Medicine is a very broad field of science with many components to it. Cardiology, Pediatrics, Dermatology, Immunology – the list goes on and on. Despite each specialty/field of medicine covering a different part of the body or focusing on a different population, they all have one thing in common: patient interaction. Being able to treat an illness is important, but being able to interact with a patient is just as important. Such a skill is something that medical schools require for the future of patients but also to ensure applicants to medical school are certain medicine is for them. A very great way of getting clinical patient exposure is by becoming an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). In this article, I will outline things to know about becoming an EMT.
Time Commitment/Cost:
How long does it take to become an EMT considering being a pre-med entails a constant battle with time? How much does EMT school cost? How long are classes and how many classes are there a week? The answer to all these questions is that it depends on the program you are looking into.
The majority of EMT programs take place at community colleges or some universities. It takes roughly the length of a college semester to complete an entire EMT course. However, there are some exceptions where programs can span up to 1-2 years. Regarding weekly commitment, some programs have classes about 3-4 times a week ranging from around 3-4 hours long. These are just baseline times and aren’t inclusive of time spent studying for certification exams at the end of an EMT program. The cost of EMT school can range anywhere from $1000-$2000. If you participate in a program that offers sponsorship, EMT school can even be free.
What is it like Being an EMT?
Being an EMT can vary based on the calls received during a shift. There are days when minimal calls are given or the calls received are for relatively minor situations. There are also days when you will be physically, mentally, and/or emotionally challenged with situations you wouldn’t think were possible. You deal with patients of a variety of backgrounds, with a variety of medical issues and/or trauma. Shift lengths vary based on the organization in which you work; they can be anything from 8 hours, to 12 hours, to even a full 24 hours, and the pay varies with each organization. Despite being frontline healthcare workers and dealing with a great deal of responsibilities, EMTs don’t make a large amount of money.
Personal Take on Being an EMT
I think that many people should become an EMT just to be equipped with the knowledge of how to save someone. For pre-meds, being an EMT is a great way to gain clinical experience by working with patients one-on-one, as well as with other healthcare professionals. One thing I will say is that balancing long, draining EMT shifts with difficult pre-med coursework can be very challenging. Still, for me, being an EMT is worth it.
