The Paramedic Certificate Program prepares graduates for the practice of paramedicine in the prehospital context to provide direct patient care across the life span. Job options include private, hospital-based, county, and fire-based emergency medical services, hospital emergency departments, convalescent transport, and air medical services. People who want to develop life-saving skills to treat ill and injured patients in the prehospital environment may be interested in this program. Students enrolled in this program will have criminal background checks and drug screenings.
To become a paramedic and to obtain employment as a paramedic, graduates must pass the Computer Adaptive National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam. Graduates who successfully pass the NREMT exam must apply for licensure in their home state. Many states accept National Registry certification to obtain reciprocity for state licensure. South Carolina is a part of the Recognition of EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate CompAct (REPLICA) which grants South Carolina licensed paramedics a “privilege to practice” in other REPLICA states. Please visit https://nremt.org/Document/replica for a complete list of US states and territories in the EMS Compact. There are legal limits for state licensure in South Carolina for graduates with prior criminal records. Please visit https://scdhec.gov/healthcare-quality/criminal-background-check-register for more information about background checks required for EMS providers in South Carolina.
Program Requirements - A student must have a “C” or higher in each paramedic course to progress in the program.
Students must complete BIO 112 with a grade of “C” or higher in the first 8-week term of the first semester of the Paramedic Certificate Program to continue in the program. Students may exempt BIO 112 with proof of an equivalent or higher college-level anatomy and physiology course prior to admission. Official college transcripts are required.
The paramedic program requires on-campus didactic and lab, clinical and ambulance field experience hours. Students are required to drive to a variety of clinical agencies to complete the clinical component of the paramedic courses. Students may be assigned to morning, afternoon, evening, and night clinical experience. Clinical and field experience shifts average 12 hours per day.
Students must maintain a current American Heart Association CPR BLS Provider certification and National Registry and South Carolina EMT or AEMT certification throughout the entire program. Students must have proof of health insurance. Clinical facilities require drug screens and background checks before allowing students to participate in clinical rotations. Students participating in clinicals may be required to have a drug screen at any time during their rotation. Results of background checks and drug screens will be reviewed with designated personnel at the affiliate clinical sites. To be accepted for a clinical placement, all findings must be satisfactory to all participating clinical sites. Students not accepted for clinical rotations will not be able to successfully complete the course or program. Students will be required to attend multiple clinical facilities throughout the curriculum which may require travel within the state.
Prior to beginning clinical, students must have a completed health form to include the following:
- Tuberculin Test (PPD) - A negative TB Skin Test must be obtained prior to starting clinical/field shifts. This negative result is valid for a period of one year from the date of the test. If a student is still attending clinical/field shifts beyond that 1-year period, an additional negative TB Skin Test must be provided for the student to continue clinicals.) Students who have a positive TB skin test will need to obtain written confirmation from a physician stating they have no active Tuberculosis. The TB test will need to be read twice.
- Hepatitis B (HBV) - Students must provide documentation that they have begun or completed the HBV vaccine series. This documentation must show the dates of the 3 vaccinations in the series and a titer showing immunity. If the student has proof of vaccination but their titer shows no immunity the student will be required to obtain a booster and provide documentation of such.
- Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) - Students who were born after 1956 must provide documentation for:
- Two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine or
- An MMR titer showing immunity.
- Varicella Vaccine (Chicken Pox) VZW - Students must present documentation of:
- Two doses of the Varicella vaccine or
- A Varicella Titer showing immunity.
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis, Combined (Tdap) - Students must provide documentation of a current Tdap immunization (within the last 10 years). If a student has a documented Tdap immunization within the past 2 years, they will be exempt from obtaining a Tdap.
- Influenza - Students must obtain a seasonal flu vaccination prior to the start of their clinical/field shifts. The student may be required to obtain an additional flu vaccination if their clinical course of study bridges more than one flu season.
- Meningococcal
- Physician’s evaluation
- York Technical College does not require the COVID-19 vaccination for students as a condition of enrollment or attendance. Students intending to enroll in a health-care related program should be aware that York Technical College maintains clinical placement agreements with health care facilities where students are required to complete clinical rotations as part of the requirements for their academic program. Clinical sites maintain their own policies governing vaccine and booster requirements, including the COVID-19 vaccine, and any exemption processes related to those requirements. Students choosing to pursue a program that requires a clinical component must follow all vaccine policies and requirements of clinical sites. Vaccine requirements and the approval of exemptions are at the sole discretion of each clinical site, and clinical sites may implement and modify vaccine requirements at any time as they deem necessary.
Admission Requirements - Admission to the Paramedic Certificate Program requires the student to be a high-school graduate or equivalent. Students must also possess a National Registry and South Carolina Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) certification.
Applicants for admission to the Paramedic Certificate Program must also meet one of the following:
Accuplacer
Reading (range) 250 - 262; Math 237+
COMPASS
Reading 81; Pre-Algebra 90
WorkKeys/WIN
Reading 4; Math 3
HOBBETT
Reading 42; Math 42
ACT
Reading (ENG) 21; Math 16
