Oct 06, 2024  
2017-2018 Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Catalog [PAST CATALOG]

Paramedic (A.A.S.)


Special Admission Requirements - Rolling Admission

Title of Major: Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic, A.A.S.

Award: Associate of Applied Science degree, A.A.S. and eligibility for the National Registered Paramedic (NRP) written and practical exams.

Code: AAS.EMT.EMT

Total Credit Hours: A minimum of 61

Learn more about the Paramedic Degree Program

Purpose: Prepares students for state and national certification as a Paramedic (NRP). There is a fee for the national exam.

The AACC 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), and approved as a Maryland EMS Educational Program by the Maryland Emergency Medical Services Board (MEMSB) upon the recommendation of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS).

AACC cannot confirm whether the course or program meets requirements for professional licensure in states other than Maryland.   If you plan to apply for licensure in a state other than Maryland, contact that state’s licensing board to determine whether the AACC course or program meets requirements for licensure in that state.  If you need assistance finding contact information for your state, or if you need additional information regarding professional licensure, please contact the School of Health Sciences at 410-777-7310.

Additional Program Requirements

Students must meet academic and admission requirements prior to admission. Students will be expected to practice certain skills on each other in the college lab. Mandatory attendance requirements apply to all classes in the EMT areas of study. A minimum grade of C is required in all EMT curriculum courses required in the program.

Range of Occupations

  • Paramedic in local emergency medical services system, industry or health care setting.

Special Conditions

Health Manpower Shortage: This program of study may be designated a Health Manpower Shortage Tuition Reduction Program. This means that some residents of Maryland (see the Tuition, Fees and Payments  section of this catalog) enrolled in this program of study by the first day of the term may be eligible for in-county tuition rates for courses required for program completion. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm that this program still maintains a Health Manpower Shortage Program status before enrolling. Please refer to the college’s Accounts Receivable Office to confirm this designation.

*If application deadline falls on a weekend, then applications will be accepted until the close of business on the next business day.

 

Anne Arundel Community College and/or the School of Health Sciences reserves the right to revise requirements for admission into the Health Sciences programs, the selection criteria and procedures, and the required courses for programs of study as deemed necessary without prior notification.

 

Entrance/Admission Requirements


Admission Requirements

  1. Attendance at a program information session or call 410-777-7310 for schedule. Detailed information regarding program, profession, admission and academic requirements and selection criteria will be discussed.
  2. Submit a completed program application to Florestano Building Room 100.
  3. For degree: Eligibility for a general education mathematics course (see General Education Mathematics Requirements ).
  4. Take the Arithmetic Placement Test and receive a score of 27 or higher or enroll in MAT 005  and complete it with a grade of C or better.
  5. A grade of C or better in prerequisite courses.
  6. Must have a minimum adjusted grade point average (GPA) at 2.0 at this college.
  7. Affiliation with Maryland Emergency Medical Services (EMS) jurisdiction.
  8. Foreign educated students: must have college transcripts evaluated by one of the following credential evaluators: ECE (Educational Credential Evaluators) at www.ece.org or WES (World Education Services) at www.wes.org.
  9. Foreign educated students: must successfully pass the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 550 (213 is the equivalent computer score and 79 is the equivalent Internet based score) OR must have completed the ENG 111 /ENG 112  or ENG 115 /ENG 116  or ENG 121  course sequence with grades of “C” or better prior to applying to the program. Anne Arundel Community College’s code for TOEFL is 5019.
  10. Submission of current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification card.
  11. Satisfactory completion of urine drug screen.

Selection Criteria

Students will be admitted to the Paramedic course sequence each August on a rolling admission basis. Students will apply for the Paramedic program only after meeting all academic and admission criteria. Once the applicant’s admission criteria have been verified, that student receives conditional acceptance for the next available seat. Applications will be rejected if incomplete. Incomplete applications will be sent back to the student and can be resubmitted once they are complete. Students need only apply once to the program, providing their application is complete. A future seat will be slotted for them once the student meets the criteria for admission.

