Accreditation Status

The Coastal Carolina Community College Emergency Medical Science 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).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org
To contact CoAEMSP:
214-703-8445
www.coaemsp.org

Graduates of this program may be eligible to take state and/or national certification examinations.  Employment opportunities include providers of emergency medical services, fire departments, rescue agencies, hospital specialty areas, industry, and educational and government agencies.

Our Mission Statement

The mission of the Coastal Carolina Community College Emergency Medical Science Paramedic Program is to prepare Paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.

Physical Requirements

Students must be physically able to operate a variety of types of equipment including computers, calculators, cardiac monitors, and other medical equipment.  Students must be physically able to exert up to 25 pounds of force occasionally and/or frequently lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.  Students must be able to lift and/or carry weights up to 60 pounds.

Data Conception

This program and profession requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or objects.

Critical Thinking

This program and profession requires the ability to utilize critical thinking skills and analyze patients in the pre-hospital environment during emergency and non-emergency situations.

Interpersonal Communication

This program and profession requires students to have interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and patients from a diverse group of cultures and backgrounds.

Communication Skills

Students shall possess the ability to openly communicate with the members of the public (patients, patients’ friends and family, etc.), government (police, utilities, etc.), and private sector (doctors, nurses, etc.) in an effective and efficient manner conducive to excellent patient advocacy.

Intelligence

Students shall possess intelligence sufficient to calculate, draw up, and mix medications as is necessary for drug administration during patient care, and the ability to recognize patients’ medical or trauma conditions as they relate to skill intervention and application is necessary to patient care.

Numerical Aptitude

This program and profession requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers; determine percentages and decimals; determine time and weight; apply algebraic, geometric, and trigonometric principles; and utilize descriptive statistics.  This program and profession requires the ability to utilize metric systems on a regular basis.

Ethical Behavior

This program and profession requires students to provide services with complete respect for human dignity, unrestricted by the considerations of social and economic status, personal attribute, or the nature of the medical issue.

Legal Behavior

Emergency Medical Science students are bound to provide care within the scope of practice as defined by the North Carolina Office of EMS designed through the National EMS Scope of Practice Model.  Each student must be verifiably competent in the minimum knowledge and skills needed to ensure safe and effective practice at the level of certification required by state licensing.

Mobility

Students shall physically retain the ability to stand, walk, and perform patient care for extended periods of time in the pre-hospital setting to include but not be limited to residential housing, confined spaces, wilderness areas, busy intersections and highways, and in other various emergency settings.

Motor Coordination

This program and profession requires fine motor coordination to position patients and perform life-saving skills in the pre-hospital setting.

Personal Affect

This program and profession requires the ability to lead a crew of EMS professionals in an emergency setting and in the clinical setting.  Students must demonstrate professionalism, patience, integrity, honesty, and have empathy and compassion towards patient care.  Neatness and good personal hygiene are mandatory, and positive attitudes are paramount when receiving constructive criticism.

Travel

This program requires the ability to travel to and from the College campus, clinical facilities, and other assigned locations off campus.

FAQs About the EMS Program

Am I required to take classes prior to entering the EMS program?
Though you are not required to take courses before you start the EMS program, it is a good idea to take BIO 168 Anatomy and Physiology I, BIO 169 Anatomy and Physiology II.  Taking these courses along with your EMS courses can be demanding.  Since you cannot take EMS courses prior to entering the program, it is recommended taking these courses if possible.
What is the clinical schedule like?
By the end of the program, students will have completed a combined total of 500 clinical, ride time, and field internship hours.  The designated clinical days varies by semester.  Hospital clinical rotations are completed at Onslow Memorial Hospital and are six hours in duration, generally 8:00 am – 2:00 pm.  Prior to starting field ride time, students will be assigned a preceptor with Onslow County EMS and then scheduled for 12-hour shifts.  Start times may vary as students may be scheduled for both day shift and mid-shift.
Should I have my EMT credential prior to entering the EMS program to get a head start?
If you have your EMT credential prior to entering the program, it could be beneficial; however, it is not recommended to take the EMT course just to get a head start.  The EMS 110 EMT class prepares the student to become an EMT, but we focus on the EMT who will eventually become a Paramedic.
Is a math class recommended prior to entering the program?
You are required to meet the minimal placement test score in math.  If you do not pass the math portion of the entrance exam, you will be required to take a developmental math course prior to entering into the EMS program.  As a Paramedic, you will utilize math in order to determine drug doses and you will be using formulas to determine things like percentage of body surface area burned, amount of IV fluid to administer, endotracheal tube sizes, and it is necessary for you to be sufficient and quick in your math skills.
Are there any study techniques recommended?
Previous students have suggested study habits such as:

  • Recording drug information and listening to the information as much as possible.
  • Making out your own quizzes on the material to be learned.
  • Doing homework before it’s actually due.  Many of the daily quiz questions come from the homework material.
  • Study at least 1-2 hours a night.
  • Rewrite your notes from the given outlines.  Writing this information in your own words helps.
  • If you plan to study in groups or with a classmate, be sure to pick a study partner who understands the material and may be able to help you to comprehend it as well.
Should I have a medical or emergency services background before taking the entering the EMS program?
Though having a medical background prior to enrolling in the EMS program could only help, it is not necessary to have previous medical experience.  You will learn what you need to know to become a Paramedic during the five semesters of the program.
Is there a childcare service offered at Coastal for the days I am in clinical?
There is no childcare offered at the College.  It is your responsibility to have childcare for the clinical shifts.  Keep in mind, if you are on a call during your ambulance clinical at the end of the 12 hour shift, you are expected to stay on that ambulance until it arrives back at the station.  Therefore, you may be late getting off of the clinical shift and your childcare provider must be aware of this.
Is it possible to have a job during the program?
It is not advisable to work while in the EMS program, but it is understandable that many students must have a job.  It is possible to maintain a job after school hours, but the EMS program is rigorous and requires a lot of studying.  Working a part-time job is possible.  If working is necessary, you should try to work weekends, as there are typically no classes on the weekend.
Is there time available outside of the classroom for extra help if I am not understanding course material?
Yes.  The full-time instructors maintain office hours (these vary each semester) and they will be glad to assist you with any questions or remediation that they can offer.  Also inquire about the Peer-Assisted Study Session (PASS) program.

Required Forms