EMT Resume Sample: 25+ Skills, Examples and Job Description

From the split-second decisions in the field to ensuring your equipment is always ready for action, you’re the lifeline in emergencies. Here’s the catch—the hiring manager doesn’t yet know how invaluable you are.

You need an EMT resume that makes their pulse race with excitement. Let’s get started.

In this guide:

• The best EMT resume example to get those emergency response jobs.
• How to tailor an EMT resume to the emt job description.
• How to write resumes for EMT positions that score medical job interviews.
• Expert tips on how to write a job description and emt skills for a resume.

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

Create your resume now

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.”
Patrick

I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

Create your resume now

Before we start, here are a few other resume examples similar to EMT jobs: 

• Doctor Resume Examples
• Healthcare Resume Examples
• Massage Therapist Resume Examples
• Medical Assistant Resume Examples
• Medical Resume Examples
• Medical Scribe Resume Examples
• Nursing Resume Examples
• Occupational Therapy Resume Examples
• Pharmacist Resume Examples
• Physician Assistant Resume Examples

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Professional Resume Examples.

EMT Resume Example You Can Copy and Use

This is how to write an EMT resume for yourself:

1. Format the EMT Resume for Perfection

Want to deliver an EMT job application with no adverse side effects? Then your resume must be formatted as neatly and orderly as you organize your ambulance equipment. That being said—

This is how to format a resume for EMT:

• Go in reverse-chronological order for dated entries, such as your job history and education sections.
• Pick a resume font that causes no confusion and is easy to read.
• Leave a border of an inch around all sides of your paramedic resume.
• Choose only appropriate resume sections. If it doesn’t improve your chances at scoring an EMT job interview, leave it off. 

Expert Hint: Save resumes in PDF format. EMT resumes saved as an MS Word doc may display incorrectly on some devices, but PDFs look perfect almost anywhere.

2. Start with an EMT Resume Objective or Summary

You know the ABCs of medicine, and it’s crystal clear which step goes first. An EMT resume is similar. Before you can get to the B and the C of it all, you’ll have to take care of the A— 

A compelling EMT resume heading statement. This introductory paragraph comes in two forms, either an objective or summary. Which one is right for you?

Use the career summary statement when you’re an EMT-P, AEMT, or EMT-I. The summary paragraph is perfect for experienced EMT resumes. It impresses the medical director with your past work experience, array of emergency skills, and professional background. To top it off, the summary adds a numbered accomplishment for verification.

Here’s how to write a paramedic resume summary:

EMT / Paramedic Resume Summary Example

Professional paramedic with 5+ years of experience with crisis response in and around the Portland metropolitan area. National Paramedic Certification (NRP), valid Oregon driver’s license, and Oregon State EMT certification as an AEMT-Paramedic for 3 years. Average response of 25+ emergency calls per week. Accustomed to assessing multiple-person incident scenes, basic and advanced life support, and primary emergency treatment.

I’ve been a paramedic for over 5 years, and I’ve become skilled at all areas of emergency services and emergency response. My expertise includes driving ambulances, organizing medical equipment, responding to emergency calls, and providing life support.

That bad example will see your EMT career go up in smoke as if it went through a nebulizer. The good example, on the other hand, is in the pink of health. First, it’s personalized to a specific job. Then, it gives detailed descriptions of your certifications and skills. Finally, it throws in a numbered achievement to help them understand your level of medical mastery.

But, you might be a newbie, like an EMT-B or Emergency Medical Responder (EMR). Then, you may ponder how to start a resume for an EMT job with no experience. The answer is: use the career objective statement.

The objective is perfect for those without experience. Rather than listing your EMT background, it impresses the employer with relevant skills and a passionate statement on your career goals. This, too, should include a numbered win to keep your job application in stable condition.

Here are two sample EMT resume objective paragraphs to ponder:

Entry-Level EMT Resume Objective Examples

Compassionate high school graduate with newly minted EMT-Basic certification. Skilled in CPR, AED, basic life support, and medical terminology. Received top scores (100%) on EMT-B certification exam and essay. Seeking to use passion for medicine and helping people to become an EMT-B with Longbranch Emergency Medical Services.

Having just finished high school, I’m looking to become an emergency medical technician or emergency medical responder as I contemplate my college choices. I am physically fit and able to drive large vehicles, and I am skilled with BLS and taking assignments.

Like the previous set of examples, a good EMT resume objective includes relevant details, impressive skills, and a quantifiable achievement for the trifecta. 

Resumes need details about outcomes, not just activities. If a resume only has roles and activities with very few outcomes and achievements, it gets overlooked for other candidates’ resumes, regardless of their experiences.

Expert Hint: Writer’s block keeping you from coming up with these opening sentences? Write it at the end. Many people find that completing the other paramedic resume sections first inspires what they’ll write in the introductory paragraph.

3. Create a Top-Notch EMT Resume Job Description and Skills Sections

Do you want to deliver an EMT resume that stands out like the blue Star of Life? It’s time to wow the medical director with an impressive work history section. How?

Here’s the basic strategy for creating an EMT job description for a resume:

• Organize each work entry reverse-chronologically, with your current or most recent job at the top.
• For each entry, list your job title, the dates you held that position, the name of the company or fire department, and the city and state.
• Next, give 4–6 bullet points identifying your job duties. Make them as relevant to this particular EMT job as possible.
• Finish it off by including numbered accomplishments just as you had in the heading paragraph. 

Here’s how it looks in practice:

EMT Job Description for Resume Examples

Volunteer EMT - Paramedic
January 2017–September 2019
Tri-County Ambulance Services, Portland, OR

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

• On-call 3 days per week in 12-hour shifts to effectively respond to all emergency calls.
• Assessed emergency scenes for hierarchical medical crises and triaged victims. 
• Operated ambulance equipment and liaised with call operators and other medical personnel.
• Transported patients quickly and safely from scenes to appropriate medical facilities.
• Supervised 3-person emergency response crew and managed on-scene medical efforts.

Key Achievements

• Fast response to 30+ crisis and emergency scenes per week.

EMT - Paramedic

January 2017–September 2019
Tri-State Ambulance Services, Portland, OR

Job Responsibilities:

• Responded to accident calls.
• Delivered victims to hospitals.
• Evaluated patients’ conditions.
• Prepared and submitted reports.

One’s in critical condition, while the other has a clean bill of health. A good EMT job description resume section, like our first example, gives detailed tasks and assignments. It also adds a measurable feat to elicit a favorable response.

If you have an entry-level resume without experience in EMT work, simply list job duties you performed which are the closest match to what you’ll do as an EMT. Like AED and CPR, the work history section pairs perfectly with a list of skills for a resume.

Take a look at some essential EMT resume skills:

25+ EMT Skills for a Resume

• First Aid & First Response
• Sizing Up Accident Scenes
• HIV/AIDS Training
• Multiple Casualty Incidents
• Effective Communication Skills
• Compassion & Empathy
• Medical Terminology
• Strength & Physical Fitness
• Clean Driving Record
• Good Judgement & Perceptiveness
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
• Prehospital Life Support
• HeartCode Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
• HeartCode Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Medication Administration
• Hazardous Materials Awareness
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Accident Victim & Patient Stabilization
• Emergency Medications
• Respiration & Airway Management
• Head, Neck, and Spine Trauma Care
• Incident Command Systems (ICS)
• Artificial Ventilation
• Problem Solving Skills
• Attention to Detail
• Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
• Body Substance Isolation

This is a sample EMT skills list, but don’t just copy that right into your resume. They’d appreciate that about as much as a superficial burn.

Rather, head back over to the EMT job offer. Locate the job responsibilities section—that’s where you’ll find the particular resume keywords this EMS or fire company is looking for. If you are skilled in an area they list, put that on your EMT resume. 

Expert Hint: Employment of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics is expected to increase by 11% (20,700 jobs each year) between 2020 and 2030. To stay ahead of your competition, continue building your medical skills keep current EMT skills up to date.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.

4. Turn Your Education Section Into a Reason to Hire You

Most EMT or ambulance technician jobs only require a high school diploma or GED to be considered. 

However, you still need to document your education on a resume in the appropriate manner. Here’s how:

Paramedic Resume Example of Education Section 

Bachelor’s in Health Sciences

Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Graduation: 2015

Relevant Coursework: Health Services Management, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Healthcare Advancement, Public Health, Legal and Ethical Issues, Emergency Response Coordination, Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Perfusion, Medical Laboratory Sciences.

Let’s unpack it:

• Add your diploma, degree, major, or certificate name on the first line.
• Next, type in the name of the school and the city and state it’s located in.
• Follow that with the year of the program’s completion.
• To make it more effective, include relevant classwork, academic achievements, etc.

If you’ve completed a degree, leave your high school diploma off your resume. If you’re still working on it, add the diploma below as a secondary entry.

Expert Hint: Writing an EMT resume with no experience? For an entry-level EMT resume, place the education section over your work history. The medical director should always read your most impressive and relevant resume items first.

5. Complete Your EMT Resume With Auxiliary Sections

You’ve built up a solid EMT resume now—but so have dozens of other candidates. How to surpass them to get that interview? 

Like donning an oxygen mask, you can breathe easier by including a few additional EMT resume sections to stand out from the other applicants. Here are a few of our favorite extra sections to include on EMT and paramedic resumes:

Certifications & Licenses

• EMT-Basic
• EMT-Intermediate
• EMT-Paramedic
• Valid Driver’s License
• California Ambulance Driver Certificate (DL 61)
• HIV/AIDS Training — 7-Hour Certification
• CPR and BLS Certification
• Emergency Vehicle Operator Course (EVOC) Certificate

Some states require a special driver’s license for you to be permitted to operate an ambulance, so add that on your EMT resume if it’s relevant and if you have it.

EMT Association Memberships

• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)
• American Trauma Society (ATS)
• National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO)
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration- EMS (NHTSA-EMS)

Associated Interests

• Physical Fitness / Sports
• Attending Medical Conferences

Foreign Language Proficiency

• Western Punjabi: Native Proficiency
• Tamil: Professional Working Proficiency
• Bhojpuri: Intermediate Proficiency
• German: Basic Conversational Proficiency

Expert Hint: Always attach a cover letter for EMT jobs, as it’s the best extra section you could include. An EMT cover letter gives you the freedom to show your passion for helping people, enthusiasm for this job offer, or it can help explain away an employment gap. 

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Some cover letter examples that may be useful to you:

• Federal Cover Letter Example

Key Points

Here’s how to write a resume for paramedic jobs:

• Keep your EMT resume structured with the right formatting.
• Begin at the top with a resume summary or objective paragraph that makes the medical director excited to read further.
• Include detailed descriptions of your previous work history and the associated job responsibilities.
• Use numbers when talking up achievements to make them more effective.
• Add a list of paramedic skills and EMT abilities to showcase your medical talents.
• Document your educational background with relevant coursework, Latin honors, or other pertinent information.
• Append additional sections to round out your emergency medical technician resume.
• Don’t forget to include a paramedic cover letter before sending off your application.

Need help adding an EMT certification on resumes or coming up with achievements? Are you struggling with completing a paramedic job description for resumes? Let’s talk about it down there in the comment section, and thanks for reading!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.