Emergency Medical Services

Careers

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) respond to emergency calls, perform services under medical supervision, and transport patients to medical facilities.

Graduates of the EMS programs at BRCC are eligible for testing through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT), which is mandatory for Virginia certification.  Students may test at the EMT, AEMT (Advanced Emergency Medical Technician) and Paramedic levels after meeting program requirements for that level.  Graduates of the Associate in Applied Science Degree (A.A.S) in Emergency Medical Services are eligible to sit for the National Registry Paramedic cognitive and psychomotor examination.

Program Overview

This program offers three stackable levels of certification as well as an Associates of Applied Science in EMS.  The Associate in Applied Science Degree in Emergency Medical Services is designed to produce high-quality, entry-level paramedics who can serve the community with advanced life support care via the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards (NEMSES).

Program Requirements

Students must:

• be 18 years of age before enrolling in any courses with an EMS prefix
• have a current Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (VAOEMS) approved CPR provider/instructor card
• be certified through VAOEMS or NREMT at the EMT level for all advanced life support courses

Clinical Education

BRCC offers this academic program through partnerships with local healthcare agencies and community affiliates to provide clinical education opportunities for students.

BRCC has not determined if the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) program meets the requirements of any other states.

Program Options

• Emergency Medical Services Associate in Applied Science - A.A.S.
• Paramedic Certificate
• Emergency Medical Technician Career Studies Certificate
• Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Career Studies Certificate

Program Resources

• National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
• Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services
• Central Shenandoah Emergency Medical Services Council

Accreditation Status

The Blue Ridge Community College Paramedic Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (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
1361 Park Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
727-210-2350
caahep.org

Contact CoAEMSP

8301 Lakeview Parkway Suite 111-312 Rowlett, TX 75088
214-703-8445
FAX 214-703-8992
www.coaemsp.org

CAAHEP

CAAHEP Accredited Paramedic Programs and CoAEMSP Programs track and report outcome measures annually to the Committee on Accreditation for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

The most current CoAEMSP Annual Report was for the calendar year 2023.

The most recent success rate for the National Registry of EMT Paramedic/State Cognitive exam was 100%.

The most recent positive placement rate for graduates was 100%.

Positive placement is defined by the CoAEMSP as ‘Employed full or part-time in a related field and/or continuing his/her education and/or serving in the military’. Positive placement is measured at completion of the program.

The most recent retention rate was 80%.