The Emergency Medical Services programs at Grayson College offer three levels of EMS education: the EMT Level One Certificate, the Paramedic Certificate of Completion, and the Associate of Applied Science in Paramedicine.

At each program level, students gain additional knowledge and skills to enable them to function in clinical and field settings with physicians, nurses, firefighters and other healthcare professionals. In the classroom, students learn about anatomy and physiology, the pathophysiology of diseases, traumatic injuries, pharmacology and acute care of all age groups. Students acquire practical and field skills through laboratory practice, simulation, clinical experience in hospitals and experience with EMS providers. EMS personnel must be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED. 

Successful completion of an EMS Program will prepare the student for the National Registry Certification exam, to obtain state licensure, and to work as an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic.

Core Performance Standards/Physical and Mental Capabilities

EMS personnel must have the ability to communicate verbally via telephone and radio equipment, ability to lift, carry and balance up to 125 pounds (250 pounds with assistance); ability to interpret written, oral and diagnostic instructions; ability to use good judgment and remain calm in high-stress situations; ability to work effectively in an environment with loud noises and flashing lights; ability to function efficiently throughout an entire work shift; ability to calculate weight and volume ratios and read small print under life threatening time constraints; ability to read and understand English language manuals and road maps; ability to accurately discern street signs and address numbers; ability to interview patient, family members and bystanders; ability to document, in writing, all relevant information in prescribed format in light of legal ramifications of such; ability to converse in English with coworkers and hospital staff as to status of patients.  EMS personnel should possess good manual dexterity, with ability to perform all tasks related to highest quality patient care.  Ability to bend, stoop, and crawl on uneven terrain and ability to withstand varied environmental conditions such as extreme heat, cold, and moisture is vital.  The ability to work in low light, confined spaces, and other dangerous environments is required.

Paramedic Program Learning Outcomes:

1. Integrate comprehensive knowledge to improve the health of EMS personnel, patients, and the community.
2. Safely and effectively perform all psychomotor skills within the national and state scope of practice for the paramedic.
3. Model exemplary professional behavior including integrity, empathy, communication, teamwork/diplomacy, respect, patient advocacy, and careful delivery of service in clinical practice settings.

Certificate Degree Options

Emergency Medical Technician – Level One Certificate

The EMT must demonstrate competency in handling emergencies utilizing all Basic Life Support equipment and skills in accordance with all behavioral objectives in the Department of Transportation/ EMT curriculum. The course includes classroom, laboratory, hospital and field instruction which shall include supervised experiences in the emergency department and other appropriate settings with a licensed EMS provider. This course can be completed in one semester. Level One Certificate applicants are TSI exempt.

Paramedic – Certificate of Completion

The minimum curriculum includes all content required by the current national paramedic education standards and competencies as defined by the Department of Transportation which address the following areas: roles and responsibilities of the paramedic; well-being of the paramedic; illness and injury prevention; medical/ legal issues; ethics; general principles of pathophysiology; pharmacology; venous access and medication administration; therapeutic communications; lifespan development; basic lab values interpretation; patient assessment; airway management and ventilation, including endotracheal intubation; and trauma. The course includes classroom, laboratory, hospital and field instruction which shall include supervised experiences in the emergency department, critical care areas, and other appropriate settings with a licensed EMS provider.

Paramedic – Associate of Applied Science

The Associate of Applied Science degree is identical to the Certificate of Completion for the Paramedic, but also includes the general education coursework required to be awarded the 60-hour Associate of Applied Science degree in Paramedicine.

Eligibility for Certification or Licensure

Eligibility for Certification with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT)

The National Registry does not issue a permit to work or license to practice and does not warrant job performance of applicants and EMS professionals.

• No individual is eligible to apply for certification or recertification unless compliance with all NREMT rules and standards are demonstrated.
• The individual must truthfully complete and submit an application in the form provided by the NREMT and shall provide all additional information as requested.
• The individual must at all times be eligible for, and not barred from, practice as an Emergency Medical Technician under the laws of any state EMS licensing or authorizing agency.
• An individual convicted of a felony or any other crime directly related to public health or the provision of emergency medical service, including DUI, will be reviewed for eligibility for certification and recertification under policies outlined in the NREMT's Felony Policy.
• The NREMT reserves the right to withhold or revoke certification from an individual who has failed to pay for services rendered.

Eligibility for Certification with the Texas Department of State Health Services

All initial EMS applicants are required to submit their fingerprints through the rules and regulations of the Texas Department of State Health Services. A person shall be disqualified from eligibility to acquire an EMS certification if the applicant is convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication community supervision or deferred disposition for an offense listed in Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 42.12, Sections 3g(a)(1)(A) through (H) as follows: (1) murder; (2) capital murder; (3) indecency with a child; (4) aggravated kidnapping; (5) aggravated sexual assault; (6) aggravated robbery; (7) substance abuse offenses, as described in Health and Safety Code, Chapter 481, for which punishment is increased under: (a) Health and Safety Code, §481.140, regarding the use of a child in the commission of an offense; or (b) Health and Safety Code, §481.134(c), (d), (e) or (f), regarding an offense committed within a drug free zone, if it is shown that the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense for which punishment was increased under one of those subsections; (8) sexual assault; (9) an offense, other than an offense committed on or after September 1, 2009, for which the person is subject to register as a sex offender under Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 62. 

Transfer of EMT Coursework 

Students who completed EMT coursework at a college or university other than GC must submit official transcripts from each college or university previously attended to the GC Office of Admissions and Records, and submit a copy (official or unofficial) of the transcript attached to the EMS Admissions Application. EMT coursework completed via continuing education or a training site other than a college or university must be approved by the Director of EMS Education for credit award. Minimum documentation required for the approval process includes a copy of the initial course completion certificate showing classroom, clinical, and ambulance hours. Other documents may be required depending on individual circumstances.

Contact information regarding program accreditation

The Grayson College EMS program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (www.coaemsp.org) with the goal "to prepare competent entry level Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exit points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and/or Emergency Medical Technician, and/or Emergency Medical Responder levels."

Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Profession (CoAEMSP)
8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-213
Rowlett, Texas
214-703-8445
CoAEMSP Website (Opens new window)

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
Carolyn O'Daniel, EdD, RRT
President
9355 - 113th Street North #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350 (phone)
727-210-2354 (fax)
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs Website (Opens new window)