What is Emergency Medical Services?
Emergency Medical Services include both EMT and paramedic training. The EMT and paramedic programs meet the standards of the U.S. Department of Transportation National Standard Training and KCTCS-Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS).
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) provides pre-hospital emergency care to acutely ill or injured patients. The EMT
course (EMS 105) is offered during the fall and spring semesters and takes just 15
weeks. Course graduates are eligible to take the National Registry Emergency Medical
Technician (NREMT) Examination upon completion. The program is six credits and is
offered from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at our Edgewood campus.
Paramedics provide pre-hospital emergency care to acutely ill or injured patients with an advanced
level of knowledge and skill set. The paramedic program begins in August and finishes
in just 11 months. Program graduates are eligible to take the National Registry Paramedic
(NRP) Examination upon completion. Paramedic program enrollment is limited, and students
are required to be a certified EMT prior to entering paramedic program coursework.
After you are admitted to the college, you must also apply to the paramedic program. Enrollment
is limited, and students are required to be a certified EMT prior to entering paramedic
program coursework.
Gateway's paramedic program recognizes the need for realistic, pre-hospital training. Inside the paramedic lab, you will find a simulated bathroom, living room, and infant's bedroom. The program also has access to a fully functional ambulance through St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Our "family" of Laerdal simulation mannequins include SimMan, SimMom, SimJunior, and three SimBabies. The paramedic certificate program is 11 months/45 credit hours (including pre-requisites). Classes are offered on Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Edgewood campus.
Why select Gateway for your EMT or Paramedic certifications?
- 11-month program | 8 hours/week in class
- 50% of our class time spent in lab and simulation
- Experienced instructors
- High National Registry pass rate
- Low attrition rate
- High job placement
- 8 hours of one-on-one clinical time with our highly involved Medical Director
- Dedicated RN preceptors in the ER
- Individualized attention
- Affordable tuition
- Option to earn a degree (all online)
Paramedic Program Statistics
National Registry Pass rate:
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| # of Grads | 17 | 18 | 16 |
| # of Grads attempting | 17 | 18 | 16 |
| # passing - 1st attempt | 12 | 16 | 16 |
| # passing - subsequent attempts | 4 | 0 | N/A |
| Total passing to date | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| # of Grads Passing NR CBT | 94% | 89% | 100% |
Retention:
2019: 70.4%
2020: 82%
2021: 76%
Positive Job Placement:
2019: 90.9%
2020: 100%
2021: 100%
accreditation status
Our Paramedic Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).
This accreditation allows graduates to apply and sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic (NRP) Examination after they successfully finish the program. Kentucky uses the National Registry Paramedic Exam as their licensure exam for credentialing Paramedics in the Commonwealth. After successfully completing the NRP, you may apply to the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS) for licensure as a paramedic in the Commonwealth or in your respective state. The National Registry of Paramedics issued a mandate effective January 1, 2013 that all Registry applicants must have graduated from an accredited program to sit for the Registry.
What are my career choices?
After graduating from the Paramedic Program, there are different jobs available in areas such as Fire Departments, Ambulance Services, Emergency Rooms, Air Medical Transport, and Industrial.
Salary ranges from $40,000 - $120,000 a year with a national shortage of paramedics and an even growing job market.
What are my degree, diploma, or certificate options?
An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) provides pre-hospital emergency care to the acutely ill or injured patient. The EMT course (EMS 105) is a 15 week course that is offered during the spring and fall semesters at the Edgewood campus. The course is held from 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Graduates of the course are eligible to take the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) Examination upon completion.
To register for the course, you must apply to Gateway and choose “EMT” as your major. There are no pre-requisites to begin the EMT course, however, you must have a BLS Provider CPR certification prior to the course or obtain the certification early in the course.
The EMT course is 6 credit hours. During the 15 week course, each student must perform 8 hours in the emergency department at St. Elizabeth and 16 hours riding with an ambulance; obtaining a total of 10 patient contacts from those 24 hours.
