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Paramedics are the top tier of pre-hospital emergency care in Arizona — building on EMT skills with advanced training. Here's the roadmap, with the Arizona programs, certification, and employers that matter.
Where to train in Arizona
You start as an Arizona-certified EMT, then enter an accredited (CoAEMSP/CAAHEP) paramedic program — the Maricopa Community Colleges (Phoenix College, Glendale) and Pima Community College run them, often as an associate degree with clinical rotations and an ambulance field internship.
Certification in Arizona
You pass the NREMT-Paramedic cognitive and psychomotor exams, and Arizona certifies you as a paramedic through the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Bureau of EMS and Trauma System. That credential is what lets you provide advanced life support.
Where the Arizona jobs are
Most Arizona paramedics work fire-based — Phoenix Fire and city and district departments — plus private EMS and, importantly, air-medical and critical-care transport, which is busy across Arizona's wide rural distances. Flight paramedic is a sought-after specialty here.
Ready to start? Browse live Arizona opportunities — internships, training programs, and scholarships across the state.
Paramedic builds on EMT — the accredited program plus NREMT-Paramedic is the gateway
Start as an EMT, gain field experience, then complete an accredited paramedic program and pass the NREMT-Paramedic. It's a step up into advanced life support — and a strong springboard toward nursing, PA, or medical school if you want to keep climbing.
Keep going: see whether the trades are worth it, start with becoming an EMT, and check if it will pay off.