Fall Paramedic Program—Fire (ABC) Schedule

The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics EMSLRC Paramedic Program is designed to educate individuals currently certified and licensed at the EMT or AEMT level to provide advanced emergency medical care and transportation to victims of serious illness or injury. This course is nationally accredited and follows the 2009 National EMS Education Standards. Successful completion leads to eligibility to sit for the national certification examinations and subsequent state licensure as a Paramedic. This three-semester program consists of two semesters of classroom training with a minimum of 284 hours of supervised hospital clinical time. Following completion of the classroom and clinical experience, there is a minimum of 360 hours of supervised paramedic internship. The fire schedule-based Paramedic program is offered once per year starting in August, and while based on a fire service scheduling model, enrollment is not limited to fire service personnel.

Additional credentials obtained: 

  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Provider
  • Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS)
  • Geriatrics Education for EMS (GEMS)
  • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Provider
  • Pediatric Education for Pre-Hospital Professionals (PEEP) Provider
  • Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Provider

Course Schedule

In the fall of 2022, the paramedic education program started following a part-time schedule aligned with the University of Iowa’s academic calendar. Class will meet every third day that falls on a weekday (24/48 fire schedule) for the fall and spring semesters. Field internship will be completed during the summer sessions.

Fall 2023 Fire Schedule

This program will begin August 22, 2023 and will run on the fire schedule until August 2024.
Begins: August 22, 2023
Ends: August 2024
Registration opens: March 15, 2023
Registration closes: July 1, 2023
Orientation: August 7, 2023 starting at 9:00 a.m. & August 8, 2023 starting at 8:30 a.m.

Register now

Curriculum

The National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards are followed throughout the program. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to take the National Registry paramedic examinations.

Technical Standards

Programmatic Accreditation

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics EMSLRC 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).
 
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs 
25400 US Highway 19 N., Suite 158 
Clearwater, FL 33763 
1-727-210-2350 
www.caahep.org 

To contact CoAEMSP: 
8301 Lakeview Parkway Suite 111-312 
Rowlett, TX 75088 
1-727-210-2350 
FAX 214-703-8992 
www.coaemsp.org

Program Goal

To prepare competent entry-level 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.

Financial Assistance

The Paramedic Education Program offered by the EMS Learning Resources Center at UI Hospitals & Clinics has been approved for private student loans. You are not required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Please visit the website for the University of Iowa Office of Student Financial Aid for more information. Short-term secured loans may be available through local lending institutions to assist qualified applicants. This course has been approved for veterans and military educational funds.

Clinical Experience

Clinical experience is provided at UIHC and other hospitals in Iowa. Rotations include the Emergency Department, Operating Room, Intensive Care Units, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and Psychiatry. During this supervised clinical experience, numerous skill competencies will be required. This clinical internship will take a minimum of 284 hours. The student will be responsible to a clinical preceptor designated by that program throughout the clinical rotation experience.

Field Internship

Field Internship is a period of supervised team leadership experience with an approved paramedic-level ambulance service. The field internship is a minimum of 360  hours but could be longer based upon skills progression and opportunities to meet program requirements. Field internship is the capstone program experience that begins after the classroom and clinical experience is complete, and prior to sitting for the national certification exams.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Paramedic education is competitive and applicants are required to participate in an interview and assessment process. You will be asked to select an interview date when you register. This process is held with small groups in Iowa City* over approximately 1½ days. During this time, applicants will have the opportunity to tour the EMSLRC and UIHC, spend time with one of the program’s field agencies, and ask questions of the program staff. Applicants will take an EMT knowledge test and the Wonderlic Scholastic Achievement Test and sit for an interview with a panel consisting of the program staff, medical director, and EMS agency leadership from eastern Iowa.

In-person Interview/Assessment tentative schedule*:

  • 1800 night before Day 1—Meet and Greet at location to be determined
  • 0700 - 1500 Day 1—Applicants at assigned field site (Transportation provided)
  • 1800 Day 1—Hosted dinner at location to be determined
  • 0800 Day 2—Meet at UIHC, Tour of UIHC and EMSLRC. Testing and Interviews.
  • 1200 Day 2—Interviews complete
*Important note: While it is the program’s intention to conduct the interview process in-person, we are continually assessing the COVID-19 threat in the community. Conditions may require that we conduct an abbreviated virtual interview process. If this occurs, we will notify all scheduled applicants prior to the interview dates.

