MT. VERNON, Ill. (Sept. 13, 2016) - Current and future students in Rend Lake College’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Paramedic program now have the opportunity to sit for the National Registry of EMTs Paramedic Exam, thanks to a new accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
Previously, graduates could only sit for the Illinois Paramedic Examination after completing the program. With national certification, graduates are able to pursue and obtain a paramedic license anywhere in the United States, which as Paramedic Program Director Robert Hyman said, is a great opportunity for RLC graduates.
“By having the paramedic program nationally-accredited, RLC has achieved a milestone for an already successful program. The college is very blessed to have quality paramedic instructors, as well as an outstanding Emergency Medical Services Training Center facility at the Rend Lake College MarketPlace,†said Hyman.
RLC offers an Associate in Applied Science degree, requiring 68 credit hours of study, and two occupational certificates for EMT Basic and EMT Paramedic. The degree track is designed for students who want to pursue a career as a paramedic through classroom, laboratory, hospital, and field clinical settings. Graduates from this program are eligible to sit for the state and national exams.
The EMT Paramedic certificate program requires 45 credit hours of study and graduates can sit for the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) EMT-P examination. Similarly, the EMT Basic certificate requires only nine credit hours, to be completed in one semester, to sit for the IDPH EMT-B examination. The nine-hour program is a required prerequisite for the Paramedic program.
Classes for the EMT Basic program start in January, followed by EMT Paramedic degree and certificate courses in June.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, EMT and paramedic job opportunities are continuing to grow across the country and will increase by 24 percent, or 58,500 jobs, between now and 2024. Emergencies will continue to create demand for EMTs and paramedics across the country.
To learn more about the EMT Basic and Paramedic programs, or to register for classes at RLC, contact Hyman at 618-437-5321, Ext, 1419 or at hymanr@rlc.edu.
RLC’s Paramedic program is accredited by the CAAHEP upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions. Learn more about the CAAHEP at www.caahep.org.
