What is a paramedic?

A paramedic is a person who provides advanced life support to persons at the site of an illness or injury or en route to a hospital facility. Some paramedics are employed by health care facilities. They function under the direct supervision of an Emergency Department Physician or Registered Nurse and are certified by the state as an EMS provider.

The U.S. Department of Labor's job description for a paramedic is here.

What is the difference between an EMT-Basic and a Paramedic?

EMT-Basics receive approximately 150 hours of education. Although they can use automatic external defibrillators, they do not have any advanced pharmacological training. Most treatment is protocol based.

EMT-Paramedics receive more than 1500 hours of education and are expected to utilize concepts of anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology and patient assessment to develop a field impression and create a treatment plan. Critical thinking skills are demanded.

Is there an age requirement for EMT-Basic or Paramedic?

Yes. To be certified in Utah as an EMT-Basic, you must be 18 years of age at the time of certification.

Do I have to be an EMT-Basic first?

Yes. Per Utah regulation, EMT-Basic must be accomplished before taking paramedic. EMT-Basic can be taken at WSU or any state-approved location. For non-WSU courses, credit can be transferred by providing a Utah certification card and transfer fee of $10.00.

Do I need to have a year of EMS experience to enter paramedic?

Utah Bureau of EMS recently relaxed its regulation requiring a year of EMS experience. However, we have found students with EMS experience tend to have a jump start on team leadership and assessment skills. WSU provides an EMT-B field internship experience by taking the PAR 1005/1006. Students must have completed a college advising appointment, specified prerequisites, and departmental approval in order to take PAR 1005/1006.

What are the employment opportunities?

EMT Basics find employment in out-of-hospital care areas such as fire, police, ambulance, ski patrol and security positions as well as hospital emergency departments. Paramedics are employed in fire, police, EMS agencies and health care facilities.

What are starting salaries of graduates?

In Utah, starting salaries are $12,000 to $24,000 for EMT-Bs and $30,000 to $40,000 for paramedics.

Why choose paramedic education at WSU?

WSU’s Department of Emergency Care & Rescue (EC&R) has been nationally accredited for more than 25 years, making it the first accredited program in Utah and one of the first in the nation. More than 95 percent of WSU’s paramedics are employed upon graduation. Our graduates are sought after to apply for positions throughout the nation. WSU does not require prior EMS agency experience in order to be considered for the paramedic program.  The first time pass rate on the National Registry Exam is 95%, highest in Utah..

What degrees/certificates are available?

The EC&R department offers programs to obtain an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) paramedic, an institutional certificate for paramedic and a certificate for EMT-Basic.

What will I learn in the program?

In the EMT-Basic program you will learn basic life support, patient assessment and treatment modalities following the U.S. Department of Transportation and Utah State Department of Health standards for certification. Students that successfully complete the program are eligible to take the National Registry EMT-Basic test.

In the paramedic program you will learn advanced life support concepts and techniques following the U.S. Department of Transportation and Utah State Department of Health standards for certification. Students that successfully complete the program are eligible to take the National Registry Paramedic test.

Why do I need to come in for college advising?

Paramedics are rapidly becoming health care professionals. Academic advisement helps you make decisions that are best for your immediate and long-term career goals. Advisement also can save you time and money by plotting the most effective curriculum map based on your goals. Contact Admissions Advisor Doug Watson (801-626-6128; healthprofessions@weber.edu) for an appointment.

Do I have to register (become admitted) at Weber State University?

Yes. In order to take any classes at WSU and have transcripts evaluated, you must be admitted.  Go to weber.edu and click "Get Into Weber."

Is there an application deadline?

EMT-Basic courses start at the beginning of Fall, Spring and possibly Summer semesters. Students may register and are accepted as long as space is available.

Both day and evening Paramedic courses start each Fall semester. Applications will not be accepted without documentation of a Dumkle Colleg of Health Professions advising appointment. The early admissions acceptance is done in March with a secondary review done in May. As space permits, admissions will continue over the summer. Please contact the department at 801-626-6521 for details.

What is the cost?

In 2008, the typical cost for core paramedic education was approximately $6,000 for the day course and $8,000 for the evening course. This amount can vary based on the type and number of prerequisite courses you need. See WSU's Costs & Deadlines site for a breakdown of university tuition and fees, along with links to financial aid and scholarship information to help find money to pay for your education.

In addition to standard WSU tuition and fees, students in paramedic program can expect  some or all of the following additional expenses:

• University and college application fees (approx. $50)
• Textbooks (approx. $500)
• Uniforms (approx. $100)
• Criminal background check (approx. $50)
• Fingerprinting (approx. $20) 
• Drug testing (approx. $30)
• State application and NREMT-P test fees (approx. $300)
• Clinical and Field Internship forms mailing costs ($100)
• Clinical and field travel/meals dependent on location.
  

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