Merchant, Mariner, Banker, Philanthropist, Humanitarian, Patriot. by Mike DiMeo, Girard College graduate (1939) and author of The Stone Cocoon, about the college. Stephen Girard came to America by way of Philadelphia in 1776 through circumstance rather than by purpose.
This certification does not require a college degree, though many EMS courses and college training programs require some college courses in the health, sciences, and math. Once you complete that step in your education, your next step is EMS training which, once completed, will award you the EMT-Basic certification.
Choosing an EMT Training Program. According to the American Medical Association, the minimum required training hours for each tier are generally 110 hours for EMT-B, 200 to 400 for EMT-I and 1,000 or more hours for EMT-P. EMT programs usually take two to six months but many EMT-P certification programs are two-year associate degree programs.