Clark State Community College will hold a graduation ceremony for paramedic students on Tuesday, December 13, at the Clark State Brinkman Educational Center in downtown Springfield.
Tom Duffee, EMS program coordinator at Clark State, said there is a growing demand for certified paramedics. Each graduate of the Clark State Paramedic program is currently working as an EMS provider for a local agency, public or private. “The paramedic certification achieved through this program will permit the students to advance within those agencies,” he said. “Some may seek advancement elsewhere, but the short-term effect will be within their own agencies.”
The Clark State Paramedic Certification program is offered in two lengths: 12 months and 16 months. “The 12-month program takes heavy course load over the summer to finish in August,” explained Kathy Wilcox, dean of health, human and public services for Clark State. “The 16-month program has minimal classes in the summer and extends into the following fall term. Programs start each year in fall term.”
Graduates of the Paramedic Certification program have to pass national written and skills exams to obtain certification to work in Ohio.
Duffee said he has great respect for the students who successfully complete the paramedic course of study. “The demands of the program require a substantial commitment to hospital and EMS field rotations, in addition to the classroom and laboratory studies we demand of them,” he said. “Completion of the program demonstrates a significant dedication upon the part of the students and their families who support them.”
The Paramedic Certification program is offered at Clark State’s Bellefontaine and Springfield campuses and provides quality education in advanced out-of-hospital emergency care. The curriculum consists of pre-hospital environment, preparatory skills, trauma and burns, medical emergencies, OB/GYN emergencies, behavioral emergencies and crisis intervention training.
Clark State Paramedic Class of 2016
Bellbrook
Rusty L. Cross
Cedarville
Austin C. Lewis
Columbus
Michael G. Newkirk
Dayton
Amanda R. Henson
Enon
John-Robert Coppock
London
Kari E. Fazio
Urbana
Chad E. Parrett
Xenia
Cheri Johnson-Brewer
Brandon D. Strunk
Yellow Springs
Nathaniel Ayers
Joseph A. Panuto