As an Emergency Medical Technician, you will be trained to perform the following skills:
- Airway oxygenation and ventilation
- Bleeding control and shock management
- Cardiac arrest management
- Childbirth delivery
- Joint immobilization
- Long bone immobilization
- Traction splinting immobilization
- Oxygen administration
- Patient assessment-medical
- Patient assessment-trauma
- Spinal immobilization
- Supraglottic airway device insertion (King Airway or Combitube)
The estimated cost of the Emergency Medical Technician course is $1,220 (tuition & fees: $1,020 | books, uniform, and supplies: $200*). The EMT course may eligible for federal financial aid or the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program!
*Estimate may be lower if the student purchases used textbooks or already has uniform pants, boots, etc…
Tuition is based on the in-state tuition rate. For more information about Gateway’s tuition and fees, please visit the Tuition and Fees webpage.
All program costs are subject to change.
To see wage and employment data for EMT & Paramedics, click here!
A Paramedic provides the highest level of pre-hospital emergency care to acutely ill or injured patients. Paramedics have an advanced level of knowledge and skill set to treat the most significant patients in the pre-hospital setting.
The Paramedic program offers two cohorts, which finish in just 11 months.
- August cohort: Classes are held on Tuesday/Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Edgewood campus.
- January cohort: Classes are held on Monday/Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) Paramedic Examination upon completion.
You must be a certified EMT by the first day of class. If you are not a certified EMT, please see the drop-down box above this for more information on our EMT course.
If you are not already a Gateway student, you must apply to Gateway utilizing this link.
In addition, all potential students must separately apply to the paramedic program for acceptance, utilizing this link.
The paramedic certificate program is a total of 45 credit hours (including pre-requisites/co-requisites; BIO 135 & AHS 115). During the program, each student must perform 180 hours in the clinical setting and 360 hours riding with an ambulance. During the 360 hours in the field, each student must obtain 75 patient contacts (35 must be ALS) and 50 team leads (20 must be ALS). The student is responsible for scheduling these hours around his/her personal availability. We do not assign the student certain days, times, etc…to perform their clinical and field hours.
As a Paramedic, in addition to the skills you have as an EMT, you will be trained to perform the following skills:
- Advanced Airway Management
- Oral endotracheal intubation
- Nasal endotracheal intubation
- Percutaneous cricothyroidotomy
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
- Needle decompression of the pleural space
- Transport ventilator
- Pharmacological Interventions
- Intravenous access (IV)
- Intraosseous access (IO)
- Intramuscular injections (IM)
- Subcutaneous injections (SC)
- Sublingual administration (SL)
- Administer over 30 medications by IV or IO
- Medical/Cardiac Care
- Place and interpret electrocardiograms (ECG)
- Synchronized cardioversion
- Manual defibrillation
- Transcutaneous pacing
The estimated cost of the paramedic certificate program is $8,970 (tuition & fees: $7,650 | books, uniform, and supplies: $1,400*). This estimate includes all courses (including pre-requisites) for the entire paramedic certificate program. The paramedic program is eligible for federal financial aid or the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program!
Additional costs must be considered for those who want an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in EMS-Paramedic degree.
*Estimate may be lower if the student purchases used textbooks or already has uniform pants, boots, etc…
Tuition is based on the in-state tuition rate. For more information about Gateway’s tuition and fees, please visit the Tuition and Fees webpage.
All program costs are subject to change.
To see wage and employment data for EMT & Paramedics, click here!
If you are already a Paramedic and wanting to obtain your Associate Degree, you are in the right spot! At Gateway, your paramedic license will transfer into our degree program as 38 credit hours. This means that you only have to take 8 classes to finish your Associate of Applied Science: Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic. All 8 classes can be taken online around your already chaotic schedule as a Firefighter/Paramedic or Paramedic.
