Paramedic (W)

General Information

A Paramedic is an allied health professional whose primary focus is to provide advanced emergency medical care for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system. This individual possesses the complex knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. Paramedics function as part of a comprehensive EMS response, under medical oversight. Paramedics perform interventions with the basic and advanced equipment typically found on an ambulance. They manage many emergencies including cardiac, respiratory, and trauma events. Paramedics are licensed to administer medication, perform and interpret electrocardiograms (EKGs), perform endotracheal intubations, and use other complex biomedical equipment. The Paramedic is a link from the scene into the healthcare system.

The Paramedic portion of the degree program is three semesters, starting in January each year and finishing in December*.  To make attendance fit the busy schedules of our students, most classes are offered in a “Hy-Flex” format, meaning course content is delivered in both online and face-to-face settings.

The program draws its students from individuals already possessing a valid EMT state certification. Students must have completed Anatomy & Physiology I & Anatomy and Physiology II with a grade of C or better to be eligible to continue into the second semester of the paramedic core curriculum. Each student must be 18 years or older and possess a high school diploma or GED certificate. 

Individuals that successfully satisfy all the requirements of the Paramedic program will be awarded a Certificate from Co-Lin. To be eligible for an Associate in Applied Science degree, the student must successfully complete the EMT course, all academic course requirements, and all paramedic courses.

For more information, contact the Career-Technical Counselor at 601-643-8324.

*After successful completion of all first-semester paramedic courses, Concepts of Traumatic Medicine Lecture and Lab (EMS 2743 & EMS 2752), and Fundamentals of Advanced EMT (EMS 1913), students are eligible to sit for the Advanced EMT National Registry Exam.

Program Goal 

The goal of the Emergency Medical Technology Program is to prepare competent entry-level Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exit points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and/or Emergency Medical Technician, and/or Emergency Medical Responder levels.

Special Admission Requirements

1. Meet the general admission requirements of Co-Lin
2. Complete an application packet for Emergency Medical Technology and submit all required documentation
3. Must be 18 years of age upon entrance into the program
4. High School Diploma or GED
5. Minimum ACT score of 16 required
6. Current American Heart Association BLS Health-care provider card
7. Present completed Health Occupation Examination form signed by a medical doctor stating the student is medically capable of the educational and job demands of an EMT and Paramedic
8. Present current immunization record, including proof of negative TB skin test
9. Complete the college's Hepatitis B Policy form
10. Interview with Program Director/Advisory Committee
11. If accepted, complete drug and alcohol testing, criminal background check, and fingerprinting at the student's expense and based on state rules and regulations
12. If accepted, submit to substance abuse testing at any time
13. Must maintain a minimum grade average of 80 for continued enrollment and successful completion of the program

The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Paramedic program has been issued a Letter of Review by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP Executive Office). This letter is NOT a CAAHEP accreditation status, it is a status signifying that a program seeking initial accreditation has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the accreditation Standards through the Letter of Review Self Study Report (LSSR) and other documentation. Letter of Review is recognized by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) for eligibility to take the NREMT's Paramedic credentialing examination(s). However, it is NOT a guarantee of eventual accreditation. To contact CoAEMSP Executive Office: 8301 Lakeview Parkway Suite 111-312; Rowlett, TX 75088; 214-703-8445; FAX 214-703-8992; www.coaemsp.org