Paramedic

The Paramedic certificate prepares individuals to use critical thinking skills to provide treatment for medical, trauma and cardiac emergencies in the pre-hospital setting. The Paramedic transports patients to and between hospitals using ground and air ambulances, and performs skills in a variety of settings including emergency departments, critical care units and cardiac catheter labs. Course content includes anatomy and physiology, pathology, and the identification and initial diagnosis of disease and injury in a variety of populations. Paramedics initiate IVs, perform endotracheal intubation, read electrocardiograms and provide cardiac defibrillation. Instruction in rescue operations, crisis scene management and medical triage is included.

This program will prepare the student to become a Paramedic. The program provides students with the necessary preparatory courses for seeking certification as a Nationally Registered Paramedic, which leads to certification as a Paramedic in the State of Iowa. National certification will require a passing score on a nationally-recognized certification exam of Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (NREMT-P). At the successful completion of the program, a Paramedic certificate will be awarded.

The student may further their education by obtaining an AAS degree. (See the Paramedic AAS Degree in this catalog.) The Paramedic certificate is the foundation of the degree. Within the degree, students may choose to specialize in one of three concentrations: management, clinical or fire science. Most paramedics are interested in one of these areas of expertise.Criminal background checks will be completed on each student. Criminal convictions or documented history of abuse may delay or prevent students from participation in paramedic education experiences. Students unable to participate in paramedic education will be unable to complete the Paramedic program.

For more information about the Paramedic certificate, please visit our website at www.dmacc.edu/programs/health/paramedic.

Location: Ankeny

Program Entry Requirements

1. Complete an application for admission.
2. Attend any required information/registration session.
3. Submit a copy of current State of Iowa EMT-Basic, Iowa EMT-Intermediate/85 or Iowa EMT-Paramedic certification (I/99). All students must have an Iowa EMT-B or EMT-I certification.
4. Submit evidence of a grade of “C” or better in one year of high school biology OR a grade of “C” or better in DMACC Academic Achievement Center Biology I OR equivalent.
5. Obtain a minimum score of 81 in Reading on the COMPASS test.
6. Obtain a minimum score of 46 in Algebra on the COMPASS test OR a minimum ACT math score of 19 OR obtain a grade of “C” or better in MAT 073  or equivalent.
7. Obtain a minimum score of 70 in English on the COMPASS test OR a minimum ACT English score of 19 OR a grade of “C” or better in ENG 061  or equivalent.
8. Submit evidence of a grade of “C” or better in one year of high school chemistry OR a grade of “C” or better in DMACC Academic Achievement Center Chemistry I and II OR equivalent.

To earn the Paramedic certificate, a grade of “C” or better is required in all EMS courses.

Students start Fall semester.