Yes. Our paramedic training program is physician-taught yet field centric lasting well in excess of 2,000 hours. Paramedic students are taught a concept or skill by day and will be able to put it to use that evening while on the busiest paramedic units in Seattle. It is not uncommon for paramedic students to have 40 – 50 adult and pediatric intubations by graduation. You don't just learn the skills and knowledge it takes to be a paramedic, you master it. We believe that this intensive training is a core component of our system's nation leading cardiac arrest resuscitation rates.

Training is approximately 11 months long. The cost of your training is paid for by the Medic One Foundation. During this time, employees have full benefits – medical, dental, vision, and contribution to a state pension plan (LEOFF 2). Employees are paid an hourly rate while in school that ends up grossing approximately $68,000.

Your schedule while in Paramedic Training is very demanding – on both you and your family. You may be away from home for 36 hours at a time (or more.) It is not uncommon to have class all day, ride on one of Seattle Fire Department's busiest Medic units that evening, and then be in class for the entirety of the following day. Candidates should have a strong mental and physical capacity.

The two tests are the Firefighter Selection Tool and an EMT written examination. The former is a civil service style exam and the latter is based on the current AAOS: Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured, 12th Edition EMT-Basic curriculum. Questions about the written tests should be directed to Public Safety Testing.

Due to the large number of applicants we get and the need to test people in a very efficient manner, we are sorry to say that there are absolutely no options to reschedule this or any other portion of the testing process.

No, you must be currently certified as an EMS provider (EMT, AEMT / EMT-I or Paramedic) by a State Agency or with the National Registry.

For the entirety of Paramedic Training and for the following year, you will be a probationary employee. Upon successfully completing UW Paramedic Training, you will complete our department-specific Orientation program that lasts for eight weeks. Immediately following Orientation, you will begin a 8-month Field Training Officer (FTO) program where you will be on a Medic unit with a senior partner receiving daily evaluations from your FTO and quality assurance review from our medical direction. Upon successful completion of the FTO period, you will complete the balance of probationary time on a Medic unit with a non-FTO partner.

We work 24-hour shifts averaging 9 calls per shift. Our schedule is 24 hours ON, 24 hours OFF, 24 hours ON, and 5 days off for 2,448 hours worked / year. Starting hourly paramedic wage is $43.69 ($56.77 after 4 years of service).

KCM1 provides all training required for maintaining your Washington State paramedic licensure at no cost to you. Additionally, we have an annual educational incentive to help offset registration costs for EMS training (or college credit) above and beyond what we provide.

In order to be hired by King County Medic One, you must be eligible to work in the USA. Unfortunately, King County (as an employer) does not sponsor for work-related visas. You must also have a WA State Driver's License at the time of hire.

For answers to career- and testing-related questions not posted here, you can email KCM1Hiring@kingcounty.gov. Due to the large number of questions we receive, we will not able to answer each individually, especially if the question can be answered on this webpage.