An Extracurricular EMT Roadmap

The decision to dedicate your life to the study and practice of medicine is not one to be made on a whim. Admissions committees want to see that you have thoroughly thought through your decision, and they determine this by looking at the activities you highlight in your application. Have you immersed yourself in the medical industry? If not, how can you actually know it’s the right path for you?

Extracurriculars are an opportunity to broaden your horizons and deepen your understanding of what it’s like to work in the medical field. As an emergency medical technician (EMT), you’ll work in a fast-paced environment, gaining hands-on medical experience. It’s an exciting job, but it’s also a taxing one that can be emotionally draining and difficult to balance with school work.

Our guide to becoming an EMT as an extracurricular will discuss the benefits of this experience and how to succeed as an EMT. Is it the best fit for you, and can you handle the pressure of emergency medical situations?

What Is an EMT?

Emergency medical technicians are healthcare professionals who specialize in the treatment and transport of sick or injured patients in the prehospital setting. They are trained to assess a patient’s condition, administer life support measures, such as CPR and supplemental oxygen, and stabilize patients for transport to a hospital or other medical facility.

EMTs work in a variety of settings, including ambulances, fire departments, and other emergency medical services settings. Being in an ambulance means you can count on being called to a variety of different locations, from people’s homes to businesses to right on the street.

Working as an EMT is a bit of a trial by fire, as it will test how you operate under immense amounts of pressure. One con of being an EMT is you don’t get to see the next steps in care. Your job is to stabilize and transport, and your job ends there. You don’t get to see what happens once the patient is in the hospital.

If you prefer to work in an adrenaline-filled and fast-paced environment and want to gain hands-on medical experience, working as an EMT is an excellent choice. There are three different levels of EMT certification, each with varying degrees of training and scopes of practice:

EMT-Basic is the first level of certification. The responsibilities of a basic EMT consist of non-invasive interventions for low acuity patients and assisting other higher level personnel, such as advanced EMTs and paramedics, with higher acuity patients.

Examples of treatments that a basic EMT can provide include administering aspirin for chest pain, providing supplemental oxygen for shortness of breath, and monitoring vital signs. In addition, they are trained to administer basic life support, including CPR, bleeding control, and basic airway management.

Advanced-EMT, or AEMT, is the next level of certification. An advanced EMT is able to perform all of the duties of a basic EMT as well as limited invasive treatments to care for higher acuity patients.

This includes placing IV catheters for fluid or medication administration, administering nebulizer treatments for asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, placing supraglottic airways, and more. The exact scope of an AEMT can vary depending on the state or medical system. For instance, an AEMT working in a more rural area may have a greater scope of practice than an AEMT working in a large city.

EMT-P is the last level of certification, more commonly referred to as the paramedic. Paramedics render invasive treatments for severely ill or injured patients.

They are able to assess and stabilize a wide variety of life threatening conditions, including cardiac arrests, respiratory failure, heart attacks, and severe trauma. As such, their scope of practice is much greater than basic or advanced EMTs. They can administer a wide variety of medications, including narcotics and anti-arrhythmics. They can perform endotracheal intubation for airway management, cardioversions for dysrhythmias, and needle chest decompression for pneumothoraces — all while in the back of a moving ambulance.

For those looking to take their EMS career further, there are additional certifications for paramedics, including critical care paramedic, flight paramedic, and tactical paramedic.

State Protocols

It should be noted that all EMTs work under a medical director and adhere to state protocols that dictate what treatments or interventions they can and cannot do. These protocols serve as standing orders to administer treatments without a doctor present.

As such, the scope of practice for EMTs, AEMTs, and paramedics can vary significantly depending on the location or medical system. In some instances, EMTs may need to contact an emergency medicine physician for permission to administer a particular medication or intervention — even when it’s clinically indicated.

For the full transcript of this video, visit Med School Insiders.