# Which countries provide free training to EMS personnel?



## Cameron S (May 6, 2018)

Anyone aware of a list? 
I used to be under the impression it was free in Australia but now I'm beginning to second guess myself.


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## DrParasite (May 6, 2018)

Several areas of the US do, provided you are affiliated with an agency


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## Cameron S (May 6, 2018)

Not anywhere in Boston, that's for sure. I want to change that someday but around here you need to pay.


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## Tigger (May 7, 2018)

Cameron S said:


> Not anywhere in Boston, that's for sure. I want to change that someday but around here you need to pay.


Boston EMS pays for their promoted EMT's paramedic education (though it is an internal process of course).


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## Cameron S (May 7, 2018)

Yeah but if you want to work for Boston EMS you need to either complete an emt basic training program elsewhere or pay 750 to do their part time biannual six month course and then take a six month paid training if they hire you.
I don't think this stuff should have a price tag. How many burger flips should it take to make a medic?


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## DesertMedic66 (May 7, 2018)

Cameron S said:


> Yeah but if you want to work for Boston EMS you need to either complete an emt basic training program elsewhere or pay 750 to do their part time biannual six month course and then take a six month paid training if they hire you.
> I don't think this stuff should have a price tag. How many burger flips should it take to make a medic?


The vast majority of jobs require you to pay for your own education. Here are some medical related jobs that people have to pay to get the education: LVN, CNA, RT, RN, NP, PA, DP, MD, Rad tech. 

Why should EMT and Medic be completely free? If they are free then who is going to cover the cost of the materials, insurance, testing process, instructor pay, and the other costs associated with EMS?


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## Cameron S (May 7, 2018)

Eh I'm pretty sure higher education is completely free to the student in several nations because it's tax funded but for me EMS is the only thing I have a vetted interest in.


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## luke_31 (May 7, 2018)

Cameron S said:


> Eh I'm pretty sure higher education is completely free to the student in several nations because it's tax funded but for me EMS is the only thing I have a vetted interest in.


If you want a free education then move to those countries that offer it. Nobody owes you anything in life. You like everyone else has to pay for a higher education whether is cold hard cash, personal loans, student loans, grants, scholarships it costs money. The more stuff that is provided for free the more in taxes you end up paying. Look up and research these countries that you say pay for higher education. I can be pretty sure you're not going to be happy after you start really working and having to support a family, when about half your check is taken away for taxes.


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## DrParasite (May 7, 2018)

Also, what is your definition of free training?  free initial training (EMT, AEMT/Intermedia. Paramedic), continuing education  (PHTLS, ACLS CPR classes), Incident management training (ICS, all the FEMA independant study classes), Fire and Hazmat training (too many to list)?

I paid a little bit for my paramedic, and that's about it.  I didn't pay for the following courses (except maybe to cover the cost of books):
NJ EMT, reciprocity for NY EMT and NC EMT.  Refresher classes have all been free to me as well.
NC EMT Instructor
Alabama HazMat Tech, reciprocity for NC HazMat Tech
NJ Firefighter I, II, Officer I, Instructor I, reciprocity for NC Firefighter II
PTHLS
AMLS
ACLS
Emergency Medical Operations in CBRNE incidents
Texas HazMat Operations, Reciprocity to NC HazMat Ops
NC Technical Rescuer
NC TR Confined Space Rescue Technician
NC TR Vehicle and Machinery Rescue Technician.
NC Fire Officer II, Instructor II
Radiological HazMat Technician

And I've never paid for any continuing education (outside of a merit badge cert class, and even that is a maybe); more often than not, my employer or the state has covered those costs.


DesertMedic66 said:


> The vast majority of jobs require you to pay for your own education. Here are some medical related jobs that people have to pay to get the education: LVN, CNA, RT, RN, NP, PA, DP, MD, Rad tech.
> 
> Why should EMT and Medic be completely free? If they are free then who is going to cover the cost of the materials, insurance, testing process, instructor pay, and the other costs associated with EMS?


