emt & paramedic

• Program Overview
• EMT Prerequisites
• EMT Program Schedules
• EMT Costs

• Paramedic Overview
• Paramedic Prerequisites
• Paramedic Course Requirements
• Paramedic Licensing
• Paramedic Costs

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

West has partnered with the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care to offer students educational opportunities in emergency health care. Through this partnership, we are able to offer college credit for both EMT and paramedic classes taken through UCLA. Please visit www.cpc.mednet.ucla.edu for class schedule, application, registration, and payment information.

In Los Angeles County, the EMT and Paramedic profession ranks in the top 1% of fastest growing occupations. EMT's and paramedics work in a variety of settings including fire departments, ambulance companies, emergency departments, ski patrol and lifeguarding. The EMT program is an important first step in a career as an EMT, paramedic, doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional.

To learn more about the EMT, Paramedic and other related programs attend a free Student Information Session. The information sessions are available on a monthly basis and are a great opportunity to learn about: career opportunities in Emergency Medical Services, what the programs offer, program prerequisites, how to enroll into the programs, how to succeed as a student, earn college credit, obtain financial resources, and much more.  The information is presented in an easy and friendly format. Program staff and faculty are present to answer all questions. To register for a FREE session, simply visit http://uclacpc.eventbrite.com for a list of available dates.

EMT Program at UCLA

An EMT is a trained basic life support professional who responds to emergency medical situations, such as car accidents and heart attacks. EMTs assess a patient's condition and provide life-saving care until advanced life support can be provided by a paramedic or a physician in an emergency department. EMT interventions include airway management, CPR, defibrillation, bleeding control and shock management, and spinal immobilization. EMTs are the entry level patient care provider in emergency healthcare organizations.

EMT Prerequisites

Students need to be 18 years of age to obtain EMT certification. Prior to the clinical/field internship, students need to have personal health insurance and completed the requirements listed below. The West Los Angeles College Student Health Center provides some of these services at no or low cost and can be reached at (310) 287-4478.

1. Physical examination at no cost
2. Vaccinations verification
   • Hepatitis B (vaccination at $135)
   • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella). Offered at $25 by the Student Health Center
   • Proof of Absence of Tuberculosis (negative skin test within 3 months of the start of the program). Offered at no cost by the Student Health Center.
   • Varicella (Chicken pox) (titer at $18 or proof of vaccination)
3. American Heart Association Healthcare Provider or American Red Cross Professional Rescuer CPR card. You can meet this requirement by enrolling in Allied Health 21 or contacting UCLA at www.cpc.mednet.ucla.edu

Program Schedules

We offer the EMT class (Allied Health 52) in 3 different optional schedules:

• 3-WEEK ACCELERATED (FULL-TIME) EMT
• 7.5-WEEK WEEKEND EMT
• 10-WEEK/THREE WEEKNIGHTS EMT

Check the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care website at www.cpc.mednet.ucla.edu for available dates and times to enroll.

Additional Costs

• $925 Instruction and facilities fee paid directly to UCLA
• $35 Administrative fee paid to West LA College
• Textbooks (approx. $100)

• Certifying Examination Fee ($75)
• Certification Fees (approx. $30)

Financial Aid is available for qualifying students and may be used to offset these additional costs. Visit West Los Angeles College Office of Financial Aid by email at wlacfa@wlac.edu or by telephone at (310) 287-4532 for more information.

PARAMEDIC PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Paramedics work as advanced life support providers in fire departments and ambulance companies. They are the highest level of prehospital medical provider. Paramedics provide life saving treatment such as IV access and fluid resuscitation, medication administration, cardiac monitoring including 12-lead EKGs, and other advanced procedures and assessment.

The Program is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs and approved locally by the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency.

The Program has a 90% first-time pass rate on the licensing examination and over 99% of our graduates are employed within 3 months of being licensed.

The Paramedic program is full-time and takes approximately eight months to complete. Classes meet Monday through Friday for the classroom phase for approximately 4 months. This is followed by the clinical internship which is scheduled at local area hospital emergency department for about one and one half months. The program culminates with a two-month field internship on an emergency ambulance with a busy LA County fire department.

To learn more about the program attend a free Paramedic Program Student Information Session. The information session is a great opportunity to learn about: career opportunities in Emergency Medical Services, what the program offers, program prerequisites, how to apply and be a successful candidate, how to succeed as student, earning college credit, financial resources, and much more.  The information is presented in an easy and friendly format. Program staff and faculty are present to answer all questions. To register for a FREE session, simply visit http://uclacpc.eventbrite.com for a list of available dates.

Admissions/Prerequisites

Interested students must complete a UCLA Paramedic Program Application to be considered for the Program. For an application visit www.cpc.mednet.ucla.edu or contact UCLA at (310) 267-5959. Minimum requirements include:

• 18 years of age
• High school diploma or GED
• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider CPR card
• Certified EMT with 6 months minimum work experience at the time you submit your application. Those working as life guards and emergency room technicians qualify if you use your EMT certification and provide care to patients.
• Receive a qualifying score on the EMT written examination and the Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test (HOBET) to be considered for enrollment to the Paramedic Training Program. The HOBET is a written examination that tests a student's ability in math and reading comprehension. Test scores are valid for one year from the date the applicant completed the exam. A helpful study guide (NET Study Guide) and practice test (NET-HOBET practice test) is available for the exam and can be purchased online from Educational Resources, Inc., at www.eriworld.com
• Receive a qualifying score on the application review that may include a meeting with program faculty.

The paramedic program is offered 3 times each year starting in January, May and September. Applications are due six months prior to the start of the program: In July (of the prior year) to begin in January; in October (of the prior year) to begin in May; in March to begin in September.

To learn more about program prerequisites and how to be a successful candidate attend a free Student Information Session. To obtain additional information about the session and to register for FREE, visit http://uclacpc.eventbrite.com.

Course Requirement

All Paramedic courses are offered through UCLA. Enrollment is limited to students that have been accepted to the UCLA Paramedic Program. Enrollment for these classes will take place at the start of the program. Your professor will guide you through the process to concurrently enroll in these courses at UCLA.

• ALD HTH 43CO Anatomy & Physiology for Emergency Healthcare Personnel (4 units)
• ALD HTH 44CO Introduction to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems (2 units)
• ALD HTH 45CO Patient Assessment & Airway Management (2 units)
• ALD HTH 46CO Cardiac and Medical Emergencies (6 units)
• ALD HTH 47CO Emergency Response to Crisis/Trauma (4 units)
• ALD HTH 48CO Medical Emergencies and Pharmacology (5 units)
• ALD HTH 49CO Hospital Clinical Internship (4 units)
• ALD HTH 50CO Field Internship (9 units)

Licensing

Students completing the program will be eligible to sit for the licensing examination offered by the National Registry of EMTs on-site at UCLA. The Paramedic Program has a 90% first time pass rate on the national certifying examination. Your professors will walk you through the licensing process. For more information on the certifying examination visit www.nremt.org.

Costs

• $9,500 Instruction and facilities fee paid directly to UCLA
• Application/Test Registration Fee ($35)
• Textbooks (approx. $480)
• Laboratory materials (approx. $35)
• Clinical uniform (approx. $75)
• Certification/Licensure Fees (approx. $612)

Financial Aid is available for qualifying students and may be used to offset these additional costs. Visit West Los Angeles College Office of Financial Aid by email at wlacfa@wlac.edu or by telephone at (310) 287-4532 for more information.