Eric Henry Leduc
Eric Henry Leduc - EMT Perfect Entry Route To Healthcare Industry, Says Eric Leduc
A former semi-professional ice hockey player, Eric Henry Leduc, claims that qualifying as an Emergency Medical Technician is the perfect route for anyone trying to break into the the healthcare industry. The athlete turned healthcare professional believes that becoming an EMT is a fulfilling career that also serves as a stepping stone to other medical professions.
“I think when people consider a career in healthcare they primarily think of becoming a doctor or a nurse,” Leduc says, “And while these pathways are extremely rewarding, people don’t consider qualifying as an EMT as it is a less known career pathway for people not currently working in healthcare.”
Emergency Medical Technicians, also known as a Paramedics or EMTs, are trained healthcare professionals that are typically the first responders in emergency healthcare. The majority of EMTs work on ambulance services and other forms of emergency response vehicles. Because EMTs are typically the first point of contact between a patient and emergency services, they are trained specifically to deal with trauma. To become an EMT in the United States you must undergo training at an accredited EMT training course, these typically last between 6 and 24 months. “Because EMT training is only between 6 and 24 months, it’s a fast way to get involved in primary healthcare,” Leduc says, “A lot of my colleagues have plans to go onto nursing school as well, and being an EMT has given them the experience to know that is the path they want to take.
If you’re looking at becoming a doctor or a nurse, but want first-hand experience in medical trauma, becoming an EMT is the best possible thing you can do.”
Eric Leduc retired from semi-professional hockey after the 2013-2014 Canadian season. He had wanted to become a professional hockey player his entire life, but never managed to sign a long-term contract with a pro team. After deciding he wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, he moved to Jacksonville to undergo EMT training. His long term aspiration is to become a nurse and work in a Level 1 Trauma Center.
“The best part about being an EMT is the fact that you have so much interaction with patients,” Leduc says, “You are normally the first point of contact with a patient after a traumatic incident. It is your responsibility to do all that you can to help them survive from the moment you come in contact with them, to the moment you get to the hospital. For this reason being an EMT is an extremely rewarding experience, I have only recently become qualified and I already have a huge amount of job satisfaction due to how many people I am able to help each and every day.”
If you’re interested in becoming an EMT you can find a list of different technical colleges that offer courses online. In addition, many local community colleges offer EMT courses.