In a recent editorial, American Ambulance Association President Mark Postma proclaimed he was “in awe” of the impact paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have in emergency situations. In Postma’s words, these EMS (emergency medical services) providers offer “life-saving 911 response, life-sustaining inter-facility transfer and – increasingly – cost-saving, outcome-driven community paramedicine.”
However, with healthcare options being stretched thin due to growing requests, Postma believes the role of emergency medical service providers is more crucial today than ever before. In fact, he says, “The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects career opportunities for EMTs and Paramedics to grow another 15 percent by 2026, far outpacing most other professions.”
As a result, there may never have been a better time for qualified candidates to explore careers in mobile healthcare, whether as an emergency medical technician (EMT) or a paramedic.
However, to do what they do, paramedics and EMTs must develop and refine skills that span healthcare, technology and compassion if they hope to successfully manage everything they likely will encounter on the job. Those are skills that aren’t innate for most people – they need to be learned. Luckily, EMT and Paramedic programs are offered in diverse settings in every state – including at Fortis College in Smyrna, GA.
Most practitioners begin as EMTs to build experience, then might move up to providing medical care at advanced life support levels as a paramedic. To prepare for a career in the emergency medical services profession, a paramedic or EMT program typically is the best way to begin. Covering all bases for those interested in EMS careers, Fortis College-Smyrna offers programs in both EMT and Paramedic to help provide the skills needed to render emergency care within an ambulance service, fire-rescue department, or hospital.
Visit our Smyrna Campus page and link to the Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic programs to learn more.
Both are fast-paced, meaningful careers. And, as Postma notes: “We honor those who have committed to the … mission-critical work that our EMS professionals do for our country every day.”
