A.S. Degree in Emergency Medical Sciences

The EMT Program and Health Sciences curriculum provides students with the technical knowledge and practical skills training for a career in pre-hospital care and other allied health professions. The EMT program focuses on the critical thinking skills necessary to meet the rigorous testing standards of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) and reciprocal state certification and licensing requirements.

Students who successfully earn the NREMT and State EMT Certifications will meet the minimal occupational requirements to start a career in the Emergency Medical Services and related allied health fields. The EMT program is instrumental in launching the careers of students as professional firefighters, EMTs and paramedics with pre-hospital care providers. Emergency room technicians, burn unit technicians, as well as a variety of other full and part-time opportunities are found within the industry.

EMT certification has also become a valuable stepping stone in the path of students pursuing careers as physicians, registered nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare professions by offering a distinct advantage in patient assessment and critical intervention skills, as well as the ability to obtain valuable work experience.

Program highlights: 

• A highly experienced faculty of instructors who are currently active professionals in EMS and have extensive experience in teaching both the EMT and Paramedic curriculum.

   

• A strong emphasis on developing critical thinking skills, practical and critical intervention skills, and a dynamic course curriculum based on the National EMS Education Standards for EMTs.

   

• Sierra College EMT students have a first-time pass rate of 84% on the National EMT (NREMT) certifying exam, and an overall pass rate of 94% after second attempts.

Expected student enrollment completions in 2020-2021 are about 20-25 with steady increases expected in the future. All of the classes in the Health Science degree pattern are currently being offered.  The program will begin aggressive outreach and marketing activities next fall and expect enrollment in the program to steadily trend upward.   Currently the department awards an A.S.  Degree that articulates with   the CSUS Health Sciences Baccalaureate program.  An A.S. degree in Paramedicine and an  EMS certificate of Achievement are also currently proposed for the department.

The addition of this degree will ensure that Health Sciences at Sierra College is a program of distinction.  This program would benefit students by providing not only a CTE pathway, but also a transfer pathway to baccalaureate granting institutions.

Resources

No additional resources will be required beyond the college’s current resources.  This includes library, and learning resources, facilities and equipment, and financial support.  All of the faculty members that will teach in this program meet the minimum qualifications.

Other

There are no licensing or accrediting standards that apply to this degree.  No additional student selection criteria are in place. This degree complies with the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Sections 55201 and 58106.  Additionally, there are no fees required beyond those identified in California Education Code, Section 76300.

The purpose of this proposal is to help prepare the Sierra College student for an entry-level Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) position and to help advance the careers of those already in the field who have received non-credit  training  and/or non-degree educational preparation thus far. The need for the program is based on the demand by employers (both public and private) and on the increased level of college education and training required for entering or pursuing any career progression in the field.  The California State EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Authority has maintained that state EMT licensing meet the standard of care requirements of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT).  The National Standards requirement for EMT certification is recognized for reciprocal certification in 48 states. 

Upon completion of core components of the curriculum, the Health Science student should be able to:

• Demonstrate a fundamental understanding of the prehospital care profession, available career paths in the public safety system, the private sector, and careers in the allied health sciences.

   

• Identify the mandated national and state requirements to qualify for EMT certification, and the legal authority to provide prehospital patient care within a designated emergency medical system.

   

• Identify the National and State requirements for successfully passing the certifying written examination of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

   

• Demonstrate the communication skills required for providing prehospital patient care and critical incident management, verbal and radio communication, patient documentation and medical-legal summarizations.

   

• Demonstrate ability to perform systematic assessments on a medical or trauma patient, organize and manage emergency medical situations, and ability to determine appropriate critical care interventions.

This proposed A.A. degree will appeal to a broad segment of the Sierra College students. It will provide a flexible and appealing curriculum in a high-interest area for students seeking careers in the emergency medical services, public safety, professional fire service, and numerous areas within the allied health field requiring a vocational background and a degree that could be completed within a two-year graduation plan.  This flexibility would also be attractive to the four year transfer student, whose interest in a broader and more flexible background in the health sciences as well as public safety.

Required Courses: 17-18 units

HSCI  02  Emergency Medical Technician                        (8.0 units)

HSCI  03  Medical Terminology                                         (3.0 units)

HSCI 30  Anatomy and Pathophysiology for EMS           (3.0 units)

BIOL 55  Anatomy and Physiology                                    (4.0 units)

Elective Courses: 10-11 units

HSCI 07  Emergency Medical Responder                        (3.5 units)

HSCI 50  Introduction to Advanced Life Support           (3.5 units)

ALH 20  Introduction to Allied Health                              (1.0 units)

Psych 100  General Principles of Psychology                 (3.0 units)

Psych 107  Abnormal Psychology                                    (3.0 units)

Psych 108  Death and Dying                                            (3.0 units)

Psych 150  Alcohol, Drugs and Society                           (3.0 units)