Minnesota EMT Programs

New graduates celebrate with their families at their nursing commencement ceremony.

How to Become a EMT-Paramedic in Minnesota and EMT-Paramedic Programs in Minnesota

Competition for how to become an EMT-paramedic in Minnesota is fierce! All of the credentialing standards for emergency medical technicians in the state are strictly overseen by the Emergency Services Regulatory Board of Minnesota. Emergency medical services standards in Minnesota have recently been made stricter and are among the most challenging in the nation to attain. Minnesota also have four categories of EMT professional, rather than the three used by many other states, so it is important to know the difference and understand the responsibilities associated with each one. EMT-paramedic programs in Minnesota reflect this diversity as well as the commitment to excellence that underlies it!

Like many of the other states of the United States, Minnesota relies upon the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician standards as the basis of its EMT requirements. Unlike many others, though, you will have to be aware of -- and hopefully progress through -- four stages of competency to reach the summit of your Minneapolis EMT career. The first category, "First Responder," requires a 40-hour course and a practical skills exam. Police, fire fighters and others may undertake it. Students will have to become competent in BVM, AED, medical oxygen by non-rebreather mask, medical assessment and trauma assessment. This opens the door to further education.

As a Minneapolis EMT-Basic, you can achieve certification after a 110-hour course. In addition to knowing everything that the First Responder category covers, you are also expected to understand and respond to issues involving spinal trauma, long bone trauma, joint trauma and situations where the patient is bleeding or in shock. These two categories represent the ones that students can achieve without formal academic training in terms of a degree. As students progress to the next two levels, they are much more likely to hold a two-year EMT degree, as opposed to the one-year degree that is available elsewhere outside of Minneapolis.

EMT-Intermediate professionals in Minneapolis must undertake a 52-hour course along with the current NREMT exam -- and full paramedics are expected to hold a two-year degree along with NREMT certification. If a paramedic candidate does not have a degree, he or she must have held EMT certification for at least nine months; those with degrees tend to be paid more. Starting salary at the beginning of an EMT career in Minneapolis can be as low as $22,000 or less in some cases. Raises are predicated upon continuing to advance. While an EMT-Basic will see little salary progression, an EMT-Paramedic will likely reach the median salary of $30,000 relatively quickly.

• Minnesota Department of Public Health