Enroll in an EMT-Basic course at your local community college or technical school. Some private ambulance companies and fire stations also offer EMT-Basic courses. These courses could last from a few months up to two years. If you have the time to work toward the two-year associate's degree, then by all means go for it.
Study hard and pass the course. The material taught will prepare you to test at the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). Your instructor should provide clear instructions and steps in medical interventions and emergencies. He/she will also teach you the skills needed and what questions to ask in an emergency. You'll also learn anatomy and physiology, which are the foundations of medicine.
Register to take the NREMT exam. You can find the application online after you've passed the college course and receive your instructor's approval. There's usually an application fee that must be paid at the time of registration.
Pass both the written and skills tests. At the National Registry you will be given a computerized multiple choice test on medical and traumatic emergencies. On a different day you'll be tested on actual skills that include splinting, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and intubations. You'll receive your grades from the written test online within approximately 24 hours. You'll receive the score from your skills test on the same day. If you pass all of these steps successfully, you'll open doors to more education and higher levels in your EMT career such as EMT-Intermediate and the third and highest level, EMT-Paramedic.