Over the last few years there have been a surge of applications for becoming a GMT. Considering the immense satisfaction that such a role can bring, this really shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Short for Emergency Medical Technician, this is a professional that really can make a difference in the peak of an emergency. It’s something that Stephen Varanko III knows all about as well, having become one himself.
Through the course of this guide will delve into Varko’s role as an EMT in more detail, and show some of the responsibilities that those of you who are considering such a position can expect to take on.
What types of EMT are there?
At the time of writing, there are three types of training available to EMTs. As you might have gathered, you have to work from the first stage to the third in order – you can’t jump from one to another.
Let’s take a look at the three stages in complete detail:
EMT Basic – This is the first stage and will take about six months for you to get through. At the end of the process, you will have to take a written and practical examination to assess your capabilities. The aim of this module of training is to cover the basics of emergency care. It will specifically concentrate on what you must do to assess the basic condition of a patient, as well as what you need to do when there is a cardiac or trauma emergency.
EMT Intermediate – Once you have completed the first phase of training, you are permitted to progress to the next stage. A caveat here should also be added; you generally need some work experience to progress to this stage as well. EMT Intermediate covers slightly more advanced emergency care topics and again, you will need to complete a practical and written exam by the end of it. Unfortunately, the timescales for completing this really can be far and wide; generally taking between 30 and 350 hours.
EMT Paramedic – This is a final stage of training and to again put some numbers into it, it should take you two hours to complete. There is a mandatory period of six months’ worth of work experience as well, while the standard practical and written exams also exist. This time, the topics really do step up a notch and you can expect to cover the administration of intravenous fluids, how to use different pieces of equipment as well as how to control bleeding.
The next steps on becoming an EMT
As you can see, to become a fully qualified EMT certainly takes time. This is something that Stephen Varanko III has certainly found, but at the same time he’s found it incredibly rewarding. Not only is he able to help in completely desperate situations, but from a more practical perspective there are plenty of jobs on offer due to the varied nature of this type of role.
