Emergency Medical Technician: Online & Traditional

COVID update: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some changes have been made to the course delivery. Lectures which were scheduled to be on-site have been moved to an interactive online format. Skills laboratories are conducted on-site following strict social distancing standards, and require facial coverings consistent with the guidelines for the County of Los Angeles. Currently all 6 unit exams for the EMT program are being conducted online using a proctoring service which has an additional $19.75 charge per exam attempt.  An exam schedule is provided with the course schedule during orientation to allow students to schedule their exams in advance.

Students are asked to only attend class if they are healthy and students will complete a UCLA Health Symptom Survey for each day they are on-site. Field ride alongs have been suspended during the pandemic, however content provided during the course will make up for this requirement until it is safe to return to the field. 

We will continue to update our website for prospective students.  Students who are enrolled in a course will receive updates via email from the Center and their course instructor.

EMT Course

Start your healthcare career as an Emergency Medical Technician with Los Angeles' top EMT program. An EMT is a front-line, entry-level healthcare provider who is often the first to provide medical assistance to citizens suffering a medical emergency or traumatic injury. EMT certification and work experience are also critical steps for those seeking Paramedic training. Many doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers began their careers as EMTs.

Course Formats

Expert UCLA program faculty teach all our EMT courses. Students also complete 24 hours of ride-along shifts with EMS agencies in Los Angeles and will meet EMS agencies looking to recruit UCLA EMT students.

Accelerated EMT Program: This month-long EMT course is a great offering for students looking to start treating patients quickly. Lecture and skills labs are on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 am-5:00 pm. No class is scheduled on Wednesdays but faculty are available to offer skills guidance, review content, and answer questions.  This class format has provided success to thousands of EMTs.

Online EMT Program: This ten-week course has online lectures on Monday and Wednesday, 7:00 - 9:00 pm, self-paced interactive assignments, and skills labs.  Skills are on-site depending on the option you select.  This may include Saturdays or Sundays (in El Segundo), 8:00am - 6:00pm, or on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (in Westwood), 6:00pm - 10:00pm. Students must attend at least one online lecture at the scheduled time per week.  Online lectures are all recorded and posted for students.  When enrolling, you will have to select one skills option (Saturdays, Sundays or Tuesday/Thursday evenings) and attend those skills labs for the duration of the course.  

Exams: During the online program, you will take six exams. You may visit our location to take the exams or take them online via a third-party service at a cost of $19.75 for each exam you choose to take online.

Required Materials: In lieu of a textbook, all EMT courses require that you purchase Jones & Bartlett's online course access and Fisdap testing/skills tracking service, for a total cost of $282.43.

Following successful completion of the EMT program, you will be eligible to take the national certifying exam (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians – NREMT) and become licensed as an EMT through your local county.

Upcoming Courses

Our classes fill quickly and we encourage you to enroll once you have found a course that suits your schedule and educational needs. Once a class is filled, the enrollment link will be removed from our website.