Side jobs for EMTs that use the skills you already have
The easiest extra income for an EMT usually comes from the certification you already hold: working events, teaching CPR, picking up PRN shifts at another service, or training staff at local businesses. Those start faster than a side hustle unrelated to EMS.
Before you start anything, check your employer's outside-work policy and your state EMS office for scope rules, since what you can do off duty depends on both. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
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Side jobs that use an EMT certification
Event medical standby
Concerts, sports games, races and festivals need medical crews on site. The work is often scheduled well ahead, which makes it easier to fit around shifts. Suits EMTs who like variety and can handle a crowd.
- What it takes
- Your EMT certification and state license. Some companies want event or mass-gathering experience.
- First step
- Search for event medical companies that staff venues in your area and ask how they hire per-diem EMTs.
CPR and BLS instruction
Teach certification classes to healthcare workers, schools, gyms and offices. Cards expire and people come back to renew, so demand keeps renewing. Suits EMTs who enjoy teaching.
- What it takes
- A current AHA provider card, the instructor course, alignment with an AHA Training Center, and training equipment.
- First step
- Find an AHA Training Center near you and ask if they are taking new instructor candidates.
PRN shifts at another service
Picking up per-diem shifts at a second service or an interfacility transport company is the most direct way to earn more with what you already do. It also lets you see how another system runs before you think about switching.
- What it takes
- Hiring paperwork, orientation, and sometimes a separate credential for that agency's county or state.
- First step
- Ask coworkers which services near you hire PRN crews and how many shifts a month they expect.
First-aid and safety training for businesses
Offices, construction companies, childcare centers and restaurants often need staff trained in first aid, CPR and AED use. You can teach on site at a time that suits them. Suits EMTs who like running a small business.
- What it takes
- An instructor credential through a recognized training organization, equipment, and liability insurance.
- First step
- Call three local businesses and ask when their staff last had first-aid training and who ran it.
Medical scribe
Scribes document patient visits in real time for physicians, often in emergency departments. Your medical vocabulary and charting habits carry over, and the hours can be flexible. Suits EMTs heading toward PA or medical school who want more time around physicians.
- What it takes
- Usually on-the-job training. Typing speed and comfort with medical terminology matter.
- First step
- Look at scribe postings for the emergency departments you transport to and note what schedules they offer.
Camp or school medic
Summer camps, sports camps and some schools hire EMTs to handle injuries, medications and emergencies on site. It can be seasonal, which suits people with flexible schedules or time off between terms.
- What it takes
- Your EMT certification. Camps may want wilderness first aid or pediatric experience.
- First step
- Contact camps in your region in the winter or early spring, when many start hiring for summer.
Tutoring EMT students
EMT students often want help with skills practice and exam prep. You can tutor one to one or in small groups, in person or online. Suits EMTs who remember what was hard and like explaining it.
- What it takes
- Almost nothing to start. A simple booking page and a few reviews from students.
- First step
- Ask the program where you trained whether they would share your name with students who want extra help.
Sample conversation
How a conversation with Carmen starts
Carmen asks before she suggests. An illustrative example, not a real person.
I want to make more money but I'm already doing a lot of overtime and I'm tired.
Then more of the same work may not be the answer. Do you want something that uses your EMT card, or a break from patient care?
I'd use my card. I like teaching new people on the truck.
CPR instruction or first-aid classes for local businesses would fit that, and you set the schedule. Before you start, check your employer's outside-work policy. Want to work out what getting certified to teach would take?
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Questions & answers
- What side jobs can an EMT do?
- Event medical standby, CPR and first-aid instruction, PRN shifts at another service, medical scribe work, camp medic jobs and tutoring EMT students are common. Which ones fit depends on your schedule and your state's rules.
- Can I work as an EMT for two services at once?
- Many EMTs do. Check your employer's outside-work policy, any rules on rest between shifts, and whether the second service needs extra credentials in its area.
- Do I need insurance for an EMT side business?
- If you teach or provide care outside your employer, you likely need your own liability insurance, since your employer's policy usually does not cover outside work. Ask an insurance agent what fits your business.
- How much can an EMT make on the side?
- It varies too much to give an honest number. Price one offer, try it with a few customers, and compare what it earns per hour against a PRN shift.
More for emts and paramedics
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Sources
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: EMTs and Paramedics
- American Heart Association: How to become an instructor
Last checked September 29, 2026.