HELP 2019-2020 Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: Content may no longer be accurate. Department of Emergency Healthcare Print-Friendly Page (opens a new window) Facebook this Page (opens a new window) Tweet this Page (opens a new window)

Return to: Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions

Department Chair: William Robertson, MEd, NRP
Location: Marriott Allied Health Building, Room 409
Telephone Contact: Ana McMurry 801-626-6521
Associate Professor: William Robertson; Assistant Professor: Christine O’Neil, Instructor: Andrea Long
Medical Advisor: Jon Apfelbaum, M.D.

A paramedic is a person who usually renders advanced life support care to persons at the site of an illness or injury or en route to a hospital facility. They function under the direct supervision of an Emergency Physician or Registered Nurse and are certified for such functioning by a state Emergency Medical Services agency.

The institutional certificate and two-year applied science degree program in Paramedic Studies are based on a national curriculum designed to provide an academic background in science, health related fields, and communication using critical thinking and assessment based management. The program prerequisites provide the general requirements and foundation that prepares the student to meet the demands of the paramedic courses.

Satisfactory completion of the prerequisite requirements are required prior to starting the paramedic sequence and include:

1. a “C” or better in ENGL 1010 , MATH 0990  , Anatomy and Physiology classes, and Medical Terminology; and
2. an overall GPA of 2.7 or above; and
3. Current state EMT Certification; and
4. a score of 75% or better on the departmental EMT assessment exam on no more than two attempts

The longstanding Utah Bureau of EMS policy requiring one year of EMS experience or Advanced EMT has been relaxed. Eligible students may wish to consider PAR 1005  and PAR 1006  to gain EMS field experience prior to entering the paramedic program.

This program may require more than two years for completion depending upon the timing it takes for an individual to complete the prerequisite requirements.

Weber State contracts with authorized clinical and field agencies to precept students for EMT and paramedic certification. Background criminal investigation and drug testing of students is required prior to starting PAR 2000  in the fall semester.

“The WSU Emergency Healthcare Department’s 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).”

The paramedic program will “prepare competent entry-level Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains,” with or without exit points at the Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, and Advanced Intermediate levels.

Acceptance to the paramedic program does not assure eligibility for a state or National Registry certification. Utah or a related state Office of EMS makes the final decisions on the issuance of professional licensor or certification. For students that may have a disability or testing accommodation concerns you must contact the Utah Bureau of EMS or National Registry of EMT’s.  See health.utah.gov/ems and nremt.org

Courses

Emergency Care and Rescue (EMT and Paramedic) Course Descriptions  

Programs

• Paramedic Studies (AAS)

• Paramedic Certificate of Completion

• Emergency Healthcare Sciences (BS)

• Emergency Healthcare Departmental Honors

• Emergency Medical Technician EMT and Advanced Certification

Return to: Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions