May 16-21, 2021 marks the 46th annual National EMS Week, which was originally authorized by President Gerald Ford to celebrate Emergency Medical Services/Emergency Medical Technicians practitioners and the crucial work they do throughout the nation. From providing life-saving care in dire healthcare situations, to transporting and caring for our loved ones en route to the hospital, to enhancing the overall health and safety of our communities, EMS/EMT workers are an essential and invaluable branch of our healthcare systems. EMS/EMT workers are typically the first to call attention to identify public health problems, and response to a wide variety of emergencies and hazards.
As witnessed by the more dire and troubling healthcare crises brought on by the pandemic, the need for new healthcare workers to enter the field is gravely important. To ensure that our State is equipped with a caring and knowledgeable EMS/EMT workforce, SUNY offers a great breadth of certificate and degree options for those interest in these careers:
Emergency Medical Services:
Monroe Community College
- Monroe Community College offers an Emergency Medical Services Certificate Program for students interested in preparing for entry into the emergency medical services field and to prepare them academically for progression to the level of paramedic. Students will be able to seek to obtain certification to as a New York State Emergency Medical Technician after completion of EMS 110.
Emergency Medical Services Provider:
Erie Community College
- The Emergency Medical Services Provider Certificate Program at Erie Community College is designed for both the career and volunteer provider. This new certificate will require students to complete the SUNY general education courses which are available at all campuses, and ensures that the student completes core development courses in math, science, humanities, social science, EMT and other fields to be better rounded students and lifelong learners.
Emergency Medical Technician: Paramedic:
Suffolk County Community College
- This program fulfills the requirements set by state and national agencies for credentialing of the entry-level paramedic and stresses mastery of basic and advanced-life-support skills, which will be accomplished in college laboratories, affiliated hospitals and advanced-life-support ambulances. Students will become proficient in the art and science of out-of-hospital medicine with medical direction.
Emergency Medical Technology – Paramedic:
Broome Community College
- The AAS in Emergency Medical Technology/Paramedic prepares students to administer the highest level of pre-hospital care to patients in emergency situations, and is a collaborative effort between Broome Community College and Lourdes Hospital. Graduates are prepared for careers as emergency medical technicians and become eligible to sit for the NYS examination for certification as an Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P).
Dutchess Community College
- This program fulfills the requirements set by state and national agencies for credentialing of the Emergency Medical Technician- Paramedic and stresses mastery in advanced life support skills, which will be accomplished in College laboratories, affiliated hospitals and advanced life support ambulances. Students will become proficient in the art and science of out-of-hospital medicine in conjunction with medical direction.
Erie Community College
- The Emergency Medical Technology Paramedic Degree Program is designed for both the career and volunteer provider, with the primary objective to prepare students to become certified paramedics delivering effective pre-hospital advanced life support. The EMT-Paramedic Degree Program at the South Campus is CAAHEP Accredited, meets the national standard for paramedic education, making graduates eligible for the National Registry Examination.
Finger Lakes Community College
- FLCC’s Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Certificate Program is designed to provide students with advanced training opportunities and career growth. The 16-month program delivers instruction through lecture, lab experiences, clinical lessons, and field training, and the curriculum and objectives of each course is in alignment with the National Emergency Medical Services Educational Standards for Paramedics.
Paramedic:
SUNY Cobleskill, Associate & Certificate
- Through didactic education and hands-on experience in the lab, hospital and field, this program will minimally prepare students to be a competent entry-level paramedic in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with possible exit points at the AEMT and EMT levels. This program will help students make critical decisions, provide compassionate care, and be a confident leader on the scene of an emergency, with AAS and certification options.
Dutchess Community College
- This program fulfills the requirements set by state and national agencies for credentialing of the Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic, stressing mastery of advanced life support skills. Students will accomplish these objectives through didactic presentations, College laboratory time and clinical and field internships, with the primary goal of preparing competent entry-level paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exit points at the AEMT, and/or EMT and/or EMR levels.
Hudson Valley Community College, Associate & Certificate
- The Paramedic Degree Program is designed to wrap around the 15-course series that leads to the Paramedic Certificate. The degree program allows students to complete their EMT-Basic and EMT-Internship during the first year of study.
- This certificate program was designed for incoming students who already have a current NYS EMT card and one year of EMT experience. Successful completion of the courses in this program allows students to take the New York State Department of Health and National Registry of EMT’s certifying examinations at the Paramedic level.
Monroe Community College, Associate & Certificate
- This program will prepare students to become competent entry-level paramedics in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains. The Monroe Community College Paramedic Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions.
- Monroe Community College’s Paramedic Certificate Program prepares students for a career where they are part of a life-saving team. Upon completion, it also prepares students for their next key step: admission to the New York State Health Department examinations for certification as a paramedic.
Onondaga Community College, Associate & Certificate
- Through OCC’s Paramedic AAS, students will learn core medical principles that are key for your success, along with the critical thinking and communication skills to provide emergency care. This unique partnership with SUNY Upstate Medical University helps students put those principles into action and get familiar with the gear and rigging they’ll use.
- The Paramedic Certificate at OCC involves hands-on learning, which includes working in simulation labs and completing an internship for credits. The College also has a partnership with SUNY Upstate, which has relationships with Adult and Pediatric Level-I Trauma Center, Comprehensive Stroke Center, NYS Poison Control Center, and more.
Westchester Community College, Associate & Certificate
- The Paramedic and Paramedic Certificate programs prepare students for careers as paramedics, the most advanced pre-hospital EMS provider. In addition to certification by the New York State Department of Health, paramedic students have the opportunity to become Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician–Paramedics (NREMT-P).
As growth in middle-aged and elderly populations continue, there may be a greater demand for EMTs and paramedics. SUNY is answering the call through its offering of courses and programs centered on healthcare. Becoming a paramedic opens the door to a number of career possibilities, while also providing life-saving care to those in need.
Learn more about SUNY’s offerings in emergency medical services.
