Emergency Medical
Services (EMS) (2251)
THE CAREER: An emergency medical services system
consists of many different components. Paramedic is the advanced
level for work in the EMS field. Paramedics provide advanced life
support and transportation for the sick and injured. Attainment
of the EMS degree may help the graduate in career advancement
opportunities.
THE PROGRAM: This limited access A.S. or A.A.S.
degree program in EMS is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation
of Allied Health Education Programs and is a combination of general
education and EMS courses. Graduates of the program are prepared
to function as entry-level paramedics. Upon completion of the
program, graduates are awarded an associate in science degree
in EMS and are eligible to apply to sit for the Florida state
board exam to qualify for certification as a paramedic in the
state of Florida. The EMS field requires specific physical capabilities,
please contact any disabled student services office if you have
specific questions.
Most students complete the EMT
technical certificate and paramedic
technical certificate programs first and then pursue the additional
general education courses required for the A.S. or A.A.S. degree.
Non-degree seeking students may refer to the paramedic technical
certificate program (6394).
THIS IS A SELECTIVE ACCESS PROGRAM.
Expected Job Growth:
Much faster than average, according to the Department of Labor.
Starting Salary:
$28,000
Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to
take the Florida State Board or National Registry exams.
This program is accredited by the Committee
on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical
Services Professions, 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, Texas 76021
(817.283.9403) and the Florida
Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services,
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850.245.4440).
Emergency medical services (EMS) technology
courses must be taken in sequence with the designated prerequisite
and corequisite courses. A grade point average of 2.0 must be
earned in each professional core course, BSC 2010C and BSC 2020C.
PREREQUISITES: Prior to being admitted to the
program an applicant must complete:
- EMS 1059 First Responders: Emergency Care
Training
- EMS 1119 Fundamentals of Emergency Medical
Care
- EMS 1401 Fundamentals of Emergency Medical
- Care Clinical Experience
- ***BSC 2010C Principles of Biology I
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: EMS is a selective
access program and continuance in the program is limited and based
upon academic performance and other criteria. A brochure outlining
costs, requirements, deadlines and procedures is available from
the EMS department, North Campus.
Minimum requirements that must be met for consideration
for acceptance to the EMS program are as follows:
- All applicants for admission to this program
must be at least 18 years of age.
- Students must have earned a high school diploma or equivalency degree.
- Incomplete or late applications will not
be considered. (Contact the EMS office for application deadline.)
- Applicants must document all eligibility
requirements:
- Florida Community College student number
and classification as degree-seeking (NOTE: EMT and paramedic
programs require degree-seeking status.)
- Notarized character statement
- Florida EMT certification or board eligible
(Applicants must pass the first exam they are eligible for
or they will be dropped from the program.)
- Current HCP-BLS card
- Satisfactory scores on all portions of
admission test or successful completion of required prep
courses
- Proof of PIP car insurance
- Copy of driver’s license
- CPTS will have to be taken by those students
not having a grade for EMT. Applicants will be ranked according
to the quality points earned in EMT. (Quality points are calculated
by multiplying the credit hour value of the class by the grade
factor, A=4, B=3, C=2.) Students who do not have grades for
EMT will receive quality points based on their CPTS score. These
CPTS scores will not replace placement results that were determined
by other testing options.
- Applicants who document recent work experience
as EMTs (minimum six months full-time at time of application)
will receive three points per year up to a maximum of nine points.
This will be the applicant’s responsibility to provide
this documentation.
- The top 24 ranked students will be notified
by mail of their acceptance into the program and will be notified
of the special registration requirements of the program. Those
accepted who fail to register and pay for their classes at the
designated time will forfeit acceptance into the class. In case
of forfeiture, the next highest ranked student will be notified
of acceptance.
Prior to contact with patients or patient specimens,
students must furnish proof of childhood immunizations. Hepatitis
B vaccination is strongly recommended. Health insurance must be
maintained throughout clinical training. Contact program chairperson
for additional information.
General Education Courses
ENC 1101 English Composition I (3)
***BSC 2010C Principles of Biology I (4)
*Humanities (3)
MAC 1105 College Algebra (3)
PSY 1012 General Psychology (3)
Credit hours: 16
Professional Courses
**EMS 1059 First Responders: Emergency
Care Training (2)
EMS 1119 Fundamentals of Emergency Medical Care (6)
EMS 1401 Fundamentals of Emergency Medical Care Clinical Experience
(3)
***BSC 2020C Human Biology (4)
EMS 2611 Paramedic Module I, Preparatory (4)
EMS 2611L Paramedic ModuleI, Pharmacology Lab (2)
EMS 2612L Paramedic Module II, Airway (1)
EMS 2613L Paramedic Module III, Patient Assessment (3)
EMS 2666 Paramedic Clinical I (3)
EMS 2614 Paramedic Module IV, Trauma (2)
EMS 2615 Paramedic Module V, Medical (6)
EMS 2615L Paramedic Module V, Medical Lab (3)
EMS 2667 Paramedic Clinical II (3)
EMS 2616 Paramedic Module VI, Special Considerations (3)
EMS 2617L Paramedic Module VII, Assessment Based Lab (2)
EMS 2618L Paramedic Module VIII, Operations Lab (1)
EMS 2668 Paramedic Clinical III (2)
EMS 2659 Paramedic Field Internship (3)
Credit hours: 53
Professional Electives
CTS 1101 Introduction to Windows (1)
CGS 1570 Microcomputer Applications (3)
and
(Select one from the following:)
EMS 2761 Emergency Medical Services Education (3)
EMS 2311 Management of Emergency Medical Services (3)
Credit hours: 4
Total Credit Hours: 73
*Refer to A.S. degree General
Education Requirements.
**Students who have successfully completed HCP 0001 health care
core may substitute the core for EMS 1059.
***BSC 2085C and BSC 2086C may be substituted for BSC 2010C and
BSC 2020C. Students who have completed BSC 2085C prior to entering
the paramedic program should take BSC 2086C during the first semester
of the paramedic program.
***The BSC 2010C prerequisite has been waived for students enrolled
in the Funeral Services, Emergency Medical Services and Pharmacy
Technician programs.
The EMS field requires specific physical capabilities, please
contact any disabled student services office if you have specific
questions.
Note: You have two options in this program:
the associate in science (A.S.) degree, which can prepare you
for employment or transfer to a state university, and the associate
in applied science (A.A.S.) degree, which is intended primarily
for students who want immediate employment after graduation. If
you choose the A.S. degree you must take MAC 1105, MGF 1106 or
a higher level mathematics. The A.A.S. degree requires MAT 1033
or higher. Please see an advisor to determine the option that
is best for you.
Clinical agencies may require students to undergo
drug screening and criminal background checks prior to placement
in the agencies for clinical experiences. Students whose drug
screening and criminal background checks are unsatisfactory may
be denied access to clinical experiences by the clinical agencies.
Withdrawal from the program may be necessary if students cannot
be placed for clinical experiences.
Estimated tuition is $4,400 (for Florida residents as of 7/04).
Estimated cost of books, materials and fees is $850.