- AHS 115: Medical Terminology: 3 credit hours
- BIO 135: Basic Anatomy and Physiology with Laboratory: 4 credit hours
- ENG 101: Writing 1: 3 credit hours
- Heritage/Humanities: 3 credit hours
- COM 181: Basic Public Speaking: 3 credit hours
- PSY 110: General Psychology: 3 credit hours
- CIT 105: Introduction to Computers: 3 credit hours
- MAT 110: Applied Mathematics: 3 credit hours
The first step you will need to take is applying to Gateway. From there, you will need to send a copy of your Paramedic license (State or National) to Mike Harris. After you have applied to the college, an advisor will contact you with the next steps and information on setting up a plan to complete the remaining courses.
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Medical Director of EMS Education
During their time in the Paramedic Program, each student spends 16 hours of one-on-one time with Dr. Cousar in the Emergency Department! |
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Darlene Payette
Darlene has been a Paramedic since 2003. She has worked as a Paramedic for Transcare, Central Campbell Fire District, Erlanger Fire/EMS, and Independence Fire District. She retired from Independence Fire District in August of 2018. She holds an Associate Degree in Accounting, Industrial Management, and Applied Science. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Applied Studies. Darlene taught in the UC Clermont Paramedic Program from 2006-2016. She came to Gateway in 2018. |
Dr. Cousar began his service as the Medical Director of Gateway’s EMS Education program
in January, 2016. He is currently an Emergency Physician for Compass Emergency Physicians
at St. Elizabeth Medical Center. Prior to that, he worked in the Emergency Room at
the Cincinnati Veteran’s Affairs Hospital and as a Flight Physician at the University
of Cincinnati Medical Center Air Care. He completed his medical education at the University
of Pittsburgh and completed his residency at the University of Cincinnati.
Our paramedic program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).
To contact CAAHEP:
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
www.caahep.org
To contact CoAEMSP:
8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312
Rowlett TX 75088
(214) 703-8445
FAX (214) 703-8992
www.coaemsp.org
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Alexandria Fire District American Medical Response Bellevue-Dayton Fire Department Burlington Fire District Care Flight Central Campbell Fire District Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center Covington Fire Department Crescent Springs-Villa Hills Fire Department Dry Ridge Fire Department Edgewood Fire Department Elsmere Fire District Erlanger Fire Department Florence Fire/EMS Department |
Gallatin County EMS Georgetown-Scott County EMS Hebron Fire District Independence Fire District Ludlow Fire Department Newport Fire/EMS Department Pendleton County EMS Ryland Heights Fire Department Shelby County EMS Southern Campbell Fire District Southgate-Wilder EMS St. Elizabeth Healthcare Taylor Mill Fire Department University of Cincinnati Medical Center |
| Emergency Medical Services - AAS: Paramedic: 60-64 Total credit hours | Academic Program |
| Paramedic - Certificate: 45-49 Total Credit Hours | Academic Program |
| Emergency Medical Technician - Certificate: 6 TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | Academic Program |
Gateway's Paramedic to RN program creates a direct path for paramedics who want to transition into a nursing career.
Paramedics often decide to continue their education to become registered nurses because there are more jobs and growth opportunities in the field. Completion of the program at Gateway will help paramedics become flight medics, emergency room nurses and will open management opportunities.
Gateway’s paramedic to RN program not only creates new opportunities for paramedics, it also helps to close the nursing gap. The Kentucky Center for Statistics estimates that the state will need more than 30,000 additional registered nurses by the year 2026. Training paramedics to be registered nurses is one of the fastest ways to get new nurses into the field.
With all the previous training experience, paramedics will be able to complete the paramedic to RN program in three semesters; fall, spring and summer, allowing them to finish in one academic year.
Classes for the program will primarily be on Gateway’s Edgewood Campus
Gateway’s nursing courses are offered in a combination of both classroom and laboratory experiences that is then applied in clinical settings at a variety of community agencies.
The Paramedic to RN program is a selective admissions program. Applications are open during the month of April, during each year for acceptance into the fall cohort.
Length of Program
After admission to the paramedic program, full-time students can complete the associate degree or certificate in four semesters. Students who are already licensed paramedics, can complete their associate degree in as little as two semesters.
This information should not be considered a substitute for the KCTCS Catalog. You should always choose classes in cooperation with your faculty advisor to ensure that you meet all degree requirements.
