Health, Human Performance, Recreation: Paramedics Program

Program Overview

Central Washington University’s paramedic program has been training individuals in pre-hospital emergency medical care for over thirty years and is the only baccalaureate degree-awarding paramedic program in the Pacific Northwest. This program is intended for those individuals who desire to work in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) profession, where students are trained to properly assess and treat patients suffering emergent medical situations in the pre-hospital environment.

Each program year begins at the start of the fall academic quarter (mid September), and students attend classes on campus for the entire academic year while concurrently completing a field internship and clinical rotations where advanced life support skills are practiced under the guidance of skilled preceptors. Total course work includes approximately 1,200 hours of didactic and skills labs on campus, and an additional 400+ hours of clinical rotations in affiliated hospitals. Students also complete field internships with affiliated EMS agencies to obtain the required number of patient contacts in the prehospital environment and must successfully demonstrate competency of all advanced life support skills. Because successful completion of the internship is dependent on a number of factors, and not all hours spent “riding” with an agency actually involve patient contact, the number of hours required for completion of the internship can vary from student to student. Traditionally, the average student spends 55-60 twenty-four hour shifts riding with affiliated agencies to meet the requirements. Upon completion of all program requirements students are eligible to take the National Registry of EMT’s paramedic certification examination.

Central has a long history of maintaining high academic standards and skill requirements for our graduates that in many areas exceed both state and national minimum standards for paramedic courses. This translates into a very busy, very intense year of learning both in the classroom and in the field. The results however are that our graduates are well prepared for both their national certification exam and to begin their careers as entry-level paramedics. While the national average for passing the National Registry exam is just over 60%, over 92% of Central’s graduates have passed on their first attempt. Additionally 100% of the past five years graduates have successfully obtained employment upon certification.

Admission Requirements

Minimum requirements for acceptance into this program includes:

• High school diploma
• Completion of a college level anatomy & physiology series (may be taken on campus during summer session before starting program in the fall)
• Current EMT certification and two or more years field experience as an EMT
• Recommendation of a minimum of three medical professionals involved directly or indirectly in the delivery of pre-hospital medical care
• Intent to use the training full time in an emergency care field

Washington State residents and those with active employment by an EMS agency are given priority. The program is open only to U.S. citizens because of lack of certifying procedures for foreign students.

Program Application Process and Deadlines

Applications to the program must be made by March 31st for consideration into the following academic year’s program.
A paramedic screening committee reviews all applications. Qualified applicants are invited to an oral board interview in mid April.  Final selection of students by the screening committee is based on the oral board interview, the three letters of recommendation, successful acceptance to Central Washington University by the deadline for selection, and performance on entrance exams (written and practical EMT skills),.

The entrance exams include an EMT-B skills evaluation and the Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test (HOBET).  CWU Testing Services has scheduled the HOBET exam for 2008-2009 applicants on Friday, March 21st from 8:00-11:00 AM or Tuesday, March 25th from 1:00-4:00 PM.  To schedule the HOBET exam through CWU Testing Services, please call Lori Hauser at (509) 963-1098 or email at hauserl@cwu.edu.  For more information regarding the HOBET exam offered through CWU Testing Services, click http://www.cwu.edu/~testing/test_list.html#HOBET.  For other testing locations click http://lwtchost.ctc.edu/dept/assessment/Tests/healthoccupations/ or http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesforstudents/counselingandadvisingcenter/assessment/hobettest.aspx .

Admittance into the program is upon approval of the paramedic screening committee. Twenty-four students are selected per year. Offers of acceptance are mailed to successful applicants May 1st.

University Admission Requirements

Applicants to the paramedic program must also apply for admission to Central Washington University prior to the paramedic program application deadline date. Because of enrollment limitations set by the state legislature, if an applicant is admitted to the paramedic program but applies too late to the University to be accepted, the applicant will not be able to participate in the paramedic program. Although the fall quarter deadline for admissions is August 1, enrollment has been closing as early as May. Admission to Central Washington University does not guarantee admission into the paramedic program.

Program Partners

Central’s paramedic program is fortunate to have affiliation with six clinical (hospital) sites and twelve field (EMS) agencies throughout Washington state where our students learn side by side from a diverse and knowledgeable group of physicians, anesthesiologists, nurses, paramedics and other allied health professionals in a variety of rural, suburban and urban settings. 

Affiliated Hospitals

• Central Washington Hospital – Wenatchee
• Harborview Medical Center – Seattle
• Kittitas Valley Community Hospital – Ellensburg
• Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital – Tacoma
• Yakima Regional Medical Center – Yakima
• Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital – Yakima

Affiliated EMS Agencies

• Advanced Life Systems Ambulance – Yakima
• American Medical Response – Yakima
• Arlington Fire Department – Arlington
• Ballard Ambulance – Wenatchee
• Grant County Fire District #5 – Moses Lake
• Kennewick Fire Department – Kennewick
• Kittitas Valley Fire & Rescue – Ellensburg
• Lifeline Ambulance – Wenatchee
• Monroe Fire Department – Monroe
• Snohomish Fire District #1 – Everett
• Snohomish Fire District #8 – Lake Stevens
• Walla Walla Fire Department – Walla Walla