Most guidelines set forth by air ambulance companies call for highly skilled medical air transportation personnel who are dedicated to providing excellent care in critical cases. You may choose from several areas of specialization, including ICU-certified registered flight nursing, advanced life support flight paramedic, flight respiratory therapist, board certified emergency medical flight physician or respiratory therapist. Along with the required medical training, you must also have critical care knowledge. Your experience must come from working directly with patients after completion of college-level health career classes.
There are no specific flight medic schools in the United States, but once you have obtained your paramedic license certification and gained experience on a ground ambulance, you will be ready to apply to any certified air ambulance service that operates nationally or worldwide. Most U.S. colleges offer health career degrees and fireman or paramedic certifications.
Once you complete college requirements and establish your experience in patient care, you may be contracted as a medical transport specialist. Most companies, once you are hired, will offer continuing education classes for air transport. Courses include general topics, patient assessment, flight safety, and managing the patient in an in-flight environment. These courses are not offered in college paramedic classes, but as continued training through private certified air ambulance companies once you are hired. However, they are not required for employment.
You may choose to receive your medical and flight training at the same time. The U.S. military offers training for medical flight technicians. You may choose to complete college before joining a service branch, or you can discuss career goals with a military recruiter who will direct you through the necessary training. Once completed, this training will give you the necessary experience required for employment with an air ambulance company after your discharge from the military.
Once you have completed your educational courses and are hired by a certified air ambulance service, you may choose to train in other areas, such as search and rescue or critical trauma. The International Association of Flight Paramedics offers continuing online courses for paramedics who want to train a step further. When you choose an air ambulance company, check their credentials just as they will check yours. Make sure the company is certified with the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems.