Program Overview
Paramedics are highly-trained emergency medical technicians qualified to perform various medical treatments and life-saving procedures. If you are thinking about a career in healthcare and emergency medicine, and enjoy a fast-paced work environment, you might want to consider a career as a paramedic.
As a paramedic, you’ll have the opportunity to make a positive impact in someone’s life and your community every day. Paramedics provide basic and advanced life support level care, administer medications, and rescue victims from vehicle entrapments or hazardous environments.
The Paramedic certificate program at Lakes Region Community College was developed in direct response to critical industry needs for highly trained emergency medical professionals in New Hampshire. It is designed for both new Emergency Medical Technicians/Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians and those providers seeking to further their education. Students can expect small class sizes taught by highly trained, degreed faculty with significant experience in the field, as well as new Advanced Life Support simulators, and full-sized in-class simulator.
For those interested in pursuing a career as both a paramedic and fire professional, LRCC also offers the ability to combine fire and paramedic education. As fire departments continue to handle an increasing number of medical calls, more and more departments are recruiting firefighter/paramedics. Successful completion of the program will prepare students as entry-level paramedics eligible to sit for the Current National Registry or State EMT/AEMT certification.
As a paramedic, you will have many career pathways and opportunities.
The curriculum complies with the New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of Fire Standards and Training & Emergency Medical Services and National Emergency Medical Service Education Standards.
Students should note that some courses have prerequisites, which must be completed before enrolling into upper-level courses and continuing in the program. At this time, the program is seeking national accreditation.
Program Goals
The goal of the Paramedic Program is, “To prepare competent entry-level Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exit points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and/or Emergency Medical Technician, and/or Emergency Medical Responder levels.”*
Minimum EMS certification requirement is current National Registry or State EMT/AEMT certification.
The program is scheduled on a 52-week, four-semester, full-time format. The course offerings will be a combination of didactic lecture, laboratory, hospital and medical environment clinical, and field experiences. Students will attend a minimum number of approximate program hours broken down as follows:
Didactic & Lab: 600 hours
Hospital: 224 hours
Field: 312 hours
* CoAEMSP interpretations of the CAAHEP 2015 standards and GUIDELINES,
11.06.2020, p. 9
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the Lakes Region Community College Paramedic Program, students will achieve the following outcomes:
- Demonstrate the ability to comprehend, apply, and evaluate information and deliver safe, effective, patient-centered care expected of an entry-level paramedic.
- Demonstrate the ability to think critically and thoroughly assess a patient utilizing various diagnostic tools and procedures.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate verbally and in writing and the ability to interact effectively and professionally with patients, family, clinical, and non-clinical persons in various settings.
- Demonstrate personal responsibility, professionalism, ethical judgment, and collaboration.
| Cohort Graduation Year | |
|---|---|
| Enrollment (after 5 weeks or 60 clock hours) | 12 |
| Graduates | 10 |
| National Registry - Cognitive (% attempting) | 100% |
| National Registry - Cognitive (% pass rate) | 100% |
| National Registry - Psychomotor (% attempting) | 100% |
| National Registry - Psychomotor (% pass rate) | 100% |
| Job Placement | 100% |
Technical Standards
Students admitted to this program must have sufficient strength and motor coordination required to perform physical activities consistent with an Emergency Medical Service provider: standing and walking for sustained periods of time; driving an ambulance and/or rescue unit under emergency conditions; frequent reaching and manual dexterity in handling equipment often in confined spaces; and frequently transporting, moving, lifting, and transferring patients of various sizes to and from a stretcher and other patient transport devices.
Health and Additional Requirements
- 2-Step Tuberculosis Skin Test (TST) – Initial 2-step, then one annually. TST may substituted the with a blood test
- Hepatitis B – Evidence of immunity through a completed HVB immunization series (3 shots) with laboratory confirmation of positive antibody (serum titer)
- Varicella – Evidence of 2 shots or a positive titer
- Measles (Rubeola), Mumps and Rubella (MMR) – Evidence of 2 MMR shots after 1980 or positive measles, mumps and rubella titers (all 3) are required
- Diphtheria/Tetanus – Immunization within the past 10 years is required, remaining current throughout enrollment
- Annual Influenza and/or Other Pertinent Vaccines – Required per CDC, State, NHTI, and/or clinic standard.
