MARCH 3, 2005 | Robert Berryman had always thought about a career in emergency medical services, but it wasn’t until after a stint in the military and working in a few other jobs that he followed through.

“My biggest ambition was to help folks, and to me the biggest uplifting part of the job is if I’m able to play some small role in helping someone feel better,” said Berryman, who has been a paramedic for Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) in Little Rock about five years. He said it has proven to be a challenging and rewarding career.

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics are often the first responders with emergency care skills at the scene of an accident or other emergency. There are calls when every second counts in providing emergency care and getting a patient to the hospital.

“The challenge is being able to think on your feet, which gives me a lot of self-satisfaction,” Berryman said.

Emergency care workers are in high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects to see a 54 percent increase in the demand for paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) over the next five years.

Graduates from the emergency medical services (EMS) programs at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have consistently enjoyed nearly 100 percent job placement in the field, said Danny Bercher, M.Ed., NREMT-P, chairman of the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences in the UAMS College of Health Related Professions (CHRP).

The EMS department will hold a series of open houses for prospective students and their families to introduce them to the programs.  The open houses are set for Friday, March 4; Monday, April 18; and Wednesday, May 25.  Each open house will be held from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the UAMS campus in the College of Public Health Building, Room 3202.

Bercher said another trait that EMS workers love is the independence of the work. A paramedic team also will find a lot of variety on the job, said Bercher and Berryman.

“Every call is going to be different, whether you’re transporting an elderly patient to the hospital or responding to an accident,” Berryman said.  “It’s a very dynamic job.”

Emergency Medical Technician-Basics (often called EMTs) provide basic life support that can save lives and treat traumatically injured and seriously ill patients.  EMTs function in a wide range of situations that can range from resuscitating a cardiac arrest victim to delivering a baby. EMTs should enjoy interacting with people, working outdoors, making quick decisions, and working under pressure.

The paramedic’s education builds upon the skills of the EMT to become a professional health care provider. The paramedic must demonstrate knowledge and skills in the areas of anatomy and physiology, pharmacology and other advanced methods of airway management, intravenous and other medication therapy, cardiology, trauma management, pediatrics, geriatrics, medical emergencies, and behavioral emergencies.

“The Department of EMS is one of the first nationally-accredited paramedic programs in Arkansas,” Bercher said.  “The department also boasts two nationally recognized ‘Instructors of the Year’.”

Berryman praises the UAMS program for its faculty and resources. He said almost any time he’s approaching a patient, he’ll hear his UAMS instructor’s voice in his head drilling into him a reminder of the “ABCs” of EMS work: check the airway, check for breathing, and check circulation.  These are the first three things an EMS worker is supposed to check on any patient.

The basic EMT program is about one semester of course work, Bercher said.  The Paramedic program requires four or five semesters depending on the curriculum track the student chooses.

Certification exams for EMTs and paramedics are administered at the end of each program, allowing graduates to become certified and ready to enter the field.

EMTs and paramedics find job opportunities in agencies that provide care to patients (e.g., ambulance services, fire departments, emergency departments, and large corporations).

Links on This Page
UAMS College of Health Related Professions: http://www.uams.edu/chrp/default.asp

UAMS Emergency Medical Services program: http://www.uams.edu/chrp/ems/default.asp

Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services (EMS): http://www.metroems.com/

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