About Paramedic / Emergency Medical Services
This program is designed to meet the educational and training needs of those individuals who wish to gain Arkansas Department of Health Licensure and National Registry of EMT's Certification as a Paramedic.
The Paramedic/EMS Program at Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org
To contact CoAEMSP:
8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312
Rowlett, TX 7508 8
214-703-8445
Fax: 214-703-8992
www.coaemsp.org
Career opportunities exist with air and ground emergency medical services, fire departments, medical centers and industry. Among other characteristics, a Paramedic should possess professionalism, dignity, empathy and tolerance. Under the direction of a physician, the student will be presented with material to aid them in: assessment of the pre-hospital needs of the acutely ill or injured patient, triage, basic as well as advanced life support, communication skills, and maintaining the level of care as the patient is transported to a health care facility.
Students must apply to and be admitted into the technical phase of the Paramedic program before taking any of the paramedic program courses. Students must be currently licensed with the Arkansas Department of Health Division of EMS as an EMT or have taken, and passed with a grade of "C" or better, an Emergency Medical Technician course within the last one year and be eligible to take the state exam prior to being admitted into the program.
The student must complete all courses in the previous semester with at least 75% to be eligible for the next level of the Paramedic program. Students must also pass the end of course assessment to be recommended for the National Registry of EMT's exam.
Students are advised that the Paramedic/EMS Program is strenuous in nature. Students are therefore not allowed to take additional course work that is not directly related to their degree plan while in the Paramedic Program. If a student has completed all general education course requirements prior to entering the program, the student may not have a full load of twelve credit hours or more (which could affect financial aid eligibility).
The Paramedic Program is very intense and requires approximately 30-36 hours per week of theory/lab/fieldwork. This does not include prep or study time. The hours ascribed to each semester while in the Paramedic Program are considered by the program to be full time.
Students who begin the technical phase of the program and withdraw have one year to continue studies. After one year of absence, student must reapply and take all requirements.
Associate of Applied Science in Paramedic/Emergency Medical Services to Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management
Through collaboration between Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus and Arkansas Tech-Russellville Campus, a stackable degree path has been approved that will provide students who have earned an Associate of Applied Science in Paramedic/Emergency Medical Services a clear path to complete a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management.
In order to earn this stackable degree, it will be necessary to substitute and/or add some course work in the associate degree in order to satisfy requirements for the bachelor degree. These modifications are listed in the curriculum below along with the requirements to complete the Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management degree.
Students who want to pursue this option must use the associate degree curriculum for the stackable degree path.
Todd Birkhead,
Program Chair
Health Sciences and
Wellness Bldg.
(479) 508-8500 ext. 6104
tbirkhead@atu.edu
Instructor
Mark Maxwell