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Volunteer State Community College

Emergency Medical Technician Programs

New 2013/2014 Paramedic Application and Paramedic Applicant Letter are now available online. They may be submitted starting March 1, 2013 through March 28, 2013.

MANDATORY EMT ADVISING SESSION FOR FALL 2013

  • JUNE 12, 2013 @ 1PM – 3PM (AUDITORIUM in the CAUDILL BUILDING)
  • JUNE 12, 2013 @ 6:00PM – 8:00PM (AUDITORIUM in the CAUDILL BUILDING)

These will be the only advising sessions offered for fall registration.

Please bring with you to the advising session the following documents:

  • Immunization records (including MMR, Chicken Pox, and Hepatitis B)
  • Copy of your transcript(s)

It is hard to imagine the scene of a bad car accident, natural disaster or medical crisis at home without an ambulance in the picture. Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics have become a vital part of both our public safety and health care systems. Responding to emergencies, administering care and saving lives is exciting. It also is difficult and stressful. But this demanding profession is always in demand, especially in cities and private ambulance services. Volunteer State Community College offers training for entry-level EMTs as well as paramedics.

Volunteer State Community College offers both entry-level and advanced training for emergency responders. Students also have the option of continuing their studies and earning an Associate’s of Applied Science degree.

Emergency Medical Technician - Basic

The Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (IV) technical certificate program is the required course of studies designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as professional medical care providers in a pre-hospital setting such as an ambulance service.

The EMT-Basic technical certificate program involves four courses completed in one semester. These are prerequisite courses for persons considering entry into the Paramedic Technical Certificate and the A.A.S. Degree programs.

  • Basic emergency medical service theories
  • EMS clinical practice
  • Anatomy and physiology for pre-hospital providers
  • Introduction to emergency pharmacology

The EMT-Basic (IV) duties include the recognition, assessment, and basic management of medical, trauma, and environmental emergencies under the direction of on or off-line medical control. The courses follow the most current U.S. Department of Transportation National Standard Curriculum. Students who successfully complete the course work and clinical components of the program are eligible for the Tennessee Initial EMT-Basic Licensing Examination and the EMT-IV Extended Skills Licensing Examination.

Courses are offered at several off-campus locations that may include Nashville and Clarksville. Students enrolled must successfully complete all didactic and clinical components of the program to be eligible to take professional licensing examinations.

EMT-Basic Enrollment Requirements

The EMT-Basic Certificate is available to all students who are at least 18 years of age, have a high school diploma or GED. Students should be physically able to perform heavy lifting or strenuous activity for extended periods of time and must demonstrate the ability to perform these tasks during classroom and clinical periods. Up to 16 students are accepted into each section of the course each semester offered.

Applicants to the entry-level program must have a high school diploma or GED and be able to handle heavy lifting and strenuous activity. Applicants must also pass a background check, see Student Background Check below for details.

Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic

The Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic technical certificate program is designed to prepare competent entry level graduates in emergency medical care to serve in emergency care settings such as an ambulance service. Using the most current U.S. Department of Transportation National Standard Curriculum, discussions include the application of advanced patient assessment, problem recognition, and advanced treatment modalities for medical, trauma, and environmental emergencies. Clinical exposures in local hospitals assure appropriate experience in dealing with emergencies for all age groups including pediatrics and geriatrics.

The Paramedic program involves 47 course hours and takes three concurrent semesters (approximately 1 full year) after completion of the basic EM coursework. The summer term includes 12 credit hours of clinical training in the field

Those considering the Paramedic Technical Certificate program must take all the EMT-Basic courses. Students are admitted to the Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic technical certificate program through a competitive selection process. The program is not open to general enrollment, and applicants must have an EMT-Basic license in Tennessee. Individuals wishing to be selected must complete the following application process:

Student Background Check

Effective September 1, 2005, students seeking enrollment in designated Allied Health programs requiring participation in clinical training in area hospitals and related clinics/agencies must provide evidence of a passing score on a background check prior to official acceptance/enrollment into the respective program. Either the failure to provide the required background check results by the due date established or the receipt of anything other than a passing score on the background check will make a student ineligible for enrollment in the respective program. Background checks are performed at the student’s expense. Find more detailed information about Student Background Checks.

What to Do Next

EMT—Paramedic Gainful & Basic Gainful Employment Information

What job(s) might I get with this degree?

How long will it take me to complete this program?

EMT Type Normal Time to Completion Percent of 2010-2010 Graduates Completing in Normal Time
Basic Gainful 1 Semester 55%
Parametic Gainful 4 Semesters 42%
Normal time is defined as the number of semesters that a student would be enrolled in a program if they attended on a full-time basis and enrolled in at least 15 hours per semester. The percentage of students completing on time does not take into consideration that some students take fewer than 15 hours during a semester.

What are the chances of getting a job when I graduate?

EMT Type Number of 2010-2011 Graduates Percent of 2009-2010 Graduates Employed in Field
Basic Gainful 129 72.28%
Parametic Gainful 19 100%

Note: Placement data is gathered six months after graduation. Graduates are exempted from the placement rates in accordance with the standards of the Higher Education Authorization Act due to the following reasons: enrollment in further education, military service, a medical condition that prevents the graduate from working in his/her field of study, family or home responsibilities that prevent the graduate from working in his/her field of study.

How much will this program cost?

EMT Type In-State Out-of-State
Basic Gainful Tuition and Fees $1,839.50 $7,131.50
Books and Supplies $1,064.50 $1,064.50
On-Campus Room and Board Not offered Not offered
Paramedic Gainful Tuition and Fees $6,109.50 $23,591.50
Books and Supplies $1,491.50 $1,491.50
On-Campus Room and Board Not offered Not offered

How much do students borrow to pay for the program?

EMT Type Source of Funds Median Amount for 2009-2010 Graduates
Basic Gainful Median Debt for 2009-2010 Graduates $1,742
Median Debt from Title IV Loans $1,742
Median Debt from Other Sources $0
Paramedic Gainful Median Debt for 2009-2010 Graduates $3,980
Median Debt from Title IV Loans $3,980
Median Debt from Other Sources $0

Note: Median loan amounts reflect the total borrowed from entry at the institution to completion of this program.