Reid Health EMS Training Institute rolls out new paramedic course
March 25, 2024 -- Applications
will soon be accepted for a new paramedic training course, thanks to a
partnership between Reid Health and local higher education.
Reid Health EMS
Training Institute's new Paramedic Program is an 11-month course that will
begin Sept. 5 and run until August 2025.
Those who are
interested in becoming a licensed paramedic can apply between April 1-14 for
one of the 15 spots available in the class.
Applicants
will be tested for math and reading competencies as well as basic EMT knowledge
and skills. They also will complete a panel interview as part of the selection
process. Those chosen for the program will be notified by May 1. Anyone who
isn't selected will be put on a waiting list for consideration for next year's
course.
Until
now, local students have had to drive to other communities across the state for
paramedic training. The idea for a local program was first brought up several
years ago but plans were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Ryan
Williams, Director of EMS, Forensics, and Trauma Services for Reid Health.
"We're
very excited to host a paramedic course locally in our region," Williams said. "We
certainly wouldn't be able to offer this program without the partnerships we've
formed with other local EMS agencies as well as our partnerships with Ivy Tech
Community College and Indiana University East."
"Nationwide, there's a
shortage of paramedics," said Emily Kraft, MD, Reid Health EMS Medical
Director. "Being able to offer a high-quality training program locally allows
more opportunity for our region's EMS providers to advance their careers and
increases the number of paramedics available to serve our community."
The
program will include classwork as well as clinical shifts in which students
will participate in hospital and field-based experiences. Classes will take
place 3:30-9:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays on the healthcare floor of Johnson
Hall on Ivy Tech Community College's Richmond campus.
Those
who complete the course and obtain their paramedic license will have the
opportunity to receive verified credit from Ivy Tech toward the completion of
the school's Associate of Applied Science in Paramedic Science degree. Students
are not required to pursue the degree to complete Reid's Paramedic Program.
"Nationwide, there's a shortage of paramedics. Being able to offer a high-quality training program locally allows more opportunity for our region's EMS providers to advance their careers and increases the number of paramedics available to serve our community." -- Emily Kraft, MD, Reid Health EMS Medical Director
"The
partnership is a great example of entities working to align resources to serve
the needs of our community and provide education options for first responders,"
said Heather Wierzbinski-Cross, Dean for the Schools of Nursing & Health
Sciences at Ivy Tech Community College - Richmond.
"An individual
can earn their paramedic certification, pursue their AAS and/or paramedic to
ASN, and continue their growth in a bachelor's program across the parking lot
(at IU East). The possibilities are extensive and available in such close
proximity. It's exciting and just the beginning of what is possible."
Prospective participants must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Be certified as an Indiana EMT or A-EMT
- Be certified as an American Heart Association BLS provider
- Have completed the Anatomy/Physiology 101 class prior to the start of the program
- Have completed the Anatomy/Physiology 102 class or be enrolled in the class during the first term of the Paramedic Program
Total cost is
$8,000, which pays for a drug screening, full criminal background check, TB
testing, branded shirts/outerwear, textbooks, online course access, online
testing, and online clinical tracking. A $500 deposit is required at the time
of admission with the rest of the program fee being paid in $2,500 installments
before the start of each term.
"From the very first discussion about a paramedic program,
the No. 1 driving force has been quality. Our aim is to set the standard in
producing well-educated, competent, compassionate, and confident paramedics,"
said Benjamin Simmons, Reid Health EMS Educator and lead instructor for the
program.
"Rest assured, you'll hit the streets prepared to serve your
community with the high degree of skill and proficiency that prehospital emergency
medicine demands."
For more information about Reid's Paramedic Program, reach out to Simmons at Benjamin.Simmons@ReidHealth.org or go to reidhealth.org/ems-training-institute.