So You Want to Become an EMT

Becoming an EMT was one of the best things to happen in my life. It was at a time when I was on a premed track in undergrad. There are so many prerequisites you need to check off prior to applying to medical school. From great grades, volunteering, having extracurriculars, to trying to get some research published. Out of all the things, becoming an EMT really unveiled what healthcare might truly have in store for me.

Here's what you can expect

Unit 1

1. CPR

2. How to communicate with patients

3. How to provide accurate documentation

4. Vital Signs

Unit 2

1. Airway Management

2. Respiratory emergencies

3. Cardiac emergencies

Unit 3

1. Neurological emergencies like seizures, strokes, drugs, alcohol, and behavioral emergencies

2. Immunological emergencies (allergic reactions)

3. Abdominal Pain (gastrointestinal, genitourinary, obstetrics, gynecology)

Unit 4

1. How to perform a head to toe assessment on a trauma patient

2. Addressing injuries from penetrating and blunt trauma

Here's a video highlighting who usually takes our course.

If our current class is full, and you're interested in the next program, here's what you can do in the meantime.

1. Find out when the next application opens. Acceptance is on a first come, first served basis. This not only includes applying, but responding to acceptance emails, attending orientation, and submitting tuition.

2. Track down your immunization records and obtain a TB test. A handful of students every semester procrastinate with their records which delays they ability to perform clinical rotations through the hospitals and ambulances.

3. Financially prepare for the tuition ahead of time as well as the additional costs of the program. Although we're under market value for EMT programs, we understand that some may find our tuition to be burdensome. Check in with us to see what our tuition is expected to be for your future semester as well as what the cost of each additional material will be (textbook, uniform, blood pressure cuff, etc) so there are no surprises. Here's a link to our page for additional materials

Our class demographic is typically broken down into:

• 50% undergraduate students that premed in some capacity (pre physician assistant, medical school, pre nursing)

• We've had students from Northwestern University, UIC, Loyola, IIT, University of Chicago

• 20% are recent grads (23-27 year olds) that are looking for some clinical experience and direction

• 20% are individuals in their late 20's to mid 30's not satisfied with their day jobs and are looking for something more fulfilling

• 10% are in or nearing retirement and this is something they've always wanted to do

If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. We look forward to working with you.

Chicago EMT Training Team