OVERVIEW OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROGRAM
Program Purpose
The A.A.S Emergency Medical Services Degree’s primary goal is to produce entry-level basic, intermediate, and advanced Emergency Medical Technicians who are competent to work in career and volunteer positions within West Virginia’s health care system. The program is designed to produce graduates who possess the knowledge, skills and confidence to provide high quality emergency care to the sick and injured in their respective communities.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the A.A.S. in EMS, graduates will be able to do the following:
• Perform assessments and provide medical care in conjunction with medical direction to prevent and reduce mortality and morbidity due to illness and injury
• Maintain high quality, reasonable cost health care by delivering patients directly to appropriate facilities
• Be advocates for patients
• Understand the roles and responsibilities of a Paramedic within an EMS system
• Apply the basic concepts of development, pathophysiology and pharmacology to assessment and management of emergency patients
• Properly administer medications
• Communicate effectively with patients
Opportunities:
Emergency Medical Services play a key role in the health care delivery system in the United States by providing the appropriate basic intermediate, and advanced life support to the sick and injured in the pre-hospital setting.
The primary responsibility of the Emergency Medical
Technician is to provide expert emergency medical care to victims of emergencies and to transport them safely to the appropriate facility.
The individual who successfully completes the Associate of Applied Science in Emergency Medical Services Program will posses these attributes and will be eligible for employment with public and private EMS providers, hospitals, and aero medical services.
Program Admissions:
All Applicants seeking admission to the Associate of Applied
Science in Emergency Medical Services Program are required to:
1) Meet general admission requirements of Pierpont Community & Technical College.
2) Submit an application for admission designating Associate degree Emergency Medical Services as a major field of study.
3) Submit a resume or Statement of Activities to the Office of Admissions if the candidate is not a recent high school graduate.
4) Submit official high school transcript or verified GED score; ACT or SAT scores if applicable.
5) Students admitted to the program must complete a physical examination, required immunizations and tests prior to participation in any EMS Practicum course.
After complying with the above steps, the student must submit the following to the EMS Coordinator:
• A photocopy of the following certifications if held by the
applicant: EMT-Basic or EMT-Paramedic and American Heart
Association Provider and /or American Red Cross Professional
Rescuer CPR certification.
Note:
If a student holds a current paramedic certification, the student may be eligible to earn the Associate of Applied Science in Emergency Medical Services Degree after fulfilling the general education components of the program. The equivalent evaluation is done on an individual basis taking into consideration all EMS
training and related courses to the field of study. Qualified students will be ranked according to an impartial scoring system. ACT or SAT scores; high school or college grade point average or GED score; active member of an approved West Virginia EMS agency; and college courses completed that apply to the Associate of Applied Science in EMS degree ( if applicable) are considered in the evaluation process. Students who are not admitted must reapply if they wish to be considered for the next
academic year. Students must be able to travel to various clinical affiliate sites located throughout North Central West Virginia during the EMS Practicum courses. Additional mini-courses have been incorporated into the EMS courses as needed to better prepare the student for employment after graduation. Participation in these courses is mandatory. Certification fees are required for State or National certification by the agencies governing these courses.
Program Requirements:
To remain in the EMS program and to be eligible to take the National Registry of EMT’s Paramedic examination, a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average is required at the end of the program and a favorable recommendation from the program faculty and medical director is required. Failure to meet any of these requirements may result in dismissal from the program. Readmission is on the basis of reapplication and reacceptance. According to West Virginia Division of Health Legislative Rules 64 CSR
48-9 and 48-10, anyone wishing to receive certification from the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services must meet and maintain the qualifications contained in this legislation. Certification will be denied or revoked to anyone not being able to meet these requirements. Contact the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services at (304) 558-3956 or http://www.wvoems.org to obtain a copy of these requirements.
