Applications for the 2024 spring semester class are currently open.
MIT EMS prides itself as being on the forefront of pre-hospital emergency care through its dedication and commitment to service and training. During the fall and spring semester, MIT EMS offers an EMT-B class to members of the MIT community by application.
MIT EMS does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. We ask all applicants hoping to join the service to please be mindful that our service is built upon honesty, trust, and mutual respect and act as healthcare professionals when in uniform. Membership with MIT EMS is contingent upon treating others with respect and dignity.
About the Class
An EMT, more formally known as an Emergency Medical Technician, provides emergency care in the pre-hospital setting. EMTs are trained in skills including patient assessment, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, bleeding control, bandaging, splinting, shock management, and extrication techniques.
The MIT EMS EMT-B course qualifies students for the National Registry EMT certification and Massachusetts State EMT-B licensure at no cost to the student. Through lectures and course reading materials, students will learn about physiology, pharmacology, acute medical conditions, and the effects of trauma and shock. In lab, students will learn how to splint broken bones, stabilize a patient to a backboard, perform assessments, administer CPR, and use all of the equipment on an ambulance.
The class meets every Tuesday and Saturday during the fall and spring semesters. Virtual lectures take place from 6:00 to 10:00 PM on Tuesdays. In-person lectures and trainings then take place at Pro EMS from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays. There will be several review sessions before the certification examinations occur. During and after the completion of the EMT-B class, students are expected to become active members of MIT EMS, to include volunteering as crew members on the ambulance a minimum of 12 hours per month and attending monthly drills and general body meetings.
If you are interested in padding your resume for employers, graduate schools, or medical schools, then this is NOT the class for you. EMT-B certification means nothing without work experience as an EMT. However, working as an EMT is a very fulfilling experience, and after this course you will want to work on an ambulance as soon as possible!
For more information on our EMT class, please contact our Class Officers.
Prerequisites
To become an EMT with MIT EMS, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be an MIT affiliate (undergraduate student, graduate student, staff, alumni, cross-registered student, etc. – you MUST have an MIT ID card, current or expired)
- Hold a valid United States driver’s license
- Be able to comfortably lift and move at least 125 lbs.
- Have a strong work ethic and commitment to learning and prehospital care
Application Process
Due to the large volume of applicants to the class each year, we unfortunately cannot accept all applicants to the EMT class. If you are already a certified EMT, please contact our Systems Adminstrator Officer.
Applications must be submitted by the regular deadline unless there are extenuating circumstances preventing timely submission. After the regular deadline, late applicants will be asked to document why the extension was used. Applications received late with a proper explanation will not be penalized.
Submitted applications will be reviewed by all service members, and qualified applicants will be invited for an interview with members of the service.
The interview will consist of three parts, firstly a formal panel interview with the Executive Board, the Class Officer, and other senior members of the service. The panel interview will be followed by a situational interview, where interviewees will be asked a mixture of verbal questions and behavioral scenarios. No prior knowledge is required. Finally, in order to comply with state law and to ensure that applicants can cope with the physical demands necessary to be an EMT, the interview will include a functional physical fitness test. The test will consist of the following, in order:
- Partner-assisted 250-pound stretcher lift
- Stair climb with equipment
- Simulated patient chair carry
- Partner-assisted 250-pound stretcher let-down
We ask that our applicants inform us if they cannot lift the required 125 pounds — safety is our top priority, and we do not want any person to sustain injuries as a result of attempting the physical fitness test.
After careful review of each application, conditional class offers will be extended to the most qualified applicants. Offers are contingent upon successful completion of a driving background check in compliance with the MIT Vehicle Use Policy. Accepted applicants will be on-boarded by the Class Officers and Executive Board.