EMTs have an incredibly important job to do. They provide help and support to people in deadly and dangerous situations every day. They often put themselves at risk to save lives and very often save the lives of people in critical conditions. Many people want to take on professions like these, but not many people can handle such intense and high-stakes work. It takes a lot to dive into risky and high-stakes situations and make the kind of decisions that solve problems and maybe even save lives. Â
EMT stands for Emergency Medical Technician and those in this field undergo intense training so they can handle making important medical decisions in high-stakes situations. They are always ready to respond in emergency situations, provide care, and transport sick and injured people to hospitals quickly and efficiently. It takes a lot of guts to be an EMT!
There is a lot to being an EMT, but how much do you know about all of the facts and figures of the job? Put your knowledge of EMT in America stats to the test with this quiz!Â
What is the national median yearly pay of EMTs?
$20,500
$28,789
$30,000
$33,380
As of 2017, the median yearly pay for EMTs is $33,380. This is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What is the most statistically common injury for EMTs?
Assault
Vehicle accidents
Head injury
Sprains and strains
EMTs have one of the highest injury rates amongst all professions. 67% of those injuries involve strains and sprains, as EMTs often have to maneuver patients for care and transportation.
How many more EMTs are there expected to be by 2026?
About 15,000 more
About 30,000 less
About 40,000 more
There is expected to be massive growth in this field due to the growth of cities and the growth of America's aging population. Also, due to the high stress of the job, many people leave it and need to be replaced.
How many hours of training do EMTs have to complete for entry-level positions?
50
80
120
For an entry-level EMT position, people must complete 120 hours of training minimum. This training focuses mostly on trauma, cardiac emergencies and respiratory management.
EMT jobs are expected to be most available in which areas?
Small towns
While EMT employment is supposed to grow 33% by 2020, it is thought that most of those jobs will be in rural and small US towns. This is where 54% of employed EMTs are expected to be.
As an EMT, your location plays a big part in how much you will make. While those in some places earn over $50,000 annually, West Virginia EMTs earn an average salary of only about $25,000 a year. This is one of the lowest for EMTs in the country.
According to a Bureau of Labor study conducted between 2003-2007, most EMT injuries are not fatal. Out of 21,749 reported injuries or illnesses, 21,690 were not fatal.
EMTs have more training than paramedics: true or false?
True
False
In order to become an EMT, you must complete an EMT course, which might be up to about 150 hours in length. Paramedics are trained to handle more advanced medical cases, and their courses can be up to 1,800 hours long.
After completing an EMT course, how long of a time frame do you have to apply for your certification?
1 week
6 months
2 years
In order to become an EMT, you have to take a course and then take and pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) EMT exam. After that you can apply for certification within two years of passing the test.
What is the rate of injury for paramedics and EMTs compared to average occupations?
2 times higher
3 times higher
Paramedics and EMTs have a very high injury rate compared to other occupations. The injury rate for those in these occupations is 3 times higher than the average.
Despite the severe nature of their work, EMTs are one of the least stressed medical professionals. Only about 6% of nationally certified EMS professionals were classified as stressed, which is lower than the average for most other health care professions.