Learn About Emergency Medical Dispatcher, EMD Schools, Training, Jobs, and Careers

What is an Emergency Medical Dispatcher?
Anybody that has dialed 9-1-1 knows what an EMD does. They are the first people you talk to when you make an emergency call.

When that frantic call comes in, the emergency medical dispatcher must try to keep the caller calm so he or she can get the right information. The EMD must posses the following skills:

1. Excellent listening skills
2. Excellent oral communication skills, the ability to articulate information to other members of the emergency team and caller
3. Excellent composure under pressure
4. Excellent transcription skills
5. Ability to follow step by step procedure
6. Good organizational skills
7. Good problem solving skills
8. Good record keeping
9. Good interview skills to get information from caller
10. Ability to operate complex telecommunication equipments
11. Etc.

As we said above, there are step by step procedures to follow when the EMD gets a call. She or he must determine the following:

a. Nature of call
b. Medical treatment needed before emergency medical help gets there
c. Nature of response needed like fire, law enforcement, and/or medical
d. Siren or no siren response
e. Type of vehicle needed
f. Type of personnel needed
g. Etc.

As you can see, it is am enormous responsibility. Sending the wrong response team could lead to death.

How to Become an Emergency Medical Dispatcher:
To become an EMD, you should first of all get a high school diploma or equivalent. You should take classes like physical education, English, computer science, etc.

After that, requirements vary from state to state and employer to employer. Some employers will hire you and give you on the job training. But two things seem to be constant amongst all employers. The two things are that you have excellent communication skills and know first aid.

Emergency medical dispatchers must be certified. Each state has a certifying agency that handles this. This is how important this job is considered.

Emergency Medical Dispatcher Salary:
EMDs make good pay. The average salary is $35,000 per year. We have seen salary as high as $39,000 per year. This depends on your location, education, and level of responsibility. This salary will continue to increase as you gain more experience and years of service.

Emergency Medical Dispatcher School:
There is one school that will give you the basic first aide (like CPR) training to become an EMD. The school is Everest University. You need to check them out. You can request for free no obligation information through this link.

Return from Emergency Medical Dispatcher to Medical Assistants Schools and Careers