To be considered for conditional acceptance, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • First consideration will be given to candidates whose resident address is in Anne Arundel County for at least three months prior to the date the application is submitted.
  • Must satisfactorily complete all academic and admission requirements.
  • Length of EMT certification and active affiliation with an EMS jurisdiction.
  • Final acceptance into the program shall be contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal background check, Health Examination Record, urine drug screen, and submission of current American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR certification card by designated deadline.
  • Information and deadline for completion will be sent in the applicant’s conditional acceptance packet. These are not to be completed prior to acceptance notification.

Technical Standards

Students who are conditionally accepted to this program of study will be required to submit a Health Examination Record completed by a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant validating that the student meets the technical standard of good physical and mental health as established by the School of Health Sciences, and verifying that the student is free of communicable diseases as evidenced by required immunizations/titers.

CPR

Students must successfully complete the American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification course by designated deadline.

Enrollment Restrictions

Limitations of health care facilities for clinical and field rotations necessitate enrollment restrictions.

Students enrolled in the Paramedic course sequence must comply with all Maryland Advanced Life Support Protocols and Regulations and maintain current certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate (EMT-I). Students who fail to maintain current EMT and/or EMT-I certification or are decertified will not be eligible to continue in the program.

Program Readmission and Completion

Degree-seeking students who have not been consecutively enrolled in the Paramedic curriculum must meet the curriculum requirements in effect at the time of application for graduation. Please refer to graduation requirements  in this catalog.

An A.A.S. degree in Paramedic will only be granted to those students who have completed all EMT courses at this college. (The BIO requirement can be transferred from another accredited college.)

Students must complete any interrupted coursework within two years from last enrollment or all Paramedic courses must be repeated.

Other certificate and A.A.S. degree program requirements regarding re-entry after a lapse in program attendance are available from the EMT department.

Articulation Agreement

Students may transfer up to 60 credits to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Emergency Health Services curriculum and up to a maximum of 64 credits to the Towson University Allied Health program in pursuit of an advanced degree. For information call the EMT department at 410-777-7310.

Criminal Background Checks and Drug Screening


This program requires the satisfactory completion of a criminal background check and drug screening. For complete details, see the Health Sciences  section of this catalog.

Graduation Requirements


See Academic Regulations for college-wide Graduation Requirements .

Planning Tool: Two-Year Sequence of Courses


 

  Open/Print this Planning Tool     

 

Paramedic Course Sequence


All prerequisite courses require a grade of C or better.

Prerequisites: 5 credits


General Education Requirements 16-19 credits


Courses may be taken prior to, concurrently or following the Paramedic course sequence.

English: 3-6 credits


Mathematics: 3 credits


General education requirement. See General Education Mathematics Requirements  for a list of approved courses.

Program Requirements 40 credits


All EMT courses require a grade of C or better. This course sequence meets diversity course requirements.

Program Outcomes


Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Define the roles and responsibilities of a paramedic within an EMS system.
  • Communicate effectively using appropriate medical terminology.
  • Communicate in verbal and written form treatment plans for patients experiencing medical emergencies and traumatic injuries.
  • Communicate effectively as team leader proper extrication and treatment modalities.
  • Use a variety of advanced life support equipment.
  • Identify text-based and electronic information resources for research.
  • Discuss current health issues and preventative measures as they relate to self and medicine.
  • Investigate causes/consequences of stress.
  • Implement a treatment plan for patients experiencing medical emergencies and traumatic injuries.
  • Solve drug calculation problems and administer the correct dosage of medication.
  • Apply professional ethical and legal frameworks in their work.
  • Consistently follow the acceptable standards of practice within the scope of paramedic practice.
  • Provide quality direct patient care for a culturally diverse group of patients.
  • Integrate pathophysiological and psychosocial principles to adapt the assessment and treatment plan for patients facing physical, mental, social and financial challenges.
  • Integrate pathophysiological and psychosocial principles to adapt the assessment and treatment plan for patients from diverse backgrounds, age groups, ethnic and religious origins.
  • Apply knowledge of disease pathophysiology in the prehospital arena.
  • Perform advanced life support procedures.
  • Evaluate role playing exercises.
  • Summarize the pathophysiology and treatment plans for patients experiencing medical emergencies and traumatic injuries across the age spectrum.

This program aligns with the college’s core competencies.

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