While it is true that many of the initial training cost is paid for by the student, often the cost to maintain said certification is paid by the employer, as a "perk" of working there.


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## Cameron S (May 7, 2018)

luke_31 said:


> If you want a free education then move to those countries that offer it. Nobody owes you anything in life. You like everyone else has to pay for a higher education whether is cold hard cash, personal loans, student loans, grants, scholarships it costs money. The more stuff that is provided for free the more in taxes you end up paying. Look up and research these countries that you say pay for higher education. I can be pretty sure you're not going to be happy after you start really working and having to support a family, when about half your check is taken away for taxes.


"Nobody owes you anything in life."
Also please miss me with those "you like everyone else" statements, Dad.
I disagree. If I'm paying for drone warfare when I'm at work flipping burgers to save money so I can go risk my *** to save peoples lives, I think the training should be free. 
Not to mention I think it would improve the quality of care to live on a society that actually gave a **** about ems personnel.


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## luke_31 (May 7, 2018)

Cameron S said:


> "Nobody owes you anything in life."
> Also please miss me with those "you like everyone else" statements, Dad.
> I disagree. If I'm paying for drone warfare when I'm at work flipping burgers to save money so I can go risk my *** to save peoples lives, I think the training should be free.
> Not to mention I think it would improve the quality of care to live on a society that actually gave a **** about ems personnel.


Take a class on economics and government you clearly don't have a good understanding of either with the statement you make. Not to mention you are comparing apples to oranges.


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## DrParasite (May 7, 2018)

Experience has shown that people will pay attention more, study harder, and put for the effort to pass a class, when they have some financial incentive to do so.

I have seen many people fail entry level classes, simply because they didn't put forth the time and effort, because if they didn't pass, it was no loss to them; someone else was paying for it.  While it does happen when people pay for it themselves as well, it's less common when the participants stand to lose something if they don't succeed (in this case, their personal money that was spent on the class)


Cameron S said:


> "Nobody owes you anything in life."
> Also please miss me with those "you like everyone else" statements, Dad.
> I disagree. If I'm paying for drone warfare when I'm at work flipping burgers to save money so I can go risk my *** to save peoples lives, I think the training should be free.
> Not to mention I think it would improve the quality of care to live on a society that actually gave a **** about ems personnel.


what about drone warfare?  your flipping burgers?  oh where is that image of the fast food worker who became a paramedic..... 

whose going to pay for it?  do you know how many people take EMS classes and never step foot on an ambulance, or only do it for a short period of time?  Free is great, but if you want something, you will find a way to make it happen.


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## SpecialK (May 8, 2018)

The ambulance sector in New Zealand provides the Diploma in Ambulance Practice to become an EMT at no cost.  If you want to become a Paramedic or Intensive Care Paramedic you need a university qualification; the degree is about 20-30k and the PGDip ontop for ICP is another ~5k

The old days model of free apprenticeship style training is long gone.


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## Tigger (May 10, 2018)

Cameron S said:


> Yeah but if you want to work for Boston EMS you need to either complete an emt basic training program elsewhere or pay 750 to do their part time biannual six month course and then take a six month paid training if they hire you.
> I don't think this stuff should have a price tag. How many burger flips should it take to make a medic?


Why don't you go volunteer some place that will cover your EMT tuition? There's no such thing as free, if it isn't money it'll be sweat.


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## MJG (May 15, 2018)

Guess that's a topic I can give an answer to in case anyone's interested 

Pretty much all of Europe offers that. In Great Britain and Northern Ireland the bachelor degree should be for free but sometimes you have to be affiliated to a service (and foreigners most of the time have to pay for these courses).
Germany just switched their system from a pay-for-education 2 year course to a get-paid-while studying 3 year education.
Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland offer free paramedic education as well although their qualification systems are vastly different, but I'd point them out as their education is lengthy and of a considerably high standard.
But there are a lot of countries in Europe so if you are interested I'll ask around to get a country by country list.

Btw: Very happy to live here and having done my education here although I am always looking around to see how other countries are doing and what we are able to learn from them.


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