In order to be eligible to be certified as an EMT, Advanced EMT, and Paramedic, a person must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Abstain from the abuse of drugs which impairs professional judgment and/or practice
  • Be free of any physical or mental impairment or disease which could reasonably be expected to impair the ability to be an EMT, or which could reasonably be expected to jeopardize the health and safety of the patient
  • Meet the training requirements applicable to the level of certification
  • Obtain National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) certification by successfully completing a Massachusetts psychomotor (practical) examination and NREMT cognitive (computer-based) examination

The Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced EMT, and Paramedic must have:

  • a good level of health and fitness
  • an ability to think clearly and act quickly
  • a capacity to control emotions in stressful situations
  • highly developed communication skills
  • an ability to work both autonomously and as part of a team
  • a caring and empathetic nature
  • good analysis and problem solving skills
  • a high level of interpersonal awareness adaptability
  • an ability to follow instructions and guidelines
  • resilience
  • clear decision making and judgement skills

Click here to find out what you need to do to become an EMT-Basic, Advanced EMT, or Paramedic in Massachusetts