Interested in becoming a paramedic? Helping others in emergency situations requires you to have a working knowledge of medical procedures and ambulance equipment, so specialized training is in order. If you want to become a paramedic in the state of Texas, the timeline for certification depends on your current background and the structure of your secondary healthcare education.
It takes time between applying to paramedic school, completing your program, and obtaining a license to practice. Generally, paramedic school calls for anywhere between 1,300 and 1,800 hours of training before obtaining certification in Texas.
Understanding Your Medical Experience
How long is paramedic school? The answer to this question depends on whether or not you are certified as an EMT. Paramedics are the most experienced professionals riding in an ambulance, and most individuals practicing in the state of Texas were EMTs or AEMTs first.
Paramedic programs, like the one available through Texas EMS School, require you to have a minimum of EMT-B certification before you can start training. Expect to spend about 15 weeks in EMT classes and labs before moving forward to paramedic training.
Look at Program Estimates
Community colleges and online programs will list a general framework of paramedic courses. For example, students can find the number of hours necessary to progress through instruction, in-person labs, and field experiences that prepare them to work in the industry.
Program estimates are helpful, but take them with a grain of salt. Someone moving through an EMT-B course before paramedic school may move at a slower pace since they have little medical experience. Physician assistants, nursing students, and working EMTs can often move quickly through a paramedic program since they are more familiar with healthcare terminology.
How Long Does Online Paramedic School Take?
Texas EMS School enables students to complete the majority of our paramedic coursework from home. We’ll connect you to a competency-based online platform that considers your strengths and weaknesses for a personalized learning experience.
How hard is paramedic school in Texas? Our training program moves at a faster pace than EMT-B classes to keep your career on an expedited path. We’ll prepare you to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) paramedic exams through the following:
- 1,305 hours of instruction: Online portions of your training should be done within 16 months.
- Skills Labs: Students must complete three different Skills Labs over the course of two days within our training facility.
- Clinical and field experiences: Assist in local hospitals and clinics in Texas. Choose from among approximately 200 available clinical sites.
- Capstone internship: Show what you’ve learned by standing in as a lead paramedic for a local hospital.
All stages of Texas EMS School’s paramedic program have to be finished within 18 months total.
Complete Your Paramedic Training With Texas EMS School
Texas EMS School is here to walk you through the requirements you have to meet before you can get a paramedic license from the Texas Department of State Health Services. We offer a variety of EMS programs to help you accomplish your goals in a reasonable amount of time. For more information about how long your paramedic schooling in Texas might take, contact us online.
