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Heartland Community College

Emergency Medical Technician Information

  • Make saving lives part of your regular work day through Heartland's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) certificate program. Learn current practices of pre-hospital emergency care for critically ill or injured people through your classes, labs and field work. EMT-Basic courses meet each semester. EMT-Paramedic courses are held consecutively from fall session through the following fall session.
  • Each branch of the Emergency Medical Service logo represents tasks executed by rescuers in the emergency chain. These are detection, reporting, response, on scene care, in transit care and transfer to definitive care. The snake emblem is the Rod of Asclepius. It is used worldwide as the symbol of medical care.
  • Each year, America's EMTs treat 25-30 million patients.* Fire departments employ nearly 40% of EMS professionals. The other 60% serve in settings that include:

    • helicopters
    • municipal services
    • hospital-based services
    • military or federal agencies
    • cardiac catheter labs
    • doctors' offices
    • industrial settings

    * From the 2005 LEADS (Longitudinal Emergency Medical Technician Attributes and Demographics Study) questionnaire, which represents only EMT Basics who are certified with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT).

  • Earn your certificate or industry credential at Heartland:

    Emergency Medical Technician - Basic certificate

    This is an 8 credit-hour program after which you can apply for licensure and enter the workforce. Once you complete your EMT-Basic level license and a prerequisite anatomy and physiology course, you'll be qualified to enroll in the paramedic program.

    Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic certificate

    This program is a 33+ credit-hour sequence that includes general education requirements. A 600-hour field and hospital clinical rotation is also required. Completing this credential builds stronger technical and assessment skills and prepares you to seek positions of greater responsibility.

Emergency Medical Services Video

Emergency Medical Services Video

Video Transcription: Emergency Medical Services Video Transcription (PDF)