Program Overview

Emergency Medical Science – Paramedic
Associate in Applied Science Degree (A45340)

The Emergency Medical Science curriculum is designed to prepare graduates to enter the
workforce as paramedics. Additionally, the program can provide an Associate Degree for individuals desiring an opportunity for career enhancement.

The course of study provides the student an opportunity to acquire basic and advanced life support knowledge and skills by utilizing classroom instruction, practical laboratory sessions, hospital clinical experience, and field internship with emergency medical services agencies.

Accreditation and Program Standards

The Gaston College EMS Program is accredited by the North Carolina Office of EMS and is approved by the North Carolina Community College System.  The EMS program meets the current standards of the national standard paramedic training curriculum.  In addition, the program is consistent with the National EMS Education Agenda for the Future . 

The Paramedic Program is structured into five semesters of EMS theory and practice courses additional EMS course and related courses to complete the Emergency Medical Science Degree. The EMS courses must be taken sequentially.  Classroom and laboratory instruction is reinforced through hospital clinical and field experience on an advanced life support unit.

Upon completion of the EMS education program, the expectation is that the graduate possesses the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to enter the workforce. The safety of the public greatly depends on the competence of all health care providers.  The Department for EMS Education also believes in fostering professional identity, ethical standards, scholarly concern for improvement, motivation for continued learning, and career marketability.

Career Outline

Students progressing through the program may be eligible to apply for both state and national
certification examinations. Employment opportunities include ambulance services, fire and
rescue agencies, air medical services, specialty areas of hospitals, industry, educational institutions, and government agencies.

Program Outcomes

• Students will be able to recognize the nature and seriousness of the patient’s condition or extent of injuries to assess requirements for emergency medical care, administer appropriate medical care and basic life support based on assessment findings of the patient’s condition, lift, move, position and otherwise handle the patient to minimize discomfort and prevent further injury.
  
• Students will understand the roles and responsibilities of a Paramedic within an EMS system, apply the basic concepts of development, pathophysiology and pharmacology to assessment and management of emergency patients, be able to properly administer medications, and communicate effectively with patients.
  
• Students will be able to establish and/or maintain a patent airway, oxygenate, and ventilate a patient.
  
• Students will be able to take a proper history and perform a comprehensive physical exam on any patient, and communicate the findings to others.
  
• Students will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for the medical patient.
  
• Students will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for the trauma.
  
• Students will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for neonatal, pediatric, and geriatric patients, diverse patients, and chronically ill patients.
  
• Students will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for patients with common complaints.
  
• Students will be able to safely manage the scene of an emergency.
  
• Students will have the general knowledge and understanding of managing an emergency medical services system.

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