Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California, has a paramedic program which prepares graduates to work in ambulances, fire departments, medical helicopters and hospital emergency rooms. It takes just over a year to complete and graduates are awarded a Certificate of Achievement. Students must have worked at least 960 hours as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) before being admitted to the paramedics program. Students will spend the first three terms of the program receiving classroom instruction. Course work includes pediatric ICU, intubation, airway cadaver labs, and labor and delivery. The last two terms are for clinical hospital experience and an internship working in an ambulance. Students may choose to get an Associate in Science degree by taking additional general education classes in English, math and biology. Graduates of the paramedics program must apply for a state paramedic license to work in California.
Foothill College
12345 El Monte Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
650-949-7777
foothill.fhda.edu/bio/programs/paramed
Pennsylvania College of Technology in Willaimsport, Pennsylvania, offers a Paramedic Technician program which prepares students for entry-level paramedic employment. Students must have taken prerequisite courses in math and English before entering the program. They must also have completed a basic Emergency Medicine Technician (EMT) program. Students in the program will take 37 credit hours of course work in airway management and assessment, pathophysiology and pharmacology, medical emergencies, pulmonary and cardiology, and trauma. In addition to classroom instruction, students will complete more than 1,100 hours of clinical paramedic work with experienced emergency medical professionals. Graduates will receive a certificate.
Pennsylvania College of Technology
One College Avenue
Williamsport, PA 17701
800-367-9222
pct.edu/schools/hs/paramedic
El Camino College in Torrence, California, offers a six-month paramedic program in conjunction with the Paramedic Training Institute (PTI) and Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Emergency Medical Services Agency. Program curriculum includes basic pre-hospital care, life support, special patient emergencies, and legal aspects and documentation. In addition to classroom instruction, students will complete 160 clinical hours in local hospitals and at least 480 hours in an internship with a fire department paramedic unit. Before entering the program students must have complete emergency medical technician (EMT) training and certification. Program graduates must be licensed by the state of California to work as a paramedic.
El Camino College
16007 Crenshaw Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90506
866-352-2646
elcamino.edu/academics/indtech/fireacademy/paramedic.asp