Also called: Medevac Helicopter Pilot, Air Ambulance Pilot
Flies helicopters or planes that rush critically ill and injured patients to hospitals.
HEMS pilots live at the base during 12-hour shifts, waiting for calls. When the pager goes off, they check weather, lift off within minutes, and land at crash scenes or rural hospitals while the flight nurse and paramedic care for the patient.
Certificate, about 4 years after high school. Commercial pilot certificate, 2,000+ flight hours, and instrument rating; many come from the military.
Ways in: Certification, Military. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Aviation, Professional Pilot.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). BLS 2025-35 projection band for SOC 53-2012: Faster than average (5% to 6%).
Low risk for 10 years. Night-vision and autopilot aids help; flying critical patients into accident scenes at night stays human.
Classes: Physics, Biology, Algebra II.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-2012.
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