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Occupation AtlasParamedics

O*NET · 29-2043.00

Paramedics

Administer basic or advanced emergency medical care and assess injuries and illnesses. May administer medication intravenously, use equipment such as EKGs, or administer advanced life support to sick or injured individuals.

Also called Critical Care Flight Paramedic · Critical Care Paramedic · ED Paramedic · ED Paramedic (Emergency Department Paramedic) · EMT Paramedic · EMT Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic) · ER Paramedic · ER Paramedic (Emergency Room Paramedic)
7 more

Firefighter Paramedic · First Responder · Flight Paramedic · Paramedic Specialist (PS) · PS · Rescue Worker · Responder

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code SRI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Midwives

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

SRISocial · Realistic · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • S Social5.49
  • R Realistic5.20
  • I Investigative5.03
  • C Conventional3.42
  • E Enterprising1.91
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent16%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate42%
  • Some College Courses16%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree26%
Related work experience
None (45%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (39%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (29%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Service Orientation3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Social Perceptiveness3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Coordination3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Active Listeningbasic3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Monitoringbasic3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Speakingbasic3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Active Learningbasic3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Complex Problem Solving3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
  • Instructing3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Instruct a coworker in how to operate a software program
Show the other 23
  • Persuasion3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Operation and Control3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Writingbasic2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Time Management2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Operations Monitoring2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Negotiation2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.42.5Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Mathematicsbasic2.42.5Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Systems Analysis2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Sciencebasic2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Systems Evaluation2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Quality Control Analysis1.81.8Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Troubleshooting1.81.3Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Management of Financial Resources1.50.8
  • Technology Design1.50.6
  • Programming1.50.5
  • Equipment Selection1.40.8
  • Operations Analysis1.3—
  • Equipment Maintenance1.0—
  • Installation1.0—
  • Repairing1.0—

Tasks

13 core

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Perform emergency cardiac care, such as cardioversion and manual defibrillation.4.7
  2. Perform emergency invasive intervention before delivering patient to an acute care facility.4.7
  3. Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.4.6
  4. Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.4.5
  5. Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.4.5
  6. Comfort and reassure patients.4.5
  7. Operate equipment, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), external defibrillators, or bag valve mask resuscitators, in advanced life support environments.4.5
  8. Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures.4.4
  9. Perform emergency pharmacological interventions.4.4
  10. Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge.4.3
  11. Observe, record, and report to physician the patient's condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment.4.3
  12. Instruct emergency medical response team about emergency interventions to ensure correct application of procedures.4.0
Show the other 1
  1. Coordinate with treatment center personnel to obtain patients' vital statistics and medical history, to determine the circumstances of the emergency, and to administer emergency treatment.3.9

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Medicine and Dentistry4.64.8Level 4 looks like: Fill a tooth cavity
  • English Language4.24.1Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Customer and Personal Service3.95.1Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Public Safety and Security3.94.4Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Biology3.74.0Level 4 looks like: Investigate the effects of pollution on marine plants and animals
  • Education and Training3.74.2Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Psychology3.54.8Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Mathematics3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
Show all 33
  • Transportation3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • Telecommunications3.33.0Level 4 looks like: Install a wireless internet router
  • Administration and Management3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Law and Government3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Prepare documents and title papers for the purchase of a new house
  • Therapy and Counseling2.93.7Level 4 looks like: Provide job counseling to the unemployed
  • Administrative2.72.8
  • Chemistry2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Use the proper concentration of chlorine to purify a water source
  • Communications and Media2.72.6
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.72.8
  • Computers and Electronics2.63.0Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Mechanical2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Physics2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.32.6
  • Foreign Language2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Geography2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Engineering and Technology1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Building and Construction1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Philosophy and Theology1.61.3Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Production and Processing1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Design1.4—
  • Economics and Accounting1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Sales and Marketing1.40.7Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Food Production1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Problem Sensitivity4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Deductive Reasoning3.93.9
  • Inductive Reasoning3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Oral Comprehension3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Near Vision3.63.8
  • Oral Expression3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Speech Recognition3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Information Ordering3.53.6Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
Show all 52
  • Speech Clarity3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Written Comprehension3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Auditory Attention3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Listen for your flight announcement at a busy airport
  • Finger Dexterity3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Manual Dexterity3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Perceptual Speed3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Selective Attention3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Time Sharing3.33.4Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Written Expression3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Flexibility of Closure3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Speed of Closure3.13.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Extent Flexibility3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Far Vision3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Static Strength3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Category Flexibility2.92.9Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Memorization2.92.6
  • Trunk Strength2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Control Precision2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Multilimb Coordination2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Fluency of Ideas2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Originality2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Reaction Time2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Visualization2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Gross Body Coordination2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Depth Perception2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Number Facility2.42.1Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Response Orientation2.42.4Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Stamina2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Dynamic Strength2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Explosive Strength2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Peripheral Vision2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Spatial Orientation2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Glare Sensitivity2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Rate Control2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Night Vision2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Sound Localization1.81.5Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.3—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.86.1Level 7 looks like: Care for seriously injured persons in an emergency room
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.55.1Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.54.8Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.34.7Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Getting Information4.24.2Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.23.7Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.25.2Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.14.2Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
Show all 41
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.15.2Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.05.3Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.84.7Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.74.2Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.74.4Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.73.9Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Processing Information3.73.9Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Training and Teaching Others3.74.4Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.64.2Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.64.1Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Developing and Building Teams3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Working with Computers3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.43.8Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Thinking Creatively3.33.9Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.23.7Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.23.9Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.23.7Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.23.9Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.82.7
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.82.8
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.83.0Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.62.7
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.71.5Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Exposed to Disease or Infections4.9
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9
  • In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment4.9
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.9
  • Physical Proximity4.8
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.7
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.6
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.6
  • Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled4.5
  • Consequence of Error4.4

Technology

24 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (9)

  • Apple iOS
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software
  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • R
Other tools (15)
  • Epocrates
  • HyperTox
  • Informed EMS Field Guide
  • Iterum eMedic
  • MedDataSolutions Regist*r
  • Medical Wizards ER & ICU ToolBox
  • Medical Wizards ER Suite
  • Medical Wizards Paramedics ToolBox
  • Mosby's Drug Consult
  • Palmtree EMS Field Reference Guide
  • Palmtree Pocket EKG
  • PEPID EMS
  • Skyscape medical software
  • Skyscape Rosen and Barkin's 5-Minute Emergency Medicine Consult
  • TechOnSoftware HazMatCE Pro

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Emergency Medical Technicians
  2. Registered Nurses
  3. Acute Care Nurses
  4. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
  5. Critical Care Nurses
  6. Surgical Assistants
  7. Respiratory Therapists
  8. Nursing Assistants
  9. Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians
  10. Medical Assistants

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

Closest occupations

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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. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.