Emergency Medical Services - Paramedic Certificate Curriculum

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program is designed to provide the student with theory, demonstration, and experiential laboratory in Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT), and Paramedic. The Paramedic program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), 9355-113th Street, North 7709, Seminole, Florida 33775 (727-210-2350), www.caahep.org, on recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP). 8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312. Rowlett, Texas 75088 (214-703-8992).

ADMISSION

Program requirements for health programs offered within the Alabama Community College System may be reviewed and revised between publication deadlines for this and future College Catalog and Student Handbook documents. Admission requirements below were in effect at the time this document was published and may or may not be current. Prospective students should contact the program office to obtain requirement updates. 

Students are admitted to the EMS program without regard to race, creed, color, marital status, sex, or national origin. The applicant must meet all College admission requirements, including appropriate placement testing. To aid in program success, it is advisable that any identified developmental needs be completed prior to enrollment in an EMS-prefix program course.

Students must possess the appropriate level of State licensure (Advanced EMT for Paramedic) in order to participate in clinical activities at the next level. Students entering the paramedic level must possess an Alabama AEMT license prior to entering paramedic courses. In the event that AEMT training was completed less than 60 days prior to the beginning of the term, students will be allowed conditional admission until mid-term of the first paramedic semester to present an Alabama AEMT license. Clinical attendance will not be allowed until an Alabama AEMT License has been presented. Any student who is unable to meet licensure requirements by the stated deadline must withdraw from all EMS-prefix courses which contain a clinical component and will not be allowed to progress in the paramedic curriculum. Costs associated with licensure and program registration are the responsibility of the applicant.

Students are admitted to the Paramedic program throughout the year. The Paramedic program runs continuously, including summer term. Admission is conditional and depends on the student’s ability to meet specific elements associated with program eligibility. Students must be able to perform the essential functions identified by the Alabama Department of Public Health. A copy of the essential functions is available from the EMS program and published on the College website, www.wallace.edu. Reasonable accommodations are considered. Completion of a physical examination and proof of required laboratory and immunization documentation will be required upon program admission. All associated costs are the responsibility of the student.

Contractual agreements between the College and clinical agencies may impose additional requirements on students enrolled in health programs. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the areas of attire, confidentiality, criminal background check, liability insurance, and substance abuse screening. Health insurance coverage is strongly recommended, as the expense for treatment of injury suffered during training is the responsibility of the student. Any student denied clinical privileges or having clinical privileges revoked by a healthcare facility due to positive background findings or clinical misconduct is not eligible for program admission or readmission.

Students transferring to Wallace Community College who have successfully completed Advanced EMT training are eligible to apply for acceptance into the Paramedic concentration. Unconditional admission to the Paramedic component of the EMS program requires possession of an AEMT license.

GRADING SCALE

EMS-prefix courses will be evaluated using the following grading scale:

A 90-100

B 80-89

C 75-79

D 60-74

F 59 and below

PROGRESSION

Students in Paramedic must achieve a grade of C or better in all EMS curriculum required courses (Areas I-V) and a cumulative 2.0 grade point average at Wallace Community College to receive a certificate. Prior to entering Paramedic level courses, students must possess a valid Alabama Advanced EMT license. Prior to entry in the certificate option, students must have completed BIO201, Anatomy and Physiology I, with a grade of C or higher. MTH 100, ENG 101, SPH 106/107, required orientation credits, and CIS 146 or documented computer competency must be completed prior to entering the last semester of the paramedic certificate curriculum. All EMS students must maintain American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification at the Healthcare Provider Level.

READMISSION

Students who do not continue in the program for consecutive terms are subject to the most current catalog and State of Alabama Department of Public Health, EMS Division policies for the latest term of admission. No more than 15 months may lapse between attempts at courses in the 200-level paramedic sequence without a repeat of the entire field of concentration curriculum sequence. Students who are removed from the program because of violations of course policy will be reviewed by the EMS Advisory Board for consideration of readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed. Readmission will be denied for any of the following circumstances:

1. Refusal by clinical agencies to accept the student for clinical experiences.

2. Violation of confidentiality policies.

AUDIT

Effective September 12, 2012 there shall be no auditing allowed for any Health Science classes.

LICENSURE

On successful completion of the program of study for the Paramedic certificate, the student is eligible to take the applicable National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician Examination for the Paramedic level. All applications and fees associated with these exams are the responsibility of the student.

EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS

To receive a Paramedic certificate, students must complete all courses in the prescribed curriculum. Students who complete the required orientation credits, field of concentration courses, BIO 201, CIS 146 or demonstrated competency, ENG 101, MTH 100 or higher, and SPH 106 or 107 will earn a program certificate.