Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical services are expanding rapidly with more opportunities developing for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics.

Although working in EMS has traditionally meant working for a fire department, rescue squad or ambulance, there are also positions in education, management, research publishing, communications, support services and health agencies.

The program schedule that follows is designed for full-time students who have completed all prerequisites and who have no college preparatory recommendations. Many individuals, especially part-time students and those taking college preparatory requirements, will require additional quarters of study. Students should consult their EMS advisors for help in planning their schedules. 

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of an associate degree in Emergency Medical Services, a graduate will be able to:

• Demonstrate technical proficiency in all skills necessary to fulfill the role of entry-level paramedic.
  


• Communicate effectively with victims, families and other healthcare providers.
  


• Exhibit behaviors consistent with professional standards and employer expectations.
  


• Demonstrate ability to integrate patho-physiologic and psycho-social principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement a treatment plan for the out-of-hospital client.

Overview
Clark State Community College offers a two-year associate degree and several certification programs. The certification courses may be taken separately or in conjunction with the associate degree program. The program introduces the student to a variety of emergency care situations and experiences both in the hospital setting and on emergency vehicles. Both day and evening courses are available.

Scholastic Preparation
All entering students must have a high school diploma or its equivalent. In addition, each student must take reading, writing and math placement tests and may need to take college preparatory courses if indicated by placement testing scores.

Prerequisites
An individual seeking a career in emergency medical services should realize that to be successful, he/she must be emotionally stable, flexible and physically fit enough to perform the minimum entry-level job requirements.

Prior to entering EMS 131, the student must meet the following entrance requirements:

• Pass COMPASS Reading test with a score of 70 and COMPASS Math test with score of 47, or pass with a grade of C or better the appropriate College preparatory course. (CPE 061 and/or CPE 062 for Reading and CPE 091 for Math)
  


• Complete MST 105 and BIO 105 with a C or better.
  


• Have Ohio EMT-Basic certification.
  


• Have Current CPR provider certification.
  


• Complete physical exam and health requirements.
  


• Complete criminal background check requirements.

Articulated Credit
Students who have current Ohio EMT-Paramedic certification and wish to obtain an associate degree in Emergency Medical Services will be granted articulated credit for MST 105 Medical Terminology, BIO 105 Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology and the EMS Paramedic courses listed in the first year of the curriculum after completing 20 hours of coursework towards their EMS degree at Clark State. Students who wish to be granted articulated credit must submit an EMS Articulated Credit Application form and appropriate documentation to the Dean of Health and Human Services. The Articulated Credit Application form is available in the Health and Human Services Division Office, Applied Science Center, Room 133.

Graduation Requirements
To qualify for an Associate Degree, Emergency Medical Services students must pass all the required courses, have a cumulative GPA of 2.0, and have a C as a minimum grade in all the technical (EMS) courses. In addition, students must have completed at least 30 credits of coursework, including MGT 106, all second year EMS course, and the 7 credit hours of technical electives at Clark State. Credit equivalencies such as articulated, experiential, transfer or proficiency credit do not count towards this requirement.

Humanities/Social Science Electives
A complete listing of humanities and social science electives is in the catalog in the General Education area.