Degree: Certificate
HEGIS Code: 5299
Curriculum Code: 2453
Health Sciences Division
Prerequisite: Basic EMT offered at: North, South
Program Description
The Emergency Medical Technology Paramedic Certificate Program is designed for both the career and volunteer provider.
The EMT-Paramedic Certificate Program at the South Campus is CAAHEP Accredited, meets the national standard for paramedic education, making graduates eligible for the National Registry Examination. The program’s primary objective is to prepare students to become certified paramedics delivering effective pre-hospital advanced life support. Upon successful completion, many providers utilize this certificate to move on to other roles in healthcare such as Physician, Physician Assistant and Respiratory Therapy. Students considering careers in the military, law enforcement or the fire service, the paramedic certificate is a relevant compliment to these professions.
The Paramedic Certificate Program is one year and has Full-time Day and Evening Programs. The Paramedic Program will follow a 53 week, 2 semester format.
Semesters offerings: Fall: August through February & Spring: March through August.
The Day Paramedic Program runs Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30am - 2:30pm. The Evening Paramedic program runs Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30pm - 10:30pm. The course offerings throughout the year will be a combination; lecture content followed by lab work interspersed throughout the program to reinforce the lecture content. Corresponding hospital based clinical experiences will further augment the material students complete in the on campus lectures and labs.
Starting in March of the spring semester, in addition to lectures, labs and hospital clinical, the ambulance field internship course will be incorporated. The internship allows students to function in the role of paramedic under the direct supervision of certified paramedic preceptor. Students will perform a minimum of 255 hour field internship, responding to non-emergent hospital transfer and 911 emergency calls. The field internship will conclude with eligible students taking their final New York State Skills exam in July and the New York State written exam in August.
Accreditation
The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) is the largest programmatic accreditor in the Allied Health Sciences field. Nationally recognized accreditation is available for EMS education through CAAHEP’s Committee on Accrediation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP). Since 2013, the National Registry of EMT’s (NREMT) requires successful completion of an accredited program as an eligibillity requirement for National EMS Certification at the paramedic level. Candidates that graduate from a CAAHEP Accredited program retain the ability to apply for national EMS certification that will enhance the abilitiy to apply for reciprocity in 44 states.
Commission on Accreditation of
Allied Health Education Programs
1361 Park Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone: 727-210-2350
Fax: 727-210-2354
www.caahep.org
Effective July 1, 2024, federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. State where the institution is located and the U.S. States where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. State where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified. The Emergency Medical Technology Paramedic/Certificate program at SUNY Erie Community College is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York State. Through a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have determined that Emergency Medical Technology Paramedic/Certificate program at SUNY Erie Community College does not meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in any other U.S. State. However, it is important to note that SUNY Erie Community College is not the licensure/certification authority in any U.S. State and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in any U.S. State and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure/certification requirements and application processes.
Credentials
- American Heart Association Basic CPR credential
- American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider credential
- American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support credential
- American Academy of Emergency Physicians’- International Trauma Life Support - Advanced Provider credential
- NYS Health Department Certification - EMT Paramedic
- State University of New York EMT Paramedic Certificate
Special Admission Requirements/Prerequisites
Basic EMT
- Students must apply to the Paramedic Certificate Program by completing an EMT Department Application.
- Applicants must be a New York State Certified Basic EMT with an expiration beyond the end date for the paramedic program.
- Satisfactory completion of the Basic EMT certification and field experience does not guarantee admission into the paramedic degree or certificate program.
- In accordance with the requirements of 10 NYCRR Part 800, students must not have been convicted of any misdemeanors or felonies. Students with convictions will be individually reviewed by the New York State Department of Health and may not be automatically barred from certification. The New York State Department of Health will determine if the conviction is applicable under the provisions of Part 800.
Paramedic
- Applicants are STRONGLY encouraged to be an active member of a volunteer, commercial or municipal EMS agency and attain as much EMT patient care field experience (in a non-driving role) as possible prior to entering the program. EMT faculty believes paramedic program success is heavily influenced by the amount of patient care experience the applicant brings with them into the program.
- Students must contact the Emergency Medical Technology Department at South Campus for an interview and preliminary advisement prior to registration.
- Graduation applications are required upon successful completion of the program.
Students must meet all of the following prerequisites:
- maintain a current New York State EMT certification beyond the end date of the EMT-Paramedic Certificate Program;
- hold a high school diploma or equivalent;
- a student who previously attended SUNY Erie must be in good academic standing; and
- students are required to complete an Allied Health Physical examination with the appropriate immunizations, signed by a physician verifying physical fitness to provide advanced life support.
Required Math & English Competencies
Students applying to the paramedic certificate program must demonstrate they are prepared for college level English and Math. This can be achieved by the student taking the SUNY Erie Math and English Pretest or may be waived based upon SUNY Admissions Department requirements
Program Competencies
Upon completion of EMT - paramedic courses, the graduate will prove competency in those skills pertinent to his/her level of training as indicated below:
- Introduction Demonstrate a basic and advanced understanding of the content, ranging from but not limited to medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, and techniques for lifting and moving patients related to the Emergency Medical Technology services.
- Airway Management Demonstrate basic and advanced didactic knowledge & technical competence to manage airway complications.
- Patient Assessment Demonstrate basic and advanced didactic & technical competence for conducting a patient assessment.
- Medicine Demonstrate basic and advanced didactic knowledge & technical competence to manage medical emergencies, to include but not limited to medication administration, cardiac defibrillation.
- Trauma/Shock/Resuscitation Demonstrate basic and advanced didactic knowledge & technical competence to manage patients with traumatic injuries.
- Special Patient Populations Demonstrate basic and advanced didactic knowledge & technical competence to manage special populations to include pediatrics, geriatrics, bariatric & technology dependent patients (ie. to include but not limited to ventilators, tracheostomies).
- EMS Operations Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the role of EMS operations.
Curriculum
Total Degree Credits: 39.5
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