Paramedic Associate Degree
As emergency first responders, paramedics work on the front lines of life-threatening situations, whether they be auto accidents, fires, or heart attacks. Quick thinking, critical analysis, and extensive training are all critical for this occupation given the pressure and stress that typically accompany emergency situations. While many paramedics in past may have received their training on the job, there is a growing shift towards licensed professionals who receive formal training at paramedic associate degree programs.
What Can a Paramedic Associate Degree Teach You?
As a paramedic, your primary responsibilities include:- Assessing patients' conditions
- Stabilizing patients
- Providing emergency first aid
- Transporting patients safely to medical centers
As such, the bulk of your coursework typically focuses on bleeding, respiratory, cardiac, and trauma-related complications. In addition to the technical and emergency skills required to treat the above, most schools stress more theoretical areas such as anatomy, physiology, biology, hematology, pharmacology and other related disciplines. Typical programs last anywhere from one to two years, with licensing and certification requirements varying by state.
What Can You Do with a Paramedic Associate Degree?
Most graduates go on to become emergency medical technicians (EMTs) linked to hospitals, clinics, and triage centers. With sufficient time on the job, it is possible to become operations managers, executive directors of emergency services, dispatchers, instructors, or physician assistants. Many also use their exposure in the field to gauge potential career options in other branches of medicine. It is not uncommon for graduates of paramedic associate degree programs to eventually go back to school in order to become nurses, physicians, and surgeons. Regardless of your long-term aspirations, however, understand that becoming a paramedic without formal training could severely limit your advancement opportunities as more qualified professionals continue to displace volunteer EMTs and lesser skilled paramedics.
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