Wednesday, February 8, 2012

A Paramedic Program Prepares You Intellectually and Emotionally

The paramedic field is emotionally draining but, ultimately, rewarding. The individuals who obtain paramedic training and enter the field must: assess the extent of injuries or illness of trauma victims or other patients to determine emergency medical treatment, and administer pre-hospital care; liaise with ambulance dispatch centers, base hospital staff, police, fire, and family members to ensure relevant information is collected; establish and maintain intravenous treatment (IV), apply adjunctive equipment for ventilation and circulation complications, administer medications and provide other emergency treatment to patients; transport patients to a hospital or other medical facility for further medical care; document and record the nature of injuries and treatment provided; and maintain ambulances and emergency care equipment and supplies.

At Centennial College in Toronto, Ont. students can attend a two-year Paramedic program that teaches them all of the above skills through courses that provide theoretical and practical testing components. To enhance student performance and confidence, courses also provide an equal balance between classroom, clinical, field and practical learning in emergency simulations. Lab scenarios are carried out in state-of-the-art lab facilities located in Centennial’s Science and Technology Centre campus. This campus also houses other Community and Health Schools of study such as nursing and pharmacy technician. Specific courses within the Paramedic training include: Pre-hospital Care, Anatomy, Theraputic Communications and Crisis Intervention, Alterations of Human Body Function, Medical Directed Therapuetics & Paramedic Responsibilities, EMS Research Methods, PCP Integration and Critical Decision Making, and more.

Students can now earn a Paramedic diploma from Centennial while working on a four-year bachelor of Science in Para medicine from the University of Toronto at Scarborough (UTSC) or after completing the diploma portion of the program.

Did you know that over the past several years, 96 per cent of the Paramedic program’s graduates were employed as Primary Care Paramedics (PCP)? In addition, graduates of the undertaking are eligible and prepared to take the Ministry of Health exam for Advanced EMCA. They have consistently scored above the provincial average on the Advanced EMCA certification exam. Ministry regulations require this certification for employment as a paramedic in Ontario.

Centennial College expects applicants to present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Applicants must also possess compulsory English 12C or U or equivalent, math 11M or U, or 12C or U or equivalent, Biology 11C or U, or 12 U or equivalent; and one of the following sciences: chemistry 11U, or 12C or U or physics 11U or 12C or U. Medical requirements such as a medical doctor’s statement, certifying a standard of health that is acceptable to Centennial College, clinical and affiliated EMS agencies are also required. Lastly, applicants must also not have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude (clear vulnerable persons police background record searches are completed throughout the program); hold a Class “F” license, which is required for employment in Ontario (but not for program admission); complete a CPR Level HCP course (Health Care Provider) and standard first aid certification. For complete details on the requirements of this undertaking, visit Centennial’s Paramedic program admission page.

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