I was a volunteer EMT for a while — and didn’t take it further for some similar/some different reasons.

One recommendation, if you want to take the class but aren’t planning on doing it professionally (and have any interest in outdoor activities), take a Wilderness First Responder class. I found I learned a lot more in that class, and much it is practical in many circumstances, not just riding on an ambulance. It’s also a lot more fun, as you spend a lot of time running around in the woods learning to macguyver splints out of all kinds of stuff.

The other thing I found was that to really be good at it/feel confident treating anything beyond the most basic patients, you’re going to have to work on an ambulance full time in an urban setting. And in most places, to do that professionally, you’re going to have to become a paramedic.