University of Montana Catalog 2023-2024

Paramedicine A.A.S.

The Paramedicine Associate of Applied Science program at Missoula College prepares students to provide emergency medical care to victims of illness, accident, or injury, assessing patients and performing critical medical interventions. As members of the allied healthcare team, Paramedics work as part of a comprehensive EMS response, applying their advanced knowledge of human anatomy and physiology to provide advanced life support care to patients.

The primary goal of the Missoula Paramedic Program is 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.

Paramedics are employed by ambulance services, fire departments, within hospitals, and as members of emergency flight crews. They employ life-saving strategies such as managing airways, establishing vascular access, performing CPR, and administering pharmaceuticals, often while transporting patients to critical care facilities. Students who demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning, civic engagement, and service to their communities are invited to apply.

Missoula College's Paramedicine program is delivered through a community partnership with Missoula Emergency Services, Inc. (MESI), which has been training paramedics since the 1980s. The program is a candidate for Accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for EMS Professions (CoAEMSP) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Admission to the program is competitive and requires prior completion of 16 credits of pre-requisite coursework as well as a current NREMT Certification. The program's core classes begin every autumn semester and include 57 credits of classroom and laboratory instruction as well as hundreds of hours of experiential, hands-on clinical training within hospitals and aboard ambulances.

Student progress is evaluated in the classroom through testing of cognitive knowledge and in labs and clinical rotations through observation of the technical and psychomotor skills used in the profession. The program maintains high standards of ethical and professional behavior. Upon graduating, the student qualifies for an examination administered by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT), successful completion of which earns a national certification and allows the individual to practice in all states.

Associate of Applied Science - Paramedicine

Summary

Pre-Requisite Courses16
Core Courses57
Total Hours73
 

Degree Specific Credits: 73

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Note: See Program Director for course prerequisites before applying to program.

Pre-Requisite Courses

Complete all of the following courses:
AHMS 144Medical Terminology3
BIOH 104NBasic Human Biology3
BIOH 105NBasic Human Biology Laboratory1
COMX 115SIntroduction to Interpersonal Communication3
M 105Contemporary Mathematics3
WRIT 101College Writing I3
Total Hours16
Minimum Grade: C-

Core Courses

Complete all of the following courses:
ECP 200Transition to Paramedic Care3
ECP 201Paramedic Fundamentals3
ECP 202Paramedic Fundamentals Lab1
ECP 206EMS Case Studies4
ECP 207Cardiology4
ECP 208Cardiology Lab & ACLS1
ECP 216Hospital Clinical I5
ECP 220Special Considerations1
ECP 221OB/Neonate/Pediatrics2
ECP 222OB/Neonate/Pediatric Lab/PALS/Stable1
ECP 230Trauma2
ECP 232Pulmonary2
ECP 233Trauma/Pulmonary Lab & PHTLS1
ECP 242Medical Considerations2
ECP 243Medical Lab1
ECP 246Hospital Clinical II6
ECP 247Hospital Clinical III6
ECP 250NREMT Exam Preparation3
ECP 251NREMT Exam Preparation Lab1
ECP 298 Internship8
Total Hours57

Minimum Grade: C-