Beyond Paramedic

Beyond the Major: Various Career Paths Starting with Paramedic

As a paramedic, you will have a unique skill set and experience that can open up many career opportunities beyond the ambulance. Whether you’re looking for a change of pace or want to advance your career, there are many exciting paths to explore.

Here are just a few career opportunities available to you as a paramedic. With your skills and experience, you have the potential to make a positive impact in a variety of fields:

Physician Assistant

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in medicine, becoming a physician assistant (PA) may be a great fit for you. PAs work under the supervision of physicians and are responsible for diagnosing and treating patients.

UMBC offers a Pre-PA program that prepares students to apply to a Physician Assistant School. Working with the Allied Health Department, we have created a pathway that allows students to achieve the required courses for Pre-PA as they obtain their Paramedic. This pathway will allow students to obtain around 800 to 900 hours of patient contact time in their field and hospital clinicals. Students interested in this alternative pathway can download the track here and learn more about the Pre-PA program at this website.

Here are several articles that discuss the concept of an EMS-PA:

Flight Paramedic

If you enjoy the rush of responding to critical emergencies, working as a flight paramedic may be the perfect career move. Flight paramedics work on medical transport helicopters or planes, responding to emergencies in remote areas or transporting critically ill patients to medical facilities.

Our Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) Department offers the world-renowned Critical Care Emergency Medical Transport Program (CCEMTP). UMBC developed this program in response to the growing need for qualified specialists in critical care. Additionally, the CCEMTP program prepares students to seek board certification as a Certified Flight Paramedic (FP-C).

Emergency Management Specialist

Emergency management specialists are responsible for coordinating disaster response and preparedness efforts. You may find this field a natural fit with your experience responding to emergencies and working in high-pressure situations.

After graduation, students may pursue our Emergency Management Certificate. Those students wishing to pusue their Ph.D. may opt for our Emergency Health or Emergency Management programs.

Health Educator

As a paramedic, you’ve likely provided education and guidance to patients and their families on how to stay safe and healthy. A career as a health educator allows you to take this one step further, helping to create and implement public health programs and initiatives.

Students who are interested in teaching may pursue their Master’s degree in:

Firefighter

Many paramedics choose to become firefighters due to the overlap in skills and training required for both professions. Firefighters respond to emergency situations and work to prevent fires from starting in the first place.