Paramedic
TC = Technical Certificate | 1 year

Paramedic TC = Technical Certificate | 1 year

Application deadline is July 1


The Paramedic Program at North Arkansas College offers a one-year technical certificate which educates Paramedics for advanced hospital care and transportation. This program meets and exceeds the current national DOT standards and curriculum. Graduates are eligible to take the State and National Registry Tests. Students train in area hospitals as well as on Arkansas paramedic level ambulances. 

Admission Requirements (to be eligible for the programs, prospective students must):

  • Be accepted as a student in the college; complete the Northark application if you are not current enrolled
  • Be accepted into the Paramedic Program; complete the Paramedic Program application
  • Be 18 years of age
  • Have a high school diploma or GED certificate; complete high school transcript request
  • Be in good health; submit a Health Information Form
  • Have a current Arkansas EMT certification or be in the testing phase
  • Be currently certified in AHA Health Care Provide CPR
  • Complete required pre-requisites
  • Have completed ACT and/or the Accuplacer test and have scores sent to Northark
  • Have all immunization records on file and provide proof of Hepatitis B vaccine, rubella vaccine and TB skin test
  • Have three written recommendations (see application)
  • Have a minimum grade of “C” in each prerequisite course and in each course required in the paramedic program.

Applications

You must submit a general Northark admissions application AND a health professions application to be considered for the program.

Important Information

Paramedic Student Handbook - Click for PDF

Program Cost: Tuition charges per semester hour as approved by the Northark Arkansas College Board of Trustees. Paramedic books, liability insurance, name badges and uniforms will be an additional cost. This does not include certification in costs for ACLS, PHTLS, PALS or EPC.

Paramedic Program Accreditation: The North Arkansas College 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 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 the CoAEMSP:
8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312
Rowlett, TX 75088
214-703-8445
Fax: 214-703-8992
www.coaemsp.org

Transfer or Stackable Options

The certificate may be used toward an Associate of Applied Science Paramedic degree.

Program Goals

  • Recognize a medical emergency, assess the situation, and manage emergency care and extrication, if necessary
  • Establish rapport with the patient and his/her significant others to alleviate their state of crisis
  • Assign priorities of emergency treatment and record and communicate data to the designated medical command authority
  • Coordinate efforts of agencies involved in the care and transportation of the patient
  • Initiate and continue emergency medical care under medical control, including the recognition of presenting medical conditions and initiation of appropriate non-invasive and invasive therapies
  • Exercise personal judgment in case of interruption in medical direction caused by communications failure or in cases of life threatening conditions using protocols specifically authorized in advance

Learning Outcomes

  • Graduates of the Paramedic Program will distinguish the nature and seriousness of the medical condition and extent of traumatic injuries using anatomy and physiology to assess and treat the patient within the scope of paramedic practice.
  • Paramedic graduates will demonstrate proper handling of the patient to minimize discomfort, prevent further injury, and perform drug calculations and medication administration safely during patient care.
  • Graduates will identify operational knowledge in such areas as communication, transportation, inventory and custody of accounts and laws related to Paramedic and healthcare practice.
  • Graduates will exhibit cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills in out-of-hospital care dealing with environmental safety of the accident/trauma patient.

Licensure & Certification

The student must pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam. Students graduating from Northark’s EMS programs meet the requirements to take the NREMT exam and are eligible to apply to states that require the NREMT for state licensure. Upon the successful completion of the NREMT exam, the student becomes Nationally certified. This is a National certification but not a state license. After graduation, EMT and paramedic students must apply to the desired state to become state-licensed. We are unsure of other specific licensure qualifications that some states may require. Some states specify more stringent requirements and it would be up to the student to look up the requirements for those states.
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