we had our NREMT test, then we graduated, then I moved to work with AMR for a small time, then was moved to a stationary position at a hospital as a EMT. After that I got I-85 and moved up to I-99 and then left, and started working for the FD. Got certs to be a firemen, and then now I'm looking at getting back with AMR or maybe medic west. Out here in the states the only long term collage program would be paramed. Which i believe can be done in 1 1/2 years (I'm sure they have classes that are made to speed through it so its cut down to a year if not less.)

[Officialjake]

I got my EMT-B with AMR which was a 11-13 week program. Before graduation we had our NREMT test, then we graduated, then I moved to work with AMR for a small time, then was moved to a stationary position at a hospital as a EMT. After that I got I-85 and moved up to I-99 and then left, and started working for the FD. Got certs to be a firemen, and then now I'm looking at getting back with AMR or maybe medic west. Out here in the states the only long term collage program would be paramed. Which i believe can be done in 1 1/2 years (I'm sure they have classes that are made to speed through it so its cut down to a year if not less.)

What would you say looms better on a resume when applying for emt jobs; a cert from an ambulance company/hospital or one from a community college?  Or does it not matter?  If you get the cert through a company does it help set you up for a job with that company?

sorry to be asking so many questions but I was wondering if the ambulance companies or hospitals have a kind of support program for emts or paramedics for after bad calls or when you can't bring someone back that coded?  Or are you trained what to do in these situations?  My uncle became an emt and eventually drove the ambulances as well but quit due to the mental stress from people during in front of him.

[Statua]

Probably the equivlant of an emr here. Make sure you can lift well with your arms and legs. You may be sharing 300+ lbs pts with your partner.

[Officialjake]

Probably the equivlant of an emr here. Make sure you can lift well with your arms and legs. You may be sharing 300+ lbs pts with your partner.

yea I have read the stories about the bariatric pts.  I will do fine in the physical requirements.

[Keskjer]

I got my EMT-B with AMR which was a 11-13 week program. Before graduation we had our NREMT test, then we graduated, then I moved to work with AMR for a small time, then was moved to a stationary position at a hospital as a EMT. After that I got I-85 and moved up to I-99 and then left, and started working for the FD. Got certs to be a firemen, and then now I'm looking at getting back with AMR or maybe medic west. Out here in the states the only long term collage program would be paramed. Which i believe can be done in 1 1/2 years (I'm sure they have classes that are made to speed through it so its cut down to a year if not less.)

What would you say looms better on a resume when applying for emt jobs; a cert from an ambulance company/hospital or one from a community college?  Or does it not matter?  If you get the cert through a company does it help set you up for a job with that company?

sorry to be asking so many questions but I was wondering if the ambulance companies or hospitals have a kind of support program for emts or paramedics for after bad calls or when you can't bring someone back that coded?  Or are you trained what to do in these situations?  My uncle became an emt and eventually drove the ambulances as well but quit due to the mental stress from people during in front of him.

Well for your first question, getting a cert from a company helps you get a job with that company, however, getting a cert from a college says you got smarts, and everyone wants smart people working for them.

Umm as far as support programs theres a few, I've never been to them so can't tell you what its like, however, I've dealt with the worse of worse imo and its part of the job. Right now think of every detail you can imagine for the worse of the worse, and if you think you can't handle it, then being a EMT might not be the job for you. I know guys that quit because they fell to PTSD. Yeah, it can happen, but you gotta remember your reason for doing the job, and you have to put one foot infront of the other. A friend of mine that I made while taking more EMT-B course told me, "Its your duty, your responsibility to do your job, and do it right. Don't just do it today, to only quit later. You do it to save lives, always remember that." Yeah the stress is a lot, and I deal with it my own way, sure I'm wonder about that day when I cant take it. But that wont come as long as I remember why I do what I do.