How EMTs are treated largely depends on where you are. If they are treated poorly by hospital staff then that seems like a major issue that the hospital needs to address. Compared to a Paramedic, EMTs are pretty low in training. Which isn't to say they are poorly trained. Simply not as highly trained or legally approved to perform more advanced medical procedures. So they are often relegated to a sort of "assistant" or driver for the paramedics. But in the more rural areas where medics are less available, EMTs are often the main providers you will find. The majority of ambulance calls don't require a Paramedic level of care and an EMT is more than capable of handling them.

As far as the pay, we all wish it paid more. Many of us do the job knowing that we could make more money working in a different field, with a normal schedule and substantially less risk of PTSD. But not many other jobs provide you with a sense of purpose and like you are making a tangible difference in people's lives.