Traditional paramedic training usually takes 18 to 24 months to completion. During that time, you as a trainee will undergo training as an emergency medical technician. You will also spend approximately a year receiving hands-on training working in an ambulance, and take prep classes at a paramedic school.
Advances in training programs have led to accelerated paramedic training, which generally takes 12 weeks to complete. Instead of completing your training at a paramedic school, you can complete an accelerated paramedic training program at a community college, or an independent training facility.
An example of curriculum for an accelerated paramedic training program consists of about 50 credit hours. Classes will consist of CPR rescuer training, EMT-paramedic, EMT-clinical and field, and a combination of clinical and field hours. Tuition for accelerated paramedic training programs can range from $4,332 at a community college, as of September 2010, to $6,800 at a hospital training facility.