EMT Paramedic Programs in West Virginia

EMT-Paramedic Programs in West Virginia -- How to Become an EMT-Paramedic in West Virginia

An EMT-Paramedic is a trained emergency medical technician who has undergone several hours of training, certification and education in order to learn how to handle sick or injured people during emergency situations. The basic duties of an EMT-Paramedic is to immediately respond and handle emergency calls, perform medical services on-site to stabilize the patient, and transport injured or sick patients safely to medical facilities. The average EMT-Paramedic in the state of West Virginia can make a salary of $30,360 per year.

There is no college degree required to become an EMT-Paramedic in the state of West Virginia. However, you must take extensive training courses from accredited programs, obtain certification, and be able to meet several requirements set forth by the state. The first step to becoming an EMT-Paramedic is to attend a state approved paramedic training program. These EMT-Paramedic programs in West Virginia will teach you how to properly respond to calls, administer on-site medical assistance and handle a variety of paperwork that is associated with the job. Most of these paramedic training courses take on average 40 hours to complete. If you are hoping to become an EMT-Paramedic most programs will require that you take over 48 hours of continuing education to learn all the necessary skills.

In addition to completing one of the accredited EMT-Paramedic programs in West Virginia, you must also take and pass the written and practical examination to become an EMT-Paramedic. These tests are administered several times a year and are given to evaluate your education and skills. You must pass both the written and practical examination with a score of 70% in order to obtain your certification. Once you pass the test you can apply for state certification at the EMT-Paramedic level.

Once you have completed both the state approved paramedic training program and received your certification there are a few other requirements you must meet in order to become an EMT-Paramedic in West Virginia. The minimum age requirement to become an EMT-Paramedic is 18 in the state of West Virginia. All EMT-Paramedics in West Virginia must be willing to submit to a background check and be fingerprinted. Passing the background check is a must to obtain a job as an EMT-Paramedic. In addition to passing the background check all EMT-Paramedics must have a current, valid driver's license and hold current CPR credentials. All EMT-Paramedics must also be willing to undergo regular skill evaluations and take continuing education courses in order to maintain their job.