Becoming an EMT, or an emergency medical technician, is a very worthy path to pursue as a medical professional. However it is important to remember that there are different rules in different states related to what you need to do in order to practice as an EMT in that area. Consequently it is better to select EMT program by state. Fortunately there are a number of EMT programs in Florida that you can enroll in as a prospective EMT. However making the decision of which school you should attend is not one that should be made lightly.
Overview
There are two primary reasons why the emergency medical services are a good career to enter into in Florida. There has been a huge increase in the number of EMTs needed in Florida (as well as in many other states across the country), meaning that there is an increase in jobs for people with skills in this domain. In addition, as the baby boom generation reaches maturity, there is also an increase in the number of elderly people who are often the victims of medical emergencies. Consequently there is a correlating increase in the need for EMTs in Florida.
When it comes to selecting one of the many EMT programs in Florida there may be a few ways in which you can narrow down your options. For example, if you are looking for a program that you can study through part-time you may want to consider one of the following EMT programs in Florida:
- City College in Fort Lauderdale
- City College in Casselberry
- City College in Miami
If you are interested in studying through a school that has a diverse and interesting student body, one of the following schools offering EMT programs in Florida may be idea for you:
- Miami Dade College
- Broward College
- South Florida Community College
- Valencia Community College
If you are an adult learner, Florida has many options for you as well:
- Florida Keys Community College
- City College
- Indian River State College
- St Petersburg College
In addition to the type of tuition that you seek you can also look for geographic diversity at universities and colleges in Florida such as Gulf Coast Community College, Chipola, Pensacola Junior College, and Brevard Community College. You may also be interested in colleges that offer dorms or a residential campus environment which can be found at such schools as South Florida Community College, and Hillsborough Community College.
List Of EMT Programs In Florida
EMT programs in Florida are offered through the following schools:
- Brevard Community College in Cocoa
- Broward College in Fort Lauderdale
- Central Florida Community College in Ocala
- Chipola College in Marianna
- City College in Fort Lauderdale
- City College in Casselberry
- City College in Miami
- Daytona State College in Daytona Beach
- Edison State College in Fort Myers
- Florida Keys Community College in Key West
- Florida State College at Jacksonville in Jacksonville
- Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City
- Hillsborough Community College in Tampa
- Indian River State College in Fort Pierce
- Lake City Community College in Lake City
- Lake- Sumter Community College in Leesburg
- Miami Dade College in Miami
- North Florida Community College in Madison
- Northwest Florida State College in Niceville
- Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth
- Pasco- Hernando Community College in New Port Richey
- Pensacola Junior College in Pensacola
- Polk State College in Winter Haven
- Saint Johns River Community College in Palatka
- Santa Fe College in Gainesville
- Seminole State College of Florida in Sanford
- South Florida Community College in Avon Park
- St Petersburg College in Clearwater
- State College of Florida- Manatee- Sarasota in Bradenton
- Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee
- Valencia Community College in Orlando
Fortunately for students who would like to become an EMT in Florida, there are a large number of educational opportunities available for just that purpose. However the final decision must be made carefully as there are a number of considerations to keep in mind. The school that you select at this point in your career will have an impact on your success and job opportunities in the years that follow.
Major Employers Of EMTs In Florida
Top companies that employ EMTs in Florida include EMS Inc, which is located in Orange Park, Mears Transportation Group, which is located in Orlando, Airport Limousine Svc-Orlando, which is located in Orlando, Sunstar Emergency Medical Svc, which is located in Largo, Century Ambulance Svc Inc, which is located in Jacksonville, American Medical Response, which is located in Miami, Rural Metro Corp, which is located in Orlando, EVAC Ambulance Svc, which is located in Daytona Beach, Adventure Limousine Svc Inc, which is located in Miami, AAA Wheelchair & Stretcher, which is located in Hollywood, Laidlaw Education Svc, which is located in Jacksonville, South Florida Transportation, which is located in Hollywood, B & L Svc Inc, which is located in Fort Lauderdale, Community Coach, which is located in Vero Beach, Public Schools Transportation, which is located in Vero Beach, Servicemaster Management, which is located in Tampa, American Ambulance Svc, which is located in Orlando, AMC Medical Transportation, which is located in Miami, Coastal Health Systems-Brevard, which is located in Rockledge, and Medfleet Systems Inc, which is located in New Port Richey.
Job Opportunities And Core Courses
There are a number of job opportunities that you could receive as an EMT in Florida. These include becoming an Ambulance EMT-Paramedic, a Firefighter-Paramedic, an S.W.A.T. Paramedic, a Flight Paramedic, a Shipboard Medic or an Ocean Rescue Medic. In addition most programs tend to include the following course options:
- First Responder
- Emergency Medical Technician I
- Paramedic I
- Paramedic II Laboratory
- Paramedic III Externship
Each of these levels of education comes with different responsibilities and rights that you will have as an emergency services expert, with becoming a paramedic being the highest that you can go in this line of work.
Considerations
When looking into EMT programs in Florida you may come across a number of online options. If you do you need to be very careful about enrolling in these programs, no matter how convenient they may seem. This is because, in order to be an EMT. You will need to complete two main sections of coursework. These sections include:
- Classroom training, or theory work
- Practical hands-on experience in and actual medical environment
The second cannot possibly be completed entirely online. Consequently it is wiser to focus on those EMT programs in Florida that offer face-to-face tuition as these are the schools most likely to provide you with comprehensive hands-on training.
There are online schools that are ‘safe’ to attend if you want to be an EMT. These tend to be schools that are either part of a brick and mortar school or that are affiliated with one. If you attend one of these schools there will probably be measures in place to ensure that you are adequate trained in clinical settings. In addition there are online schools that are affiliated with an organization that allows you to intern and complete your practical training through them. You could also consider making your own plans and sourcing your own organization through which to do your clinical training. This, however, may take a great deal of your time and energy. In addition it is not always easy to find an internship on your own, whereas employers are more likely to accept interns form schools that they have already heard of and that have a good reputation with that organization.
Although there are a number of good online schools out there, there are also some that are not ideal for someone who wants to be a quality EMT. The decision that you make regarding your choice between the many EMT programs in Florida is a very important one to make because there are many employers that take your school to heart when considering you for a job. Consequently a qualification from a less-than-reputable school could seriously impact your chances of receiving employment with the organizations and agencies that you would most like to be employed with. In short this is a decision requiring a great deal of time and attention.
Of the many EMT programs in Florida there are clearly those that will be better than others. When considering programs you need to compare the amount of money charged for the program with the quality of the tuition on offer. In addition you need to look into the facts and figures regarding how many students successfully graduate from the program and in turn how many of those students successfully find work in the domain of social work. These facts and figures are on hand and are necessary for comprehensive research into a school’s attributed and suitability. There may also be a number of personal factors that play a role in your decision.