Welcome to Paramedic Specialist Education
Program Description:
The Paramedic Specialist Education Program at Iowa Western Community College is intense and moves very rapidly. It is also intended for those seeking a career in EMS. Students should expect to spend 30+ hours per week involved with the EMS education process.
Students who are accepted into the program that already have a valid Iowa certification as an EMT-B, EMT-I, or Iowa Paramedic may be exempt from the EMT-Basic course offered.
The first semester is an accelerated EMT-Basic course. Upon completion of the EMT-Basic course, the student will sit for the National Registry of EMT's (NREMT) examination. The student MUST be successful on the exam and become certified by the State of Iowa Bureau of EMS as an EMT-Basic, prior to beginning the 2nd semester in Paramedicine .
Nature of the Work
People’s lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care of emergency medical technicians (EMT's) and paramedics. Incidents as varied as automobile accidents, heart attacks, drowning's, childbirth, and gunshot wounds require immediate medical attention. EMT's and paramedics provide this vital attention as they care for and transport the sick or injured to a medical facility.
Employment
Employment of emergency medical technicians and paramedics is expected to grow must faster than the average for all occupations through 2014, as full-time paid EMT's and paramedics replace unpaid volunteers. As population and urbanization increase, and as a large segment of the population—aging baby boomers—becomes more likely to have medical emergencies, demand will increase for EMT's and paramedics. There will still be demand for part-time, volunteer EMT's and paramedics in rural areas and smaller metropolitan areas.
Job opportunities should be best in private ambulance services. Competition will be greater for jobs in local government, including fire, police, and independent third-service rescue squad departments, in which salaries and benefits tend to be slightly better. EMT's and paramedics who have advanced certifications, such as EMT-Paramedic, should enjoy the most favorable job prospects as clients and patients demand higher levels of care before arriving at the hospital.
For additional information, on job outlook and wages go to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the college is granted to all individuals who are high school graduates or the equivalent; however, some programs may require additional information for acceptance. We encourage you to review our Getting Started Checklist for specific requirements for admission.
Prerequisite: Current valid American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR or American Red Cross CPR for Professional Rescuer certification.
Admission & Program Requirements
Iowa Core Performance Standards
Scholarship Information
Iowa Western Community College has many scholarship opportunities available for new and continuing students. We encourage you to take a moment to explore these options by visiting our Scholarships Page - the few minutes it takes to fill out the application may literally pay off.
Additional Links:
Contact Information
Cherri Lynch, NREMTP
Coordinator/Program Chair
EMS Education
1-800-432-5852 x3446
712-325-3446
E-mail: clynch@iwcc.edu
or you may contact the
Admissions Office 712-325-3277
800-432-5852 x3277