Flight Paramedic

As a Flight Paramedic, you’re the first on-site medical care provider who acts as an EMT, or Emergency Medic, during airlifts in helicopters to hospitals. While neither a Doctor nor a Nurse, a Flight Paramedic is a trained professional responsible for keeping a patient stable enough to reach those individuals who can provide extensive care.

Your primary task as a Flight Paramedic is to sustain a patient’s life while in transit, or in flight. You mustn’t be squeamish, and you must possess the ability to work in extremely high-stress situations. Since you’re the first on the scene, expect the unexpected and be prepared to think on your feet. The job requires you to be able to administer shots, insert IVs, and perform CPR with medical equipment.

Working in a helicopter comes with specific expectations. You’re trained in special, government-approved “air methods” of treatment. If the Pilot requires assistance, you become the Co-captain, using the radio and navigation tools at his or her request. After a flight rescue, your job is to keep the helicopter sterile.

As an emergency provider, you work unusual hours. You may be on call in the middle of the night or during holidays. However, regardless of the taxing hours and the difficulty of the work, you can be proud of the fact that you’re a medical professional saving lives with each flight.