Final answer:
A paramedic, certified by the Texas Department of State Health Services, is a highly trained emergency medical services personnel with extensive knowledge and the ability to administer a variety of emergency drugs. Paramedics have broad employment options and must complete years of training including advanced life support skills, contrasting with the basic care provided by EMTs.
Step-by-step explanation:
A paramedic is an emergency medical services personnel with current certification from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Paramedics are highly trained medical services personnel who are experts at providing emergency medical treatment. They undergo 2–4 years of training, building on their experience as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who provide basic care. While EMTs can administer certain medications and have some knowledge of medical conditions, paramedics must have extensive knowledge and be trained to administer a wide variety of emergency drugs.
The duties of paramedics often include rescue work and critical emergency medical procedures in various settings. Their training includes courses such as anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, and chemistry, which are crucial when dealing with emergencies such as burns from different sources or drug overdoses. Paramedics can find employment in roles as diverse as mountain or ocean rescue, with police department special weapons, and tactics (SWAT) teams or in isolated settings like oil rigs. They also work under the supervision of a medical director and can be employed by fire departments, hospitals, government health departments, or private companies.