The Paramedic program at Three Rivers College, a hybrid of online curriculum and hands-on training, is now taking applications for the Paramedic program.
“Our hybrid program is a great opportunity for working EMS students to get the education needed to become a licensed paramedic,” said Tami Cunningham, Emergency Medical Services Coordinator for the College. “Students are able to complete the online portion of their curriculum where and when they have time available in their busy schedules.”
Upcoming hybrid classes begin in August. Students will spend one day a week in-class learning with hands-on training.
“We still have spaces in this year’s cohort, but applicants will have to act quickly,” Cunningham said. “The Paramedic program can lead to a great career upgrade for local Emergency Medical Technicians, and we want to give students every chance to apply.”
The flexibility of the program also has benefits for EMS employers because it allows more of their employees to take paramedic courses without affecting work schedules, Cunningham added.
Paramedics are licensed to provide more extensive prehospital care than EMTs, including giving medications orally and intravenously, interpreting electrocardiograms (EKGs)—which monitor heart function—and using other monitors and complex equipment, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/emts-and-paramedics.htm#tab-2).
Applicants to the Paramedic program must submit a copy of their current Missouri EMT-Basic license and their Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider Card, as well as a letter of reference from an Ambulance Director, to be eligible for admission.
Application forms for the Paramedic program can be found online at trcc.edu/apply. Prospective students must also complete a free Three Rivers application if they have not already done so. For more information, contact Cunningham at 573-840-9672.
For those without an EMT license who want to enter a career in the emergency medical field, Three Rivers offers a certificate in Emergency Medical Services. For information on this program, call Cunningham at 573-840-9672.