- COVID 19 vaccination
- Never been convicted of a felony (may make student ineligible for National Registry exams)
- Sufficient visual acuity, hearing, and written and oral skills to properly assess patient needs and effectively provide appropriate care
- Able to work in high stress fast paced environments with frequent interruptions and unanticipated situations
Clinical and Field Affiliations
- During the program students will be expected to spend time in hospital clinical rotations in multiple hospital units.
- Concord Hospital, Concord, NH
- Concord Hospital, Franklin, NH
- Concord Hospital, Laconia, NH
- During the final semester students will spend ride time with an Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service as a team member and leader performing ALS skills under the supervision of a preceptor.
- American Medical Response, Manchester, NH
- American Medical Response, Nashua, NH
- Bedford Fire Department, Bedford, NH
- Concord Fire Department, Concord, NH
- Derry Fire Department, Derry, NH
- Londonderry Fire Department, Londonderry, NH
- Milford Ambulance, Milford, NH
- McGregor Memorial EMS, Durham, NH
- Portsmouth Fire Department, Portsmouth, NH
- Salem Fire Department, Salem, NH
- Stewart’s Ambulance Service, NH
- Tilton-Northfield Fire & EMS
- Be at least 18 years old and hold a valid driver’s license
- High school graduate or received a GED
- High school-level (or higher) course in Algebra I or degree-level math course with a C or better
- Letter of recommendation from employer
- Interview with department chair of Fire Technologies, medical director, and lead instructor
- Current National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians EMT or Advanced EMT
- Must furnish instructor with a NH Criminal Background Check (some clinical sites may require a federal background check in addition to NH)
- Acquire or have received appropriate vaccinations (see health and additional requirements section)
- Current professional rescuer basic cardiac life support (CPR) certification
Accreditation Information
The Lakes Region Community College Paramedic program has been issued a Letter of Review by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP). This letter is NOT a CAAHEP accreditation status, it is a status CoAEMSP Policies and Procedures for Programs signifying that a program seeking initial accreditation has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the accreditation standards through the Letter of Review Self-Study Report (LSSR) and other documentation. Letter of Review is recognized by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) for eligibility to take the National Registry’s Paramedic credentialing examination(s). However, it is NOT a guarantee of eventual accreditation.
To contact CoAEMSP: 214-703-8445 www.coaemsp.org
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education programs:
1361 Park Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org
Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions:
8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312
Rowlett, TX 75088
Phone: (214) 703-8445
Fax: (214) 703-8992
www.coaemsp.org
How to Apply
- Click on Apply link at the top of this page
- Scroll down to the New Student section and click on plus sign
- Click on #1, Application Online
- Applicants will set up a unique username and password in the CCSNH Online Application Portal and complete the application. Applicants with a current or older CCSNH student login must create a new user account that isn’t affiliated with their CCSNH account.
- Complete application and hit Submit.
- Once your application is submitted, you will be required to provide additional documentation (see below). Your application is not considered complete until all documents have been uploaded.
- Click the Home button so you can see your unique application portal page, where you will be able to view and submit the required documents.
- If you log in at a later date to complete the process, log into CCSNH Online Application Portal.
- Copy of your drivers license, front and back
- High school diploma or GED or college transcript. Prior education must also include the following:
- High school-level (or higher) course in Algebra I or degree level math course with a C or better.
- Provide the name and email address of the employer who will be submitting their letter of recommendation. Once received the employer will receive an email with instructions on uploading their letter of recommendation to the application portal.
- Current National Registry or State EMT/AEMT certification
- Applicants can upload pdfs, photos, or screenshots of their required documentation within the application home page.
- Once the required documents have been received, applicants will be contacted to participate in an interview with the chair of the Fire Science program, the lead instructor for the Paramedic Certificate program and the medical director.
- Admissions decisions will be made at the completion of the interview process and applicants will be notified via email.
