Paramedic

Overview

What exactly do paramedics do? They provide pre-hospital emergency care to acutely ill or injured patients under the medical authority of licensed physicians. Are you a good candidate for the field? You should possess the significant strength to lift and carry victims, have good use of your hands and fingers, possess good coordination and judgment and emotional stability, as well as have the ability to work confidently under pressure. Students successfully completing the degree requirements and the PMED courses meet the U.S. Department of Transportation National Standards for Paramedics are eligible to take the National Registry examination required for licensure.

What's required if you enter the program? Two primary requirements of the program are clinical rotations and the field internship. Clinical rotations provide instruction and the supervised practice of emergency medical skills in various units of hospitals within the Anchorage and Mat-Su borough areas. The field internship provides experience in advanced life support vehicles such as ambulances, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft. Student interns are the third member of the medical/rescue team and work under the direct supervision of a paramedic preceptor. Internship sites are arranged in various U.S. locations. Efforts are made to place students in geographic locations of their choice; however, intern positions may not be available at all approved sites. Length of internship varies depending on the call volume at the location and successful application of paramedic skills.

KPC's program is administered at the Kenai River Campus but is also accessible from the Kachemak Bay Campus with close coordination with the department's coordinator. The program has important prerequisites that can be completed at any KPC campus or online.

Degrees/Certificates

Faculty/Advisors

---