Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Career Profiles

At the scene of a horrific car accident, emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, are the first to respond and lend life-saving assistance. For people unafraid to make life-changing decisions while in a stressful situation, a job as an EMT can be rewarding.

For EMTs, there are no average days. On any given day, you may help deliver a baby before breakfast, perform CPR on a drowning victim after lunch, and treat a burn victim before dinner. Most EMTs work for their local governments, either directly or as an employee of a private ambulance company on a government contract.

Becoming an EMT requires a high school education and formal job training. Most areas will also require you to pass a test and obtain a license before you can work as an EMT. Life as an EMT can be stressful, and you will be expected to work long and unpredictable hours. Starting pay can be low, especially when local governments face budget shortfalls, but higher incomes are available to EMTs with more advanced certifications. Almost all areas need EMTs, so you likely won’t have to move to find a job as an EMT.

If you’re confident in your ability to tackle split-second decisions and can keep a calm mind in a stressful situation, you may be a good candidate for a career as an EMT. To read more about the day-to-day life of an EMT or to learn about how to become one, check out the career profiles below. We’ve interviewed qualified EMTs to give you the inside scoop.