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Career/Program Overview

As the most highly trained pre-hospital emergency care provider in the EMS field, the paramedic accepts the challenging responsibility for patient care.  The willingness to accept this challenge and direct others to carry out the plan is the first step in becoming a paramedic.  Paramedicine is a relatively young field with a wide range of employment opportunities including ambulance services, fire departments, police departments, hospitals, helicopter services, and educational institutions.

Curriculum-at-a-Glance

Program-related courses may include:  Introduction to Paramedicine, EMS Skills, Pharmacology, Trauma Care, Cardiac Care, Pathophysiology in EMS, EMS Advanced Skills, Special Populations, Ambulance Clinical, Critical Care Clinical and Paramedic Preparation.  

For more detailed program information, refer to RCTC’s program course requirements at  http://www.rctc.edu/catalog/programs/index.html.

Program/Degree Options

RCTC offers both a 44-credit diploma and a 64-credit Associate in Science degree as an Intensive Care Paramedic.

Program Start Date(s)

Students can begin general education requirements any semester.  A second, separate process of applying to the Intensive Care Paramedic Diploma and Associate degree programs is also required.  Applicants must be currently state certified and nationally registered as an EMT-Basic
or Intermediate and have a minimum of 50 encounters as a primary care giver in the pre-hospital setting.

Additional admissions requirements include:  current CPR certification, documentation of EMS experience, criminal background check, and a recommendation from an ambulance director or medical director.

Career Opportunities/Information

In Minnesota and throughout the United States employment for paramedics is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2008.  Much of the growth will result from volunteer positions changing into paid positions.  Another factor contributing to the increase in need for paramedics is the fact that the number of older adults is increasing.  This population is the greatest user of emergency services. 

Intensive Care Paramedic positions are part of ALS ambulances, fire department based ALS, rural EMS services, hospitals, EMS education, fixed wing and helicopter services.

Articulations/Accreditations

Rochester Community and Technical College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission:  A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

For additional information on the most current list of RCTC program articulations see us at: http://www.rctc.edu/catalog/articulations/index.html

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Additional Information:
Program Course Requirements
Course Schedule