Associate of Technical Study: Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic

Paramedics are in demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a need for 32,000 jobs annually due to growth and total replacement needs through 2012. Paramedics provide emergency care in an out-of-hospital setting. They have advanced skills that allow them to complete patient assessment, airway management and administer medication. Emerging roles for paramedics also include public education, health promotion, and injury and illness prevention. Technical skills are learned through paramedic education programs, first at the “basic level” and then followed by 800 clock hours of paramedic education.

BGSU Firelands recognizes and builds upon paramedic education programs through related courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and the sciences. Students are able to complete two elective courses to expand their knowledge of the medical sciences (pharmacology or pathophysiology), diverse populations (for example, gerontology, abnormal behavior), medical ethics, or management and supervision.

Curriculum

This Associate of Technical Study major is designed to complement paramedic education completed at other institutions that leads to the satisfactory completion of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) certification examination. A student needs to be currently certified to practice as a paramedic in order to receive credit for their paramedic education. Through the credit-by-exam process students are able to have 25 credits applied towards a 62-credit associate degree program.

Students seeking a bachelor’s degree for leadership roles such as a paramedic educator can apply coursework from this program to the bachelor of applied health science—allied health cognate or the bachelor of science in advanced technological education. Both of these programs recognize many of the courses in this program including the credit received for the paramedic education portion.

Program Requirements

Students are able to simultaneously enroll in a paramedic education program and attend college or may complete this program after being certified to practice. A typical program for individuals pursuing academic and paramedic education simultaneously appears below (semester credit hours shown in parentheses).

First year

General requirements
English composition (3)
Communication (3)
Humanities elective (3)
Basic courses
Introduction to Statistics (3)
Anatomy & Physiology (5-8)
Technical studies
Medical Terminology (2)

Second year

General requirements
General Psychology (4)
International perspective elective (3)
Basic courses
Chemistry, Biology or Physics elective (3-5)
Management Information
Systems (3)
Technical studies
Technical electives (6)
Paramedic National Registration-Didactic (18)
Paramedic National Registration-Lab
     and Clinical (7)

For Further Information

BGSU Firelands has partnered with the EHOVE Ghrist Adult Career Center which will provide the paramedic education portion of this program. Students taking classes from the partner institution will benefit from coordination of class schedules and advisers that can facilitate the educational process.

For further information on paramedic education contact:

Sandy Waggoner - EHOVE Ghrist Adult Career Center
316 West Mason Road Milan, Ohio 44846 - 419-499-5282
email: swaggone@ehove-jvs.k12.oh.us

For Further Information

Debralee Divers
Director
Admissions & Financial Aid
419-433-5560 ext. 2-0683
email: divers@bgsu.edu

Cheryl L. Chafee
Officer
Admissions & Financial Aid
419-433-5560 ext. 2-0683
email: cchafee@bgsu.edu

Mona Burke, M.A., RHIA
Program Adviser
419-433-5560 ext. 2-0860
email: burkem@bgsu.edu

NOTE: Information in this guide is subject to change without notice. To learn more about the official program of study, please check the undergraduate catalog online: http://www.bgsu.edu/catalog - Updated 01/31/07