Paramedic Training Program applicants must:

  • Submission of an application and one letter of reference. 
  • At least 18 years of age.
  • High school diploma, GED, or an unofficial college transcript
  • Valid Iowa EMT or AEMT license or ability to obtain Iowa reciprocity (via NREMT) prior to start of program. In the absence of an Iowa EMT certification, an Iowa EMT certificate will be required by the first day of class.
  • Copy of a current driver license or government-issued ID
  • A current American Heart Association Healthcare Provider BLS certification.
  • Wonderlic test score of 18 or greater.
  • Completion of an EMT knowledge test.
  • Completion of the pre-admission interview process.
  • College-level A&P course with a grade of “C” or higher. An unofficial transcript may be submitted as proof of completion.
  • Obtain course required criminal background check prior to the first day of class.
  • Obtain a 10-panel drug test no later than the start of class.
  • Submit clinical health requirements to UI Student Health no later than 30 days prior to the start of class.
  • Apply to the University of Iowa as a non-degree seeking student. Once accepted and registered in the EMSLRC program pay the student fees for the two semesters of the course.
  • Computer access (with audio and video), with internet access (capable of working with remote meetings, i.e. Zoom), email, and printer for homework

Applicants who are accepted will have 14 days to confirm, in writing, their willingness to attend the program. This letter must be accompanied by a $500 non-refundable deposit. This deposit will be applied to the tuition fee.

Tuition and Financial Information

An application fee of $50.00 is due upon application to the Paramedic program. This application fee is not refundable unless the program is cancelled. The tuition for the Paramedic program is $8,000.00 which includes handouts, lab supplies, and disposable items. All tuition fees are due no later than the first day of class unless other arrangements have been made through the EMSLRC Business Office. Applicants who are accepted into the program must confirm their attendance and pay a $500.00 non-refundable seat deposit that is applied to the program tuition. Checks and money orders should be made payable to the EMSLRC.

Any student who becomes greater than 60 days past due to the EMSLRC on outstanding invoices will be placed on administrative probation and may not participate in clinical activities until the outstanding balance has been paid. Students may not take the final didactic exam or begin field internship until the balance of the entire tuition is paid. In the event of a payment plan, a breach of the terms of the payment plan will result in the suspension and expulsion of the student from the program.

Unless otherwise indicated by the program, all uniforms, texts, tools and equipment for personal use (stethoscopes, penlights, etc.), parking, testing fees, and incidental expenses are the responsibility of the student. A certification fee of $30.00 will be due to the Iowa Department of Public Health prior to certification testing. Current cognitive exam testing fees can be obtained from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (www.nremt.org). Psychomotor exam fees for the first full attempt are waived if the student tests at a regularly scheduled EMSLRC advanced psychomotor exam. Travel and transportation to and from class and to clinical and field sites is the sole responsibility of the student.

Withdrawal 

Students who voluntarily withdraw from the program or who are unable to meet the academic requirements of the program and are asked to withdraw are eligible for a refund of tuition according to the following schedule:

Within the first week of class: 80%
Within the second week of class: 50%
Within the third week of class: 30%
Within the fourth week of class: 10%
After the fourth week of class: 0%

EMSLRC reserves the right to request withdrawal of any student whose conduct, academic achievement, clinical work or field work is not satisfactory or in compliance with program. Students who were dismissed from the class due to poor academic achievement may be given the opportunity to enroll in a subsequent paramedic class. This will be at the discretion of the program director and availability of class space. A student who is dismissed from the program for disciplinary or academic reasons, or who fails to withdraw by making written notification to the program director in accordance with the timeframes above, will be responsible for the full program tuition, and is not entitled to any refund.

Advanced Standing Admission

The EMSLRC does not offer advanced placement or transfer of credit for healthcare practitioners (physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, etc.) or for prior paramedic education.

College Credit 

Participants in the Paramedic education program are also enrolled as students at the University of Iowa as non-degree seeking students through an agreement with the Carver College of Medicine and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Upon successful completion of the program, the participant is eligible to receive 30 semester hours of credit.