Paramedic Program

Program Mission

“To prepare competent entry-level Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains,” with or without exit points at the Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate, and/or Emergency Medical Technician-Basic, and/or First Responder levels. The program is designed to prepare student for employment as paramedic working for various EMS agencies, such as ambulance services, fire agencies, fixed & rotary wing operations, and hospital emergency departments.  Students who complete the program in a satisfactory manner are qualified to apply for state paramedic licensure.

The Paramedic Program curriculum is a rigorous 12 to 18-month (four to six quarters) sequence of instruction, with entry in the fall quarter only. This course is designed for students who have worked as EMTs for at least 6 months at full-time capacity, or the equivalent part-time experience (960 hours), wishing to become paramedics. The first three quarters are didactic (classroom) instruction, meeting twice a week. Also, during the second quarter of didactic instruction students will concurrently attend hospital specialty rotations (operating room, obstetrics, etc.) The final quarters include the emergency department hospital rotations, and the ambulance field internship. Students may opt to take the emergency department hospital rotations while concurrently attending didactic to shorten the overall time spent for program completion.

The curriculum exceeds state law requirements by providing instruction based upon The U.S. DOT National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards and the Paramedic Instructional Guidelines, Title 22 Chapter 4 Paramedic Basic Scope of Practice, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals, Prehospital Trauma Life Support, National Registry of EMTs paramedic examinations, and studies of current nation-wide protocols and expanded practices.
Students who complete the program in a satisfactory manner will be awarded a career certificate and are qualified to apply to the state for paramedic licensure. Licensure is a legal requirement to work as a paramedic in California.