“The Mountwest Community & Technical College Paramedic Science Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).”
Allied Health
Paramedics are employed by public and private emergency services organizations and businesses.
The Paramedic possesses the complex knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. The student completing an Associate in Applied Science in Paramedic Science will complete, in addition to the Paramedic courses, general education courses that will better prepare the student to enter the workforce and progress to competitive job markets and management positions.
Students will take courses preparing them with the following program outcomes:
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 medical oversight. Paramedics perform interventions with the basic and advanced equipment typically found on an ambulance. The Paramedic is a link from the scene into the health care system.
The student completing the three semester Certificate Degree Program, will have completed an intense 11-month long program consisting of 45 credit hours. This program is designed for individuals involved in both career and volunteer aspects of the Emergency Medical Services realm. The program consists of classroom lectures, practical labs and approximately 400 hours of clinical internships, as well as EMS courses specifically designed for EMS professionals. Students will be eligible to sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Paramedic Examination after the successful completion of the Paramedic Science Program only if the student has maintained a letter grade of “C” or higher in all Paramedic Science courses and earned credit “CR” for all Paramedic Clinical courses. Students must have earned a letter grade of “C” or better in all PAR courses and a “CR” in clinical courses to be eligible for registration in the following semester PAR courses.
| 2021 Program Outcomes | On Campus | Off Campus Satellite 1 | Off Campus Satellite 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
NREMT/State Written Exam |
70% |
71.4% |
75% |
|
Retention |
71.4% |
70% |
85.7% |
|
Positive (Job) Placement |
70% |
71.4% |
77.8% |
EMTs and Paramedics
2019 Median Pay
$35,400 per year
Number of Jobs
262,100 in 2018
Job Outlook
2018-2028 7%
Much faster than average employment.
For the most current salary information, please refer to the Bureau of Labor Statistics “Occupational Outlook Handbook” found online at bls.gov/ooh/.
The college adheres to an open admission policy which means applications with a high school diploma or GED are eligible for admission. Applicants with neither a high school diploma nor GED may be admitted on a conditional basis.
Employment of Paramedics is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2021. Population growth and urbanization will increase the demand for full-time paid EMTs and Paramedics rather than for volunteers. In addition, a large segment of the population—the aging baby boomers—will further spur demand for EMS services as they become more likely to have medical emergencies.
There will still be demand for part-time, volunteer EMTs and paramedics in rural areas and smaller metropolitan areas. In addition to those arising from job growth, openings will occur because of replacement needs.
