Employers
Approximately 270,400 emergency medical technicians and paramedics are employed in the United States. EMTs are employed by fire departments, private ambulance services, police departments, volunteer emergency medical services squads, hospitals, industrial plants, or other organizations that provide prehospital emergency care.
Starting Out
A good source of employment leads for a recent graduate of the basic EMT training program is the school or agency that provided the training. You can also apply directly to local ambulance services, fire departments, and employment agencies.
In some areas, you may face stiff competition if you are seeking full-time paid employment immediately upon graduation. Although you may sometimes qualify for positions with fire and police departments, you are generally more likely to be successful in pursuing positions with private companies.
Volunteer work is an option for EMTs. Volunteers are likely to average eight to 12 hours of work per week. If you are a beginning EMT without prior work experience in the health field, you may find it advantageous to start your career as a part-time volunteer to gain experience.
Flexibility about the location of a job may help you gain a foothold on the career ladder. In some areas, salaried positions are hard to find because of a strong tradition of volunteer ambulance services. Therefore, if you are willing to relocate where the demand is higher, you should have a better chance of finding employment.
- Addiction Therapists
- Advanced Practice Nurses
- Aerospace Medicine Physicians
- Airport Security Personnel
- Allergists/Immunologists
- Anesthesiologist Assistants
- Anesthesiologists
- Bail Bondsmen
- Behavioral Health Technicians
- Biomedical Equipment Technicians
- Bodyguards
- Border Patrol Agents
- Bounty Hunters
- Cancer Exercise Specialists
- Cardiologists
- Cardiovascular Technologists
- Child Life Specialists
- Chiropractors
- Clinical Applications Specialists
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners
- Community Health Nurses
- Community Health Workers
- Construction Inspectors
- Contact Tracers
- Corrections Officers
- Cosmetic Surgeons
- Creative Arts Therapists
- Crime Analysts
- Critical Care Nurses
- Customs Officials
- Cytogenetic Technologists
- Cytotechnologists
- Dental Assistants
- Dental Hygienists
- Dental Laboratory Technicians
- Dental Therapists
- Dentists
- Deputy U.S. Marshals
- Dermatologists
- Detectives
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
- Dialysis Technicians
- Dietetic Technicians
- Dietitians
- Directors of Security
- Directors of Telehealth
- Dispensing Opticians
- Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists
- Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists
- Emergency Management Directors
- Emergency Nurses
- Emergency Services Dispatchers
- Endocrinologists
- Endodontists
- Endoscopy Technicians
- Epidemiologists
- Ergonomists
- FBI Agents
- Fire Inspectors
- Fire Investigators
- Fire Protection Engineers
- Fire Safety Directors
- Fire Safety Technicians
- Firefighters
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Forensic Experts
- Forest Fire Prevention Specialists
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Gastroenterologists
- General Practitioners
- Genetic Counselors
- Genetic Genealogists
- Geriatric Nurses
- Geriatric Psychiatrists
- Geriatric Social Workers
- Geriatricians
- Grief Therapists
- Health Advocates
- Health Educators
- Health Informaticists
- Hematologists
- Histologic Technicians
- Holistic Physicians
- Home Health Care Aides
- Home Health Care and Hospice Nurses
- Hospice Workers
- Hospitalists
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
- Informatics Nurse Specialists
- Intelligence Officers
- Kinesiologists
- Licensed Practical Nurses
- Medical Assistants
- Medical Laboratory Technicians
- Medical Screeners
- Medical Scribes
- Medical Technologists
- Microbiologists
- Music Therapists
- Naturopaths
- Neonatal Nurses
- Neurologists
- Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists
- Neuroscientists
- Nuclear Medicine Physicians
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists
- Nurse Anesthetists
- Nurse Assistants
- Nurse Managers
- Nurse Practitioners
- Nurse-Midwives
- Nutritionists
- Obstetricians/Gynecologists
- Occupational Health Nurses
- Occupational Therapists
- Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides
- Oncological Nurses
- Oncologists
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
- Ophthalmic Medical Technologists
- Ophthalmologists
- Optometrists
- Oriental Medicine Practitioners
- Orientation and Mobility Specialists
- Orthodontists
- Orthoptists
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Technicians
- Orthotists and Prosthetists
- Osteopathic Physicians
- Park Rangers
- Parole Officers
- Pathologists
- Pediatricians
- Pedorthists
- Perfusionists
- Periodontists
- Pharmacists
- Pharmacologists
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Phlebotomy Technicians
- Physiatrists
- Physical Therapists
- Physical Therapy Assistants
- Physician Assistants, Physician Associates
- Physicians
- Podiatrists
- Police Officers
- Polygraph Examiners
- Preventive Medicine Physicians
- Prosthodontists
- Psychiatric Nurses
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Radiologic Technologists
- Radiologists
- Receptionists
- Recreational Therapists
- Registered Nurses
- Remote Health Care Engineers
- Respiratory Technicians
- Respiratory Therapists
- School Nurses
- Secret Service Special Agents
- Security Consultants
- Security Guards
- Senior Care Pharmacists
- Social Workers
- Special Procedures Technologists
- Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
- Sports Physicians
- Sports Psychologists
- Surgeons
- Surgical Technologists
- Toxicologists
- Transplant Coordinators
- Urologists
- Wildland Firefighters