The paramedic field is emotionally draining but, ultimately, rewarding. The individuals who obtain paramedic training
and enter the field must: assess the extent of injuries or illness of
trauma victims or other patients to determine emergency medical
treatment, and administer pre-hospital care; liaise with ambulance
dispatch centers, base hospital staff, police, fire, and family members
to ensure relevant information is collected; establish and maintain
intravenous treatment (IV), apply adjunctive equipment for ventilation
and circulation complications, administer medications and provide other
emergency treatment to patients; transport patients to a hospital or
other medical facility for further medical care; document and record the
nature of injuries and treatment provided; and maintain ambulances and
emergency care equipment and supplies.
At Centennial College in
Toronto, Ont. students can attend a two-year Paramedic program that
teaches them all of the above skills through courses that provide
theoretical and practical testing components. To enhance student
performance and confidence, courses also provide an equal balance
between classroom, clinical, field and practical learning in emergency
simulations. Lab scenarios are carried out in state-of-the-art lab
facilities located in Centennial’s Science and Technology Centre campus.
This campus also houses other Community and Health Schools of study
such as nursing and pharmacy technician. Specific courses within the
Paramedic training include: Pre-hospital Care, Anatomy, Theraputic
Communications and Crisis Intervention, Alterations of Human Body
Function, Medical Directed Therapuetics & Paramedic
Responsibilities, EMS Research Methods, PCP Integration and Critical
Decision Making, and more.
Students can now earn a Paramedic
diploma from Centennial while working on a four-year bachelor of Science
in Para medicine from the University of Toronto at Scarborough (UTSC)
or after completing the diploma portion of the program.
Did you know that over the past several years, 96 per cent of the Paramedic program’s
graduates were employed as Primary Care Paramedics (PCP)? In addition,
graduates of the undertaking are eligible and prepared to take the
Ministry of Health exam for Advanced EMCA. They have consistently scored
above the provincial average on the Advanced EMCA certification exam.
Ministry regulations require this certification for employment as a
paramedic in Ontario.
Centennial College expects applicants to
present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or
equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Applicants must also possess
compulsory English 12C or U or equivalent, math 11M or U, or 12C or U or
equivalent, Biology 11C or U, or 12 U or equivalent; and one of the
following sciences: chemistry 11U, or 12C or U or physics 11U or 12C or
U. Medical requirements such as a medical doctor’s statement, certifying
a standard of health that is acceptable to Centennial College, clinical
and affiliated EMS agencies are also required. Lastly, applicants must
also not have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude (clear
vulnerable persons police background record searches are completed
throughout the program); hold a Class “F” license, which is required for
employment in Ontario (but not for program admission); complete a CPR
Level HCP course (Health Care Provider) and standard first aid
certification. For complete details on the requirements of this
undertaking, visit Centennial’s Paramedic program admission page.