Emergency Medical Services

Paramedic Program

The EMS Program has been moving diligently towards improving the Paramedic Program.  With the aid of our Provost, Dr. Phil Nicotera, our program Medical Director, Dr. Joe Nelson, and our Program Director, Dr. Nerina Stepanovsky this has been made possible.

Building upon the foundation built by Richard Konrad, Dr. Jeff Lindsey, and Janice Ritchie-Saia, our overriding goal is to provide the student with the best possible paramedic education and training. 

In order to be successful in the Paramedic Program, the student must be able to demonstrate essential student functions.

EMT

Paramedic class begins January 12, 2009...now a four session rather than five session program.

  • Classes will be during the day, in a blended format: most of the theory class will be in the classroom, with specified class meeting dates on site here at the Health Education Center. If enrollment allows, each theory class will be offered on two different days per week, to accommodate shift schedules.
  • Labs are six to eight hours/week, broken down into 2-three to four hour labs per week. Each lab is offered twice weekly.

  • The first session will include (unless already completed) Human Anatomy and Physiology (BSC 1084C), EMS Pharmacology (EMS 1522C), and Medical Terminology (HSC 1531) as well as Introduction to Paramedic Practice.

  • Students may still take BSC 2085/2085L and 2086/2086L to satisfy the A&P requirement. If this choice is selected, BSC 2085/2085L must be completed with a "C" or better before applying to the paramedic program. BSC 2086/2086L will then be a corequisite for the first session.

  • Hospital clinicals and field shifts are self-scheduled, and begin the second session. 

  • Individual schedules will be accomplished during orientation. 

  • You will receive a letter in the mail regarding acceptance and mandatory orientation date.

Proposed day schedule, depending on enrollment:  

First Session – begins August and January (11 credits)

  • BSC 1084C – Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (4 credits)
  • EMS 1522 C – General Pharmacology for EMS Providers (2 credits)
  • EMS 2600C – Introduction to Paramedic Practice (Modules 1 [Preparatory, Sections 1-5, 9-10] and 3 [Patient Assessment, Section 1, 3 & 5]) – 3 credits (3 hours/week), to include EMS Comm. Center clinical (covers EMS Systems/Roles and Responsibilities, The Well-being of the Paramedic, Illness and Injury Prevention, Medical/Legal Issues, Therapeutic Communications, Life Span Development, History Taking, Introduction to Patient Assessment, Communications)
  • HSC 1531 – Medical Terminology (2 credits)

Second Session – begins January and May (12 credit hours - 6 cr. hrs-theory, 3 cr. hrs-lab, 3 cr. hrs-clinical)

  • EMS 2601, 2601L and 2664, to include parts of  Modules 1 (sect. 6, 7 & 8) and 3 (sect. 2 & 4), Module 2, Module 4, Module 5 (sect. 12), Module 6 (sect. 3), Module 7 (covers General Principles of Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Venous Access and Medication Administration, Airway, Techniques of Physical Examination, Clinical Decision Making, Trauma, Behavioral and Psychiatric Disorders, Geriatrics, Assessment Based Management) (includes ITLS certification)

Third Session – begins May and August (14 credits - theory = 8 cr. hrs, lab = 4 cr. hrs, clinical = 2 cr. hrs.

  • EMS 2602, 2602L, and 2665, to include Module 5, except for sect. 12 and Module 6, except for sect. 3 (covers Medical, Pediatrics, OB/GYN and Special Considerations) (includes ACLS, PEPP certifications)

Fourth Session – begins August and January (5 credits)

  • EMS 2659 – Paramedic Field Internship, includes Module 8-Operations - 5 credits

Now accepting applications for Fall 2008! Please note prerequisites listed under Paramedic Minimum Application Requirements link below. You must be a FL certified EMT to apply to the paramedic program!

QUESTIONS? Contact HEC Student Services to speak with an academic advisor at 727-341-3687 or click on "Academic Advising" to the left of this message.


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