Should I be a paramedic?

We’ve all seen and heard an ambulance in action!

The wailing siren and flashing lights seemingly appear out of nowhere, demanding curious drivers clear the way for whatever emergency is happening inside this “hospital” on wheels. 

As the ambulance flies by, you see paramedics diligently working.

What are they doing?

They could be helping someone with simply a minor injury or providing life-saving treatment until they can get to the hospital.

Under the supervision and frequent communication of an offsite doctor, paramedics specialize in emergency treatments, such as: 

• Managing compromised airways and giving tracheotomies (incisions on the neck to create a direct opening to the airway)

• Administering antidotes (a drug or chemical that counteracts the effects of another drug) for drug overdoses or poisonings 

• Applying pacemakers and using a defibrillator (a device that restores a normal heartbeat by sending an electric pulse or shock to the heart)

  

• Performing basic medical testing and interpreting results

• Evaluating patient data on monitoring equipment while en route to the hospital

• Providing the receiving doctor a detailed account of the person’s condition 

• Inserting IV (intravenous) lines into patients

  Photo by Olga Kononenko on Unsplash

Want to venture beyond the emergency room or ambulance? Why not be a paramedic on a… 

• Cruise ship

• Oil-drilling platform

• Ski resort

• Air rescue transport

• Ocean rescue team

• S.W.A.T. team

• Firefighting team

In Canada: $55,000 – $75,000/year (CAD)

In the US: $36,650/year (USD)

Paramedics typically have a higher earning potential and more opportunities for career growth than EMTs.   

1. Both EMTs and paramedics must obtain CPR certification. 

2. Paramedics must complete a postsecondary educational program that usually lasts 1-2 years.

3. All states and provinces require EMTs and paramedics to be licensed (licensing conditions may vary by location).

High school students interested in becoming EMTs or paramedics should take courses in anatomy and physiology and consider becoming certified in CPR.

If You Have The Following Skills, You'll Make a Great Paramedic!

• Must be able to provide emotional support to patients in an emergency

• Excellent listening skills to be able to listen to patients 

• The ability to work well on a team

• Be physically fit, as there is a lot of bending, lifting, and kneeling

• Be an efficient problem solver to evaluate patients and administer treatments

• Have strong speaking skills to clearly explain procedures to patients, give orders, and relay information

What now you ask?