Established in 1946, Mt. San Antonio College is a public two-year institution with more than 40,000 for-credit students at its campus in Walnut, California, a community 25 miles east of Los Angeles. The college offers a certificate program in emergency medical services designed to fulfill California's education requirements for emergency medical technician-paramedics. Students in the program must already hold EMT-Basic and Intermediate licensure to enroll. Required courses include anatomy, cardiac care, pharmacology and emergency medical services theory. The course requires a one-semester internship to complete the certificate. The college also offers a refresher course for professionals who hold an EMT-Basic license and wish to brush up on their skills. There is federal and state financial aid for eligible students in the paramedic courses. A childcare center is on-site for students with young children.
Mt. San Antonio College
1100 North Grand Ave.
Walnut, CA 91789
909-594-5611
mtsac.edu
In 2010, U.S. News and World Report ranked Pennsylvania College of Technology 31st among baccalaureate colleges in the northern United States. Home to more than 6,500 students, the pubic college is in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 80 miles west of Wilkes-Barre. The college offers an Associate of Applied Science degree program in emergency medical services. Prerequisites for acceptance to the program include college-level coursework in social sciences, English, anatomy, communications and mathematics. These requirements usually take one year to complete, after which students admitted to the program spend one additional year taking classes in obstetrics, pediatrics, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, airway management and rescue practices. The course requires three internships for graduation. There is a shorter certificate program offered for would-be paramedics. Around three-quarters of all students at the college receive some type of financial aid, reports the 2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges.
Pennsylvania College of Technology
1 College Ave.
Williamsport, PA 17701
570-326-3761
pct.edu
A public, two-year institution, Cowley College is in Winfield, Kansas, 80 miles south of Wichita. For those just entering the field of emergency medicine, the college offers a 12-hour EMT-basic class, which allows graduates to qualify for initial certification in the field. The college also offers an Associate of Applied Science degree for individuals who already hold basic certification. In addition to professional courses, students also take classes in English, ethics, psychology, anatomy and computer science. Students can pursue the program, full time during the day for one year, or part-time during evening hours for 18 months. A summer-long internship is part of the 12-month program, while students in the 18-month programs participate in internships continuously throughout their studies. There are federal and state loans and work-study programs to help students with tuition.
Cowley College
1406 E. 8th St.
Winfield, KS 67156
620-229-5985
cowley.edu