Paramedic, A.A.S.
Entry Time
Spring
Award
Associate of Applied Science degree
2 years (5 terms)
Paramedics provide the highest level of pre-hospital emergency care. The paramedic is an allied health professional whose primary focus is to provide advanced emergency medical care for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system. This individual possesses the complex knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. Paramedics function as part of a comprehensive EMS response, under physician oversight. They perform interventions with the basic and advanced equipment typically found on an ambulance. The paramedic is a link between the scene and the health care system.
Paramedics provide advanced care in a variety of settings. Utilizing critical thinking skills, paramedics rapidly assess, treat and stabilize injured or ill patients and provide transport to or between hospitals. Settings may include ground and air ambulances, emergency departments, critical care units or cardiac cath labs. Along with advanced assessment techniques, paramedics utilize medications, cardiac monitoring and interpreting, defibrillation and advanced invasive skills as guided by state and local protocols, as well as the medical direction of each service.
The Paramedic program follows the current National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The standards prepare the EMT and AEMT for the more advanced scope of practice of the paramedic. This allied health program has a mandatory background check for clinical purposes.
Career Opportunities
- ambulance services
- fire departments
- hospitals
- law enforcement agencies
- other health care facilities
Degree Requirements
| Term 1 | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisites * | ||
| Select one of the following: 1, 2 | 8.5 | |
| Emergency Medical Technician I and Emergency Medical Technician II and Emergency Medical Technician II Clinical |
||
| Advanced Emergency Medical Technician | ||
| BIO-168 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| HSC-117 or HSC-115 |
Basic Medical Terminology or Medical Terminology |
2.5 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Applied Math | ||
| Algebra Mastery 1 | ||
| Mathematics and Society | ||
| Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry | ||
| Statistics | ||
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| EMS-641 | Introduction to Paramedicine 1 | 3 |
| EMS-642 | Pharmacology for Paramedicine 1 | 3 |
| EMS-656 | Clinical Introduction 1 | 1 |
| BIO-173 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Oral Communication 3 | ||
| Public Speaking 3 | ||
| Interpersonal Communication 3 | ||
| Communication for Health Care Professionals 3 | ||
| PSY-111 | Introduction to Psychology 3 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Term 3 | ||
| EMS-643 | Cardiorespiratory Paramedicine 1 | 3 |
| EMS-644 | Paramedic Clinical I 1 | 3 |
| EMS-645 | Paramedic I 1 | 2.5 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Composition I 3 | ||
| Composition II: Technical Writing 3 | ||
| College Writing 3 | ||
| Credit Hours | 11.5 | |
| Term 4 | ||
| EMS-646 | Paramedic Clinical II 1 | 4 |
| EMS-647 | Paramedic II 1 | 3.5 |
| EMS-648 | Special Patient Populations in Emergency Medical Services 1 | 4 |
| EMS-649 | Trauma and Environmental Emergencies 1 | 4 |
| BCA-189 | Microcomputer Literacy 3 | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 16.5 | |
| Term 5 | ||
| EMS-650 | Medical and Psychological Emergencies 1 | 4 |
| EMS-651 | Paramedic Fieldwork 1 | 4 |
| EMS-653 | Paramedic III 1 | 1 |
| Humanities or History/Culture Course 3 | 3 | |
| EMS-657 | Paramedic Clinical III 1 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 78 | |
- *
Prerequisite courses must be taken before acceptance into the program.
- 1
Minimum C- required to graduate
- 2
Students are recommended to take EMS-255 Emergency Medical Technician I, EMS-350 Emergency Medical Technician II and EMS-365 Emergency Medical Technician II Clinical. EMS-300 Advanced Emergency Medical Technician may be taken instead.
- 3
Courses may be taken before beginning the paramedic core curriculum portion of the program, with program directors permission.
Current paramedics may also complete the degree requirements, with credit awarded for previous EMS course work, if successfully completed prior to Summer 2016.