What is Emergency Medical Services?
Modern emergency medical services (EMS) can trace its roots back to the 1960’s. This is when a formal curriculum and scope of practice was designed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Since then, EMS has grown exponentially in education and in scope of practice.
As a mixture of public safety and healthcare, EMS requires a unique knowledge of field operations, anatomy and physiology, emergency procedures, and critical thinking skills. The paramedic is currently the highest skill set and level of training within EMS. Paramedics today can intubate, defibrillate, start intravenous lines for medication administration, start interosseous lines, perform needle decompression, and much more. The paramedic performs these skills autonomously, operating under standing orders approved by a physician.
The EMS-Paramedic Certificate Program prepares students to function in the emergency medical profession as a paramedic to deliver emergency care in a variety of environments. The paramedic primarily provides pre-hospital emergency care to acutely ill and/or injured individuals while working on an ambulance, mobile advanced life support unit, industrial on-site unit, fire departments, emergency departments and other agencies. This program provides a comprehensive course of study that prepares the graduate for licensure as a Paramedic (EMTP). The curriculum is structured based on the National EMS Education Standards and regulations set forth by the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS). The three-phase curriculum is designed to provide the student with the cog nitive knowledge, psychomotor skills, and affective behaviors necessary to competently perform as a Paramedic. Graduates will be eligible to apply to take the National Registry Paramedic Exam and may earn a certificate upon completion of the program. Enrollment in the EMS-Paramedic Certificate Program is limited; therefore, a selective admissions process is followed. Students must hold current unrestricted certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in Kentucky or hold a current unrestricted registration with the National Registry EMT as an EMT to be eligible for paramedic program admission.
What is an Emergency Medical Technician?
The primary focus of the EMT is to provide basic emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system. This individual possesses the basic knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. EMT’s function as part of a comprehensive EMS response, under medical oversight. EMT’s perform interventions with the basic equipment typically found on an ambulance. The EMT is a link from the scene to the emergency health care system.
What are my career choices?
This program prepares individuals for positions in agencies and institutions that provide emergency response services.
What are my degree, diploma, or certificate options?
Certificates
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EMS 105 - Emergency Medical Technician | 6 |
| CPR 100 - CPR Healthcare Professionals | 1 |
| Total | 7 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| BIO 135 - Basic Anatomy and Physiology with Lab | 4 |
| or BIO 137 and BIO 139 | (8) |
| Total | 7 (11) |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| MAT 110 - Applied Mathematics | 3 |
| EMS 200 - Introduction to Paramedicine | 4 |
| EMS 210 - Emergency Pharmacology | 3 |
| EMS 211 - Fundamentals Lab | 1 |
| EMS 215 - Clinical Experience I | 1 |
| Total | 12 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EMS 220 - Cardiovascular Emergencies | 3 |
| EMS 220 - Cardiovascular Emergencies | 1 |
| EMS 230 - Traumatic Emergencies | 4 |
| EMS 225 - Clinical Experience II | 1 |
| EMS 270 - EMS Operations | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EMS 240 - Medical Emergencies I | 3 |
| EMS 250 - Medical Emergencies II | 3 |
| EMS 260 - Special Populations | 3 |
| EMS 231 - Medical Lab | 1 |
| EMS 235 - Clinical Experience III | 2 |
| Total | 12 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EMS 275 - Seminar in Advanced Life Support | 1 |
| EMS 2851 - Field Internship | 3 |
| EMS 2852 - Field Summation | 3 |
| Total | 7 |
Total credits for certificate: 47
Associate of Applied Science Degree
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| BIO 135 Basic Anatomy & Physiology with Laboratory | 4 |
| OR BIO 137 and BIO 139 | (8) |
| Total | 7 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EMS 200 Introduction to Paramedicine | 4 |
| EMS 210 Emergency Pharmacology | 3 |
| EMS 211 Fundamentals Lab | 1 |
| EMS 215 Clinical Experience I | 1 |
| ENG 101 Writing I | 3 |
| MAT 110 Applied Mathematics | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EMS 220 Cardiovascular Emergencies | 3 |
| EMS 221 Cardiac and Trauma Lab | 1 |
| EMS 225 Clinical Experience II | 1 |
| EMS 230 Traumatic Emergencies | 4 |
| EMS 270 EMS Operations | 1 |
| Oral Communications | 3 |
| Digital/Computer Literacy | 0-3 |
| Total | 13-16 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EMS 231 Medical Lab | 1 |
| EMS 235 Clinical Experience III | 2 |
| EMS 240 Medical Emergencies I | 3 |
| EMS 250 Medical Emergencies II | 3 |
| EMS 260 Special Populations | 3 |
| PSY 110 General Psychology | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Class | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EMS 275 Seminar in Advanced Life Support | 1 |
| EMS 2851 Field Internship | 3 |
| EMS 2852 Field Summation | 3 |
| Heritage/ Humanities | 3 |
| Total | 10 |
EMS-Paramedic AAS Degree Completion
EMS-Paramedic Admissions Point System (pdf, new window)
Additional Costs for SCC EMS-Paramedic Program
Letter of Intent (pdf, new window)
Download the EMT Program Overview (pdf)
Download the EMS - Paramedic Program Overview (pdf)
Location
Paramedic classes are held on the Somerset South campus.
Somerset classes are hybrid and meet on Wednesdays. A new cohort begins in January. Deadline to apply is first Friday in November.
Students must be an EMT in order to enter the EMS - Paramedic program.
EMT classes are held on the Laurel campus and Clinton center.
Watch the Pre-Admission Conference!
Technical Standards
- Sufficient visual acuity
- Sufficient auditory perception
- Sufficient gross and fine motor skills
- Sufficient communication skills
- Sufficient intellectual and emotional functioning
Paramedic Completion Program-Earn your Associates Degree
Current nationally certified paramedics can participate in our online degree completion program earning college credits for their paramedic training to earn an Associate in Applied Science Degree.
Scholarship Opportunities
For information on EMS and Paramedic scholarships, pleas visit http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/health/ems.htm.
http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/health/ems.htm
Pass Rates
| Year | NREMT Cognitive Exam Totals | NREMT Cognitive Exam First 3 Attempts | NREMT Cognitive Exam Second 3 Attempts | NREMT Psychomotor Exam Totals | NREMT Psychomotor Exam First Attempt | NREMT Psychomotor Exam Second Attempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 10 | 90% | 10% | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 2018 | 6 | 100% | 0% | 9 | 89% | 11% |
| 2019 | 9 | 100% | 0% | 9 | 78% | Pending retest |
Program Retention by year:
- 2017 - 61%
- 2018 - 64%
- 2019 - 55%
Positive Job Placement by year:
- 2017 - 100%
- 2018 - 100%
- 2019 - 100%
Accreditation
The Somerset Community College EMS-Paramedic Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation for EMS Programs.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
25400 US Highway 19 North, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
www.caahep.org
Length of Program
You can earn an associate in applied science degree in 17 months if you maintain full-time status. This is a year round program.
This information should not be considered a substitute for the KCTCS Catalog. You should always choose classes in cooperation with your faculty advisor to ensure that you meet all degree requirements.
