# Foreigners taking a paramedic course in USA or Canada



## Sr Dingdong (Sep 8, 2012)

I am interested in studying to become a paramedic in the US or Canada. I am Norwegian, and I have some years experience as an EMT here.

I presume that every now and then you have foreigners taking paramedic courses, so maybe someone here are familiar with how they are doing it?

How long time would it take me to finish a paramedic course?

How are the possibilities for paramedic jobs in the US, or alternative jobs, like oil rigs, on a boat, or other positions where they would hire a paramedic or someone with experience from ambulance work?

I hope someone knows something about this

Thanks


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## Medic Tim (Sep 8, 2012)

You can apply to individual provinces and states for recognition of prior learning and then go through the process of upgrading your education.... you will need to get a student visa. Training can be as little as a few months to 3 years depending on where you go, quality of program, wether you want a degree and what country you go to. This process can be very long and expensive before even setting foot in a classroom. 

Getting a job is the hardest part. Just because you graduate and license in an area means nothing. Without work authorization you cannot even volunteer. I am Canadian and went EMT through degree Paramedic in the USA ..... Plus additional education and training in the USA and Canada. I was able to license in Canada as the program I went to was considered equivalent to Canadian training.


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## Scott33 (Sep 8, 2012)

Medic Tim said:


> Getting a job is the hardest part. Just because you graduate and license in an area means nothing. Without work authorization you cannot even volunteer.



Although even the offer of a job does not guarantee a visa in which to take up employment. Many employers, and many more potential employees, are completely unaware of this. This is particularly true for the lower skilled jobs which includes EMS.


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## Sr Dingdong (Sep 9, 2012)

Ok, forget about the jobs in the us, I have heard a lot about how that is nowadays. I am most curious about the education anyways.
And what other possibilities abroad are there? Like on cruise ships, oil rigs, resorts etc??
What other kind of jobs can someone with a paramedic education take?


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## DesertMedic66 (Sep 9, 2012)

Theme parks, oil rigs, cruise ships, search and rescue teams (most are volunteer), Law enforcement medic, some government agencies, military, helicopter medic, fixed wing medic, fire departments, ambulance, hospitals, and special event companies. 

I know I'm forgetting to list some but these are the ones that come up off the top of my head.


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## Sr Dingdong (Nov 21, 2012)

firefite said:


> Theme parks, oil rigs, cruise ships, search and rescue teams (most are volunteer), Law enforcement medic, some government agencies, military, helicopter medic, fixed wing medic, fire departments, ambulance, hospitals, and special event companies.



Thanks. Do you have any more info on any of them? Pretty much any kind of job that involves working on and off every few weeks or months, or living somewhere in Latin America/the Caribbean is of interest. 
How do I go about applying for a job like that?


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## RemoteMedicineIreland (Nov 22, 2012)

Sr Dingdong said:


> How are the possibilities for paramedic jobs in the US, or alternative jobs, like oil rigs, on a boat, or other positions where they would hire a paramedic or someone with experience from ambulance work?



Here are a couple of websites who hire paramedics around the world: 

remotemedicjobs.blogspot.com
closeprotectionworld.com/remote-medic-jobs

Here in Ireland, we get a few inquiries from Norway regarding how to transfer your training into the paramedic level. Your ambulance personnel have more training than the basic paramedic. 

I would suggest that you look into gaining reciprocity with the UK paramedic. I would also suggest that you take the UK Offshore Medics course. This will give you a UK certification that will get you work in the oil industry.

Email me if you would like the links. I cannot add links for some reason.

Cheers,


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## ExpatMedic0 (Nov 22, 2012)

Sr.dingdong, I am just curios, why the USA?


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## Sr Dingdong (Nov 22, 2012)

Excellent, thank you very much, RemoteMedicineIreland!
How do you divide the different levels of EMS personell in the UK? 

Schulz:A colleague of mine took a paramedic course at the Center for emergency medicine in Pittsburgh that she said was vastly superior to the norwegian paramedic course. It was a 1 year full time course, and they were offered various jobs overseas afterwards. She also said it has a very good reputation internationally. So I think that one will give me a lot of options later, certainly a lot more than if I take it here in Norway.
It is a lot more tempting (not to mention cheaper) than studying 3 years in the UK, Australia or another country. I dont know how well regarded paramedic courses in other countries are internationally either. 

Besides, I have had 2 of my best years in the united states, and if I can combine another stay there with an education that will give me more possibilities for working abroad after, it would be great.

I am very aware that the job market in the US is really bad nowadays, but Im not taking the class to get a paramedic job in the US, so its not really important for me when I look for a place to take a paramedic course.


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## CWheeler (Dec 3, 2012)

To attend a paramedic school in the USA, you will first want to contact the school of your choosing and discuss with their SEVIS PSDO the steps necessary to secure a student visa.  You will need to apply to the school you wish to attend and become accepted.  With that acceptance you can contact your USA consulate and apply for your student Visa.  Your school's PSDO will help you get through the steps.  There are costs associated with doing this, so go on line to research these expenses before you apply to the school of your choosing.  If you go online to the US Government web site for immigration customs enforcement and scroll to the bottom and click on international students and then click on the tab "for students" you will get a pretty good overview of the process.  

(I would give you the link to that site, but I am not being permitted by this forum to do so)

Good luck.  

Chris Wheeler


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## Scott33 (Dec 3, 2012)

www.uscis.gov.


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