Paramedic Education Program

Paramedic Academy

Fire (ABC) Schedule Paramedic Program

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.

Course Schedule and Registration

Fall Paramedic Program

Starting in the fall of 2021, the fall offering of the Paramedic education program will follow a part-time schedule aligned with the University’s academic calendar (Please see Fire Schedule Paramedic Program). 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.

Curriculum

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Emergency Medical Services Educational Guidelines are followed throughout the program. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to take the National Registry paramedic examinations.

Technical Standards

Accreditation

The University of Iowa Health Care EMSLRC Paramedic program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) 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
1-727-210-2350
www.caahep.org​

To contact CoAEMSP
1-214-703-8445
www.coaemsp.org

3 Year Review-Window Average Results

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.

Housing

Students are responsible for making their own housing arrangements for the duration of the program. After acceptance into the program, students will receive information describing rental properties in the Iowa City/Coralville area.

Some students may be able to find housing through the local newpapers or University of Iowa:

• Daily Iowan
• Press Citizen
• Gazette

Students may also visit the University of Iowa Off-Campus Housing Service.

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.

Malpractice Insurance

All students must have professional malpractice insurance before clinical rotations begin. The EMSLRC can assist the student in obtaining coverage; however, all costs incurred will be the responsibility of the student.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and all clinical and field rotations.

Clinical Internship

Internship in an approved hospital setting is a period of supervised experience rotating through various departments including but not limited to 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 internship.

Field Internship

Internship in the field is a period of supervised experience with an approved paramedic-level ambulance service. During field internship, the student will follow instructions given to him/her by the field preceptor. During this supervised field experience, numerous skill competencies and ALS calls are required. The field internship will take 360 to 600 hours.

Graduation

Each of the three components—didactic, clinical and field—must be completed successfully before the student may take the National Registry examinations.

Admission Requirements

Paramedic Full-time Training Program applicants must:

• Submit completed online application.
• Submit evidence of high school graduation or its equivalent.
• Submit high school and any post high school transcripts (i.e. technical school, college).
• Submit a copy of current National Registry EMT certificate, or advanced National Registry-level certificates, if applicable. All accepted students must have an Iowa EMT or Advanced EMT certification by the first day of class.
• As of July 2012, all students will be required to have successfully completed a college-level Anatomy and Physiology course, verified by college transcript at minimum C grade level.
• Be physically capable of performing the duties of a paramedic and complete a health screening through University of Iowa Health Services or personal physician.

A personal interview with members of the Paramedic Education Program selection committee is arranged.

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.