What is the difference between an EMT- Basic and an EMT-Paramedic?
An EMT-Basic is the starting point in your EMS career. The EMT-Basic course consists of EMSP-1401 (120 hours) and EMSP-1160 clinical (40 hours). After successful completion of BOTH classes you will be eligible to take the Texas Department of Health certification exam. Once you take this exam and pass the exam you will be certified as an EMT-B in the State of Texas. At this point you will be eligible to apply for the Paramedic Program at HCCS. The Paramedic program is about a 1200 hour program. The coursed are listed in order on our Degree in EMS page. At HCCS the EMT-Basic Program if done during day time hours (four days a week, 10 hours a day, 40 hours/week) takes about six weeks. If you choose the night program it takes about 5 months {class is 2 nights a week (M,W or Tu, Th) for four hours a night with both having 3 Saturday meeting dates eight hours a day for the classroom training}. The clinical begins as soon as you pass the classroom training for the last month. The Paramedic Pr
