Career guide
Paramedic
Paramedics assess and treat people at the scene of an emergency and on the way to hospital, and move patients between facilities.
- StatusRegulated profession
- Training1–2 year program
- Pay scale$25.56–$49.00 an hour
- Openings now3
A day in the job
You check your ambulance and equipment, then answer calls: chest pain, falls, crashes, breathing problems. You assess, treat, decide where the patient should go and hand over at the hospital. Rural services also cover long transfers.
Where you could work: Urban, rural and remote EMS, interfacility transport
How to get there
- Complete a Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) program approved by the Alberta College of Paramedics
- Approved programs include NAIT in Edmonton and SAIT in Calgary
Alberta schools: NAIT (opens in a new tab), SAIT (opens in a new tab)
Licence and registration
- Pass the COPR entry-to-practice exam
- Register with the Alberta College of Paramedics
- Employers also ask for a Class 4 driver's licence
Official starting point: Alberta College of Paramedics (opens in a new tab)
Trained outside Canada?
Paramedics trained elsewhere apply to the Alberta College of Paramedics, which compares your training with Alberta's.
Important: Requirements can change and may differ for internationally educated professionals. CareZelo links to official bodies but does not determine eligibility.