Paramedic Academics Degrees & Certificates Paramedic Certificate Build the patient care knowledge, medical skills and confidence necessary to advance your career in emergency medicine Request Information Apply Now Program Contacts Laura Earl, Health Occupations Admissions (413) 775-1816 earl@gcc.mass.edu Dawn Josefski, Program Director (413) 775-1761 josefski@gcc.mass.edu Program Overview Admission Learning Outcomes Faculty Career Outlook EMT Basic/EMS 101 Upcoming Events No Events As a certified basic or advanced EMT, you can complete 911爆料网鈥檚 paramedic certificate to take the next step in your career. Our rigorous program covers all aspects of advanced life support care, such as advanced patient assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment plans and implementation. The paramedic certificate program starts each fall. It meets on campus two evenings per week, as well as an average of two Saturdays a month. The program can be completed in as few as 15 months and includes 600 hours of clinical and field time. Accredited by the听Commonwealth of Massachusetts鈥� Office for Emergency Medical Services (OEMS), CoAEMSP (#600741) and CAAHEP Learn More 29credits Certificate Certificates are typically completed in one (1) year and designed for immediate workforce entry CORI/SORICORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) and/or additional background checks required for participation in this program. This program follows a听specific sequence of required courses.听100% attendance at all classes and clinical sessions is required. A strict attendance policy forces the supervised makeup of all missed work.听Classes must be completed sequentially within 24 months of beginning the program; we do not accept transfer into our paramedic program.听Consult our听Student Handbook听补苍诲听academic calendar听for policies and important dates. The paramedic program is a comprehensive course of study in advanced life support care. Lecture Schedule Section 1: Tue/Thurs 5-9:30 p.m. Section 2: Mon/Wed 5-9:30 p.m. Both sections meet together on scheduled Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 911爆料网 for听skills labs, seminar teaching and other specialty topics. Paramedic students are required to purchase paramedic program shirts and texts. There are lab fees which cover the cost of drug screen testing, national background check and the costs of ACLS, PALS, PHTLS and PEARS certifications, disposable goods, instructor/student ratios and initial NREMT examination fee. Students are required to cover the costs associated with travel to and from clinical and field sites. What's Next?The curriculum of 911爆料网鈥檚 paramedic program meets the most recent national standard requirements for paramedic education and prepares you to take the National Registry certification examination. Paramedics go on to work with fire departments, ambulance services, hospital emergency departments and in other clinical settings where advanced emergency care skills are required. What's New? Paramedic is a health occupations program with a special admissions process and health requirements. You must submit a separate application to this program in addition to a general application for admission to 911爆料网. Please review all criteria prior to applying! Applicants must be at least 18 years of age; have current Basic EMT or Advanced EMT certification; have at least 75 ambulance patient care experiences; and place beyond or complete ENG 090 with a passing grade. All students entering the paramedic program will be required to have a CORI (Criminal Offenders Record Information) check. A student with a charge in the Lifetime Presumptive Disqualification Category is ineligible for placement in the program. Discretionary Disqualification Category charges will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Paramedic students will also be required to have a national background check prior to their hospital clinical rotations, which includes a nationwide record indicator with sex offender, national fraud and abuse search and a county criminal search. Students are required to have a mandatory drug screening prior to their hospital clinical rotations. Applicants need to know that individuals with a record of conviction by a court of law will be required to provide a complete explanation to the Office for Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) in order to be permitted to take the certification exam. Admission Documents & Forms Admission Information Packet Enrollment Deadlines Physical Exam Form Immunization Form Experience Verification Form Technical Standards Program applicants must: Be ambulatory and able to lift, carry and balance up to 100 pounds Be in sufficient physical condition so as to be able to bend, stoop, balance and crawl on even and uneven terrain Have the ability to withstand varied environmental conditions such as extreme heat, extreme cold and moisture, at times under prolonged conditions Possess fine motor coordination and hand/eye/foot coordination required to perform technical and precise skills. Motor coordination may be defined as the ability to make a movement or response quickly and accurately Possess the visual acuity necessary to perform technical skills and to make precise discriminations Have sufficient verbal ability and auditory perception to be able to perform comprehensive patient assessment, management and transport Be able to effectively communicate with patients, bystanders and other health care providers. Communication involves speech, reading, writing, and awareness of emotional messages included in body language, tone and presentation. Have the emotional stability and maturity to exercise sound judgment while effectively completing patient care activities Occupational Risks Provision of emergency medical services poses inherent occupational risks for EMS responders. Risks include the following: Violence/assaults Verbal threats/aggression Motor