Mar 28, 2024  
2012-2013 Gaston College Catalog 
    
2012-2013 Gaston College Catalog [THIS CATALOG IS OUT-OF-DATE. USE THE CURRENT CATALOG TO FIND CURRENT PROGRAMS.]

Emergency Medical Science, Paramedic, A.A.S. (A45340)


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The Emergency Medical Science curriculum is designed to prepare graduates to enter the workforce as paramedics. Additionally, the program can provide an Associate Degree for individuals desiring an opportunity for career enhancement.

The course of study provides the student an opportunity to acquire basic and advanced life support knowledge and skills by utilizing classroom instruction, practical laboratory sessions, hospital clinical experience, and field internship with emergency medical services agencies.

Students progressing through the program may be eligible to apply for both state and national certification examinations. Employment opportunities include ambulance services, fire and rescue agencies, air medical services, specialty areas of hospitals, industry, educational institutions, and government agencies.

Program Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will be able to recognize the nature and seriousness of the patient’s condition or extent of injuries to assess requirements for emergency medical care, administer appropriate medical care and basic life support based on assessment findings of the patient’s condition, lift, move, position and otherwise handle the patient to minimize discomfort and prevent further injury.
  2. Students will understand the roles and responsibilities of a paramedic within an EMS system, apply the basic concepts of development, pathophysiology and pharmacology to assessment and management of emergency patients, be able to properly administer medications, and communicate effectively with patients.
  3. Students will be able to establish and/or maintain a patent airway, oxygenate, and ventilate a patient.
  4. Students will be able to take a proper history and perform a comprehensive physical exam on any patient, and communicate the findings to others.
  5. Students will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for the medical patient.
  6. Student will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for the trauma
  7. Students will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for neonatal, pediatric and geriatric patients, diverse patients, and chronically ill patients.
  8. Students will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for patients with common complaints.
  9. Students will be able to safely manage the scene of an emergency.
  10. Students will have the general knowledge and understanding of managing an emergency medical services system.

Gaston College Admission Information


The following steps must be taken for Gaston College admission:

  1. Complete and submit an application online or onsite at the Office of Admissions located on the Dallas, NC Campus, 2nd floor of the Myers Center.
  2. Request your high school to mail an official transcript to the Office of Admissions. Other documentation to submit in place of a high school transcript include an official Adult High School diploma, official copy of GED scores, official transcript from an accredited correspondence school/institution, or an official transcript from Home School.
  3. Request that all colleges/universities previously attended submit official transcripts to the Office of Admissions to receive points for admission in the Emergency Medical Science - Paramedic Program.
  4. Take placement test as determined by Gaston College Admissions Office. If you have taken the Accuplacer (CPT), COMPASS, and/or ASSET with the last 5 (five) years at another college or university, please request that the scores be submitted to the Office of Admissions.
  5. Complete the New Student Orientation.
  6. Meet with an academic advisor or program director from the Department for EMS Education.
  7. Provide proof of English proficiency. This may be established by making a minimum total score of 6 (Internet Based), 207 (computer based), or 540 (paper based) on the Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
  8. Complete an application for the Associate Degree Emergency Medical Science - Paramedic Program. This form is available in Department for EMS Education, APS 104.

Emergency Medical Science - Paramedic Program Admission Information


  1. Meet the equivalent or take MAT 060 or DMA 010, DMA 020, and DMA 030.
  2. Meet the equivalent for ENG 090/090A and RED 090.
  3. An overall GPA minimum of 2.0 in college level coursework taken.

Competitive Admission Criteria


The following criteria are used by the Department for EMS Education faculty in the selection process of qualified paramedic program applicants into the Emergency Medical Science program:

  1. Compass Scores
  2. Number of general education courses completed (with a minimum grade of C) by the end of fall semester in which the application was submitted.
  3. Grade Point Average (GPA) in required general education courses (see program of study).

Admission points are calculated based on the above criteria. The final selection of applicants into the program is made by the Department for EMS Education Director/Emergency Medical Science Chair in consultation with the EMS Education faculty.

Students Admitted to the Emergency Medical Science Program


In addition to maintaining a 2.0 GPA and earning a minimum grade of ”C” in all EMS curriculum courses, applicants accepted in the Emergency Medical Science - Paramedic program must meet the following requirements in order to enroll and continue in EMS courses.

  • A completed North Carolina Community College Student Medical Form, provided by the Department for EMS Education, documenting satisfactory emotional and physical health.
  • Immunizations required by the NC Community College System and clinical agencies. Criminal Background Check, FBI fingerprinting, and random drug screening to comply with current clinical affiliation agreements.
  • Must complete Anatomy and Physiology I (BIO 168) with a grade of “C” or better prior to, or in the same semester as taking EMS 12 (see course of study).
  • Must complete Anatomy and Physiology II (BIO 169) with a grade of “C” or better prior to , or in the same semester as, taking EMS 210 or EMS 220 (see course of study).

Clinical agencies reserve the right to deny a student access to the facility based on failure to meet the above requirements. If a student is denied access to any clinical agency, the student will not be allowed to continue in the Emergency Medical Science - Paramedic program. Detailed information regarding these agency requirements will be provided upon conditional acceptance into the paramedic program.

Program Costs


In addition to tuition and textbooks, costs of this program include the following: uniforms (shirts, pants, shoes, jacket), stethoscope, physical examination, immunizations, criminal background check, FBI fingerprinting, and drug screening at a time designated by the EMS faculty.

Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from all clinical laboratory, and class activities. Clinical and EMS field internship experiences may be scheduled morning, afternoons or evenings, and weekends.

Students who seek credit for EMT-Basic Certification, taken through continuing education, may request to seek course credit by examination or experiential credit. Experiential credit is obtained by successfully completing the NREMT computer adaptive testing and receiving subsequent national registration as an EMT.

Total Credit Hours: 24


Total Semester Hour Credits: 73


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