After high-school, what is the first step that should be taken to become an EMT?

Helpful High School Courses
Students should take courses that meet college entrance requirements. Helpful high school courses would include Anatomy and Physiology, Introduction to Health Science, and Medical Terminology.

Participation in a Tech Prep program may be a valuable high school experience. In Tech Prep programs, high school students enroll in technical college courses. Students participating in these programs may enroll in a technical college with advanced standing when they graduate from high school.

Method of Entry
Individuals must graduate from a state-approved EMT program offered by technical colleges and hospitals, and be 18 years of age. They may take an exam to become registered by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. Most paramedics are firefighters who have been trained as part of their firefighting duties.

Firemedic apprenticeships may be available. Individuals interested in an apprenticeship must have a high school diploma, pass an aptitude test, and interview with the appropriate apprenticeship committee. Apprenticeships vary from two to five years and include both formal classroom instruction and on-the-job training experiences.

Employers contact technical colleges for qualified graduates. They also hire qualified people who apply to them directly. City fire departments provide training programs for their firefighters.

Some Healthcare Programs May Have Waiting Lists
Currently, there is a high demand for jobs in health care. The high need for skilled healthcare workers has, in turn, caused a high demand for healthcare programs. Helpful hints for those interested in 2-year healthcare programs include:
Apply early. The sooner you apply, the sooner you'll get into your program of choice.
Gather information. Program requirements vary, so visit the campus website to learn more about what they expect of you and what you can expect of them. This will save you time and effort and improve the likelihood of success.
Don't be discouraged. Being on a long wait list doesn't always mean that you'll have a long wait. Many factors affect these lists, such as students applying to multiple programs or changing their minds.
Be flexible. Consider on-line courses or campuses other than your first choice.

For more information, check out http://www.careeronestop.org/explorecareers/find-licenses.aspx?frd=true
*info from wisccareers.wisc.edu