What state are you in and where are you taking the EMT course? From what you say,
it sounds like you are enrolling in a community college. If this is the case, an Associates Degree is a
two year college degree(you will have core area courses and required general electives like English,
Math and Science). If you are enrolling just as a student in an EMT course, it is to receive
EMT certification(per your state's requirements), and you would not receive a two year Associates Degree(AS).
Depending on your long term goals and career paths, a college degree may be desirable or a required
qualification. If you get an AS in the EMT field you can look into a bachelor's degree in Emergency Management,
Pre Medicine, and other fields related. If your long term goal is to be a Paramedic, see if where you are looking into
the EMT course offers a Paramedic course.
Some agencies will cover(pay for/reimburse) your training. If you want to be an EMT, see if
there are local EMS(Emergency Medical; Services) agencies(may be either volunteer or paid) that will cover the cost of the
EMT training(this can vary state by state). If your long term goal is to be a Paramedic, see if an agency will take you on
and sponsor you.
You did say that you were"confused" so if you have no background in EMS, you might join and
volunteer at a local EMS agency to see if this is your calling and get some experience to see if you really want to go
down this path. It would be a shame if you paid to take an EMT course, completed the class time , receive your certification and then go on a few calls and find out it is not for you. I have been a volunteer EMT and volunteer firefighter for over 40 years. I find it extremely rewarding to be able to help my neighbors in their time of need. Every call gives you the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life. But emergency services is not for everyone, so you might want to try it out for a bit as a volunteer to see if it is something you enjoy.
I wish you good luck in your endeavors and hope the best for you. We need more EMTs and Paramedics so I hope you will be successful.