vehicle crashes Infectious disease Lifting injuries Sprains and strains Psychological trauma Hazardous chemical exposure Hyper/hypothermia Program Goal To prepare paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession Program Learning Outcomes Students completing a course of study in this program will be able to: Demonstrate the ability to gather information, assess a patient, develop and execute a treatment plan as a team leader relative to the role of an entry-level paramedic Conduct oneself in an ethical manner Conduct oneself in a professional manner Show proficiency in interpersonal relations and communication Integrate pathophysiologic concepts with assessment findings to develop a field impression and treatment plan for patients with both medical and traumatic emergencies Demonstrate technical proficiency in all of the skills necessary to fulfill the role of an entry-level Paramedic Use critical thinking skills to assess and treat patients in a variety of settings Communicate effectively through oral and written methods in a patient care setting Demonstrate preparedness proficiency to pass the National Registry Paramedic Level cognitive and psychomotor examinations Graduate Outcomes Graduation Year 2020 COVID 2021 2022 2023 2024 Enrolled 29 retention 22 retention 25 retention 17 retention 20 retention Completed 22 76% 20 91% 21 84% 14 88% 17 85% NREMT Psychomotor pass rate 听 pass rate pass rate 听 pass rate 听 听 Passed 20 95% 20 100% 20 95% 14 100% NR* NREMT Cognitive pass rate pass rate pass rate pass rate pass rate Passed 1st attempt 19 86% 13 65% 18 89% 10 71% 9 53% Passed w/in 3 attempts 1 91% 6 95% 2 95% 13 93% 6 88% Passed w/in 6 attempts 0 5% 0 1 100% 2 100% Never passed 2 9% 1 5% 1 5% Positive Placement 86% 90% 90.5% 100% 100% * Not required These are just examples of jobs that someone with a certificate in Paramedic might pursue. Our programs provide a solid foundation for many careers, but some paths may require additional education, or even a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Don’t worry! Our advisors are here to support you in planning your educational journey. This is an entry level course and is the first step in the EMS career ladder. As with most healthcare professions, a Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information Check听will be required for licensing by MA OEMS听after successful completion of this course. If a student thinks there might be an issue for state licensing, the college may run and review a CORI based on individual student request. Upon successful completion of the course听and with the instructor鈥檚 recommendation, students are eligible to take the NREMT-Basic certification exam and then work for private or fire-based ambulance services or volunteer-based emergency services. Please note, this is a very intensive course with a lot of required reading. Many students state that they spend at least 6 or more hours a week听outside of class just on the reading assignments. Class meets in-person in the East Building of the 911爆料网 main campus on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6-10 p.m. and some Saturdays from 9 a.m-5 p.m. There is a 100% attendance policy and our curriculum meets the National Standard Curriculum requirements.听EMT classes run in spring, fall and summer semesters.听We only accept 30 students per semester. There is a separate health requirement听if you choose to schedule the听optional hospital emergency department observation听and/or the听optional ambulance ride-a-long shift. You can get the form from the instructor and submit it during the final three weeks of class. There are two ways to take the class鈥�both options are acceptable for future entry into the 911爆料网's paramedic certificate program: Option 1: As a six-credit college class (EMS 101) if you are interested in obtaining college credits. Approximate cost is $1,400 plus books (~ $150) and certification fees.* Please contact the Office of Admission to register. If you are not already a 911爆料网 student, you will need to take the English placement test. If you have college-level English, will need to provide transcripts to 911爆料网. When you take the class for college credits you may be eligible for financial aid or free community college. Enroll in EMS 101 (Credit) Option 2:听As a non-credit class (EMH 310). Cost is $1500 plus books (~ $150) and certification fees.* You do not need to apply to be a student at 911爆料网 or take the English placement test, but financial aid is not available for this option. Most students who select this option already have a college degree. Massachusetts Regulations-105 CMR 170.910: Initial Certification Be 18 years of age or older Be free of any physical or mental disability or disease which could reasonably be expected to impair the ability to be an EMT, or which could reasonably be expected to jeopardize the health and safety of the patient Meet the training requirements applicable to the level of certification for which the person is applying, as specified in 105 CMR 170.800 Successfully complete a Department-approved psychomotor examination (meeting the requirements of the NREMT) and the NREMT cognitive computer-based examination; and obtain NREMT certification *听Additional certification fees $80 fee to be paid to 911爆料网 for the NREMT psychomotor exam (we hold the psychomotor certification exam here at 911爆料网 for our students) A $104 fee to be paid to the NREMT for certification; your first attempt at the computerized cognitive exam is covered by 911爆料网 (this fee is for any additional attempts to pass if needed, max of of six (6) attempts to pass). Once you have successfully completed your NREMT computerized cognitive exam and 911爆料网 psychomotor exam and are a Nationally Certified EMT (NREMT), you will then need to contact the state office of EMS in any state you plan to practice in and obtain that individual state鈥檚 license/certification. In Massachusetts the听听is $150.