01/26/2026
Paramedic

01/26/2026 – Paramedic

What Paramedics Do

Paramedics have arguably one of the most important jobs in the field of medicine—taking healthcare outside the hospital and saving lives on the scene. Paramedics act as first responders, performing life-saving practices, such as CPR and IVs, on critically ill patients outside of the hospital. They are responsible for quickly assessing patients at the scene, responding to 911 calls, calling for more help, and acting in crucial, stressful moments to save people’s lives. They most often work with a team in ambulances, stabilizing patients en route to the hospital, and providing crucial support wherever necessary. Paramedics have extremely unpredictable jobs—unlike other professions in the medical field, they do not have 9-5 working hours, or a set schedule at all. They have to report to the scene whenever needed, and are usually on call at all times.

Paramedics’ Study

During High School

Like all other professions, studying to become a paramedic begins in high school. It is important to take classes in core subjects, such as math, science, and English, along with other more specified classes, like anatomy and physiology. Explore the field outside of school as well—try volunteering in EMT related places and taking CPR courses. Some fire stations may allow for you to ride along to a scene and observe the licensed paramedics to decide whether or not the field is a good fit for you. Join clubs related to your field, such as Red Cross, which can CPR-certify you, and HOSA, to gain more knowledge about the field. 

After High School

Once an aspiring paramedic has graduated high school, they go on to gain an EMT certification. This usually takes around 6 months and requires 120-150 hours of training. Once completing their EMT certification, one would then go on to gain work experience, working as an EMT for 6 months to 1 year to gain experience before applying to paramedic school. After gaining work experience, they would then apply to a paramedic program, about 1-2 years long. This involves 1,200-1,800 hours of training in advanced life support. Once completing paramedic school, they would then go on to shadow other paramedics in emergency rooms, ambulances, and other specialty areas. The last step would be to pass the NREMT exam and gain official state licensure. 

AI in Paramedicine

Today, AI has grown throughout the field of medicine, making so many mundane processes easier to complete. In paramedicine, AI can track call logs, checking who needs help and where. It can also map points where the most accidents occur, so ambulances can be strategically positioned. It can act as a translator for people who don’t speak English, or whatever language the paramedic needs to communicate in. AI can also assess real-time patient health and vitals, look at different ultrasound images, and suggest possible diagnoses for the patient.