Advanced EMT classes prepare medical technicians for working on an ambulance or with fire departments. When attending these advanced EMT classes you will gain more 
skills and a higher theoretical level of knowledge, they will be able to perform more complex procedures than a basic EMT. In some states, these technicians are considered to be an intermediate level between the basic EMTs and the paramedics, while in others they are actually considered basic paramedics. In both cases, the advanced EMTs are able to assume a leadership role during a medical emergency intervention.
What You Need To Know About Advanced EMT Classes
The advanced EMT classes are usually organized by the local communities, either by the medical education units or by hospitals and trauma centers.
To have a better understanding of the EMT training classification, you must know that, depending on the skills provided by the classes, there are three degrees of medical technicians:
-EMT-B (basic level)
-EMT-I (advanced EMT level) with two intermediate levels: EMT-I/85 and EMT-I/99
-EMT-P (advanced level – paramedic)
EMT-I/85 graduates are able to perform more invasive techniques and procedures than the basic EMT graduates and, in some cases, are allowed to perform an endotracheal intubation.
EMT-I/99 graduates are able to perform even more procedures, having a higher degree than EMT-I/85, and their training requires more hours of lectures and practical training. Among the skills they develop, we can mention cardiac monitoring, pharmaceutical intervention, administration of several drugs and also CPR.
After graduating from the advanced EMT classes, you can easily find a job on an ambulance or in a traditional first response department (such as firefighters, lifeguards and more).
An ambulance can offer a more or less complex level of medical assistance, according to the training of the personnel:
-BLS – a Basic Life Support ambulance that has only EMT-Bs
-ILS – an Intermediate Life Support ambulance that is using EMTs of intermediate levels
-ALS – an Advanced Life Support ambulance with paramedics, sometimes accompanied by basic EMTs.
If you want to attend the advanced EMT classes, you have to be over 18; it is also necessary to present a certificate to prove you have graduated the basic EMT training course.
Subjects Taught In The Advanced EMT Classes
The students will be introduced to basic subjects like anatomy and physiology, patho-physiology, pharmacology, cardiology, emergency communications, ambulance operation and triage, obstetrics and gynecology. Depending on the state’s medical policies and, more than that, depending on the role the future graduate will have on scene, these basic subjects can be complemented by a few more.
Usually, these classes are supposed to last for 15 weeks, with lectures, theoretical and laboratory training for 2 days (with 6 hour classes each), followed by the remainder of the period being spent doing clinical field work on ambulances and hospital training, in order to put the knowledge gained in the theoretical courses into practice. A complete course can have between 200 and 400 hours of both theory and practice.
When students decide to attend advanced EMT classes, they usually have in mind a higher position in the medical field, and these classes will be first step towards a beautiful and rewarding career.