Offered in partnership with Riverside Medical Center
The Paramedic program prepares individuals to provide advanced life support in and out of the hospital settings to critically ill and injured persons. To prepare individuals to function in the paramedic role, a combination of educational methods are used in this program, including theory, instruction, demonstration and practice of life-saving skills for simulated and real emergency situations.
Instruction is provided by physicians specializing in emergency medicine, registered nurses with advanced education in trauma management and paramedics approved by the emergency medical services director. The associate degree curriculum offers the student the opportunity to learn fundamental principles necessary for supervisory roles. This degree typically is not designed for transfer.
Program eligibility standards apply; consult a KCC advisor.
Students in health career programs are advised to consult the Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations, section 11.4. This regulation concerns completion of all courses in health career curricula being completed with a grade of C or better.
Before enrollment, the student must provide a copy of his/her current Illinois state EMT-B license. Students also must have an appropriate assessment score and a GED certificate or official high school transcript showing graduation on file at KCC. High school seniors should consult their high school advisor for registration requirements.
Each student in this program must have a physical exam, criminal background check without any disqualifying convictions, a negative drug screen, and current CPR certification from the American Heart Association (BLS for Healthcare Provider).
The curriculum of record for students applying to, but not yet accepted into, competitive entry health career programs will be the Associate in General Studies.
- Manage responsibility and accountability for pre-hospital care while practicing within the legal, ethical and regulatory scopes of EMS practice.
- Manage major classification of medications according to mechanism of action, clinical condition used to treat, therapeutic effect, side effect, indications, contraindications, dosages and administration routes.
- Create effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication with clients and health care team members.
- Implement critical thinking skills in pre-hospital emergencies using evidenced based practice for decision-making.
- Formulate the most appropriate treatment plan based on the patient assessment.
- Implement the most appropriate intervention based on EKG interpretation.
- Integrate a triage system based on assessment in a mass casualty incident.
Consult the Health Careers Requirements Pages for steps to apply and enroll in a health program, deadlines, eligibility worksheets, and essential physical capabilities and function
General education courses
Courses listed in the General Education requirements section can be completed prior to program acceptance except for MATH 1141 which must be completed while enrolled in the program.
Program-specific courses
General education
Spring semester
Program Outcomes
| Outcome | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retention | 81% | 77% | 86% |
| NREMT or state cognitive exam pass rate | 59% | 53% | 50% |
| NREMT subsequent attempts pass rate | 71% | n/a | n/a |
| Placement | 71% | 60% | 100% |
Anyone with questions regarding Paramedic program outcomes can contact the program director at 815-802-8836 or email msawicki@kcc.edu.
Learn more about this program: Paramedic, AAS