Paramedic in emergency responses

About this occupation

Paramedics in emergency responses provide emergency care to sick, injured, and vulnerable persons in emergency medical situations, before and during transport to a medical facility. They implement and oversee the transfer of the patient in connection with transport. They provide assistance in acute situations, implement life-saving emergency measures, and monitor the performance of the transportation process. As allowed by national law they may also provide oxygen, certain drugs, the puncture of peripheral veins and infusion of crystalloid solutions and perform endotracheal intubation if needed for the immediate prevention of threats for the life or health of an emergency patient.

• Select, request, perform, or interpret diagnostic procedures, such as laboratory tests, electrocardiograms, emergency ultrasounds, and radiographs.
• Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs and priority of treatment.
• Perform emergency resuscitations on patients.
• Stabilize patients in critical condition.
• Perform such medical procedures as emergent cricothyrotomy, endotracheal intubation, and emergency thoracotomy.
• Analyze records, examination information, or test results to diagnose medical conditions.

Typical education (US)

Post-Doctoral Training

Preparation

Job Zone 5 of 5

Interests

Investigative, Social, Conventional

Top skills: Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Writing

US median pay: US$335,550 a year (2025), 32,880 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageExtremely important (4.8)
• BiologyO*NET: BiologyVery important (4.5)
• PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyVery important (4.4)
• ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryImportant (3.2)
• Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.0)
• Environmental ScienceO*NET: Biology + GeographyImportant (3.0)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

Post-Doctoral Training

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.