Paramedic, Certificate

This is a G3-eligible program.  Click here to learn more.

Program Description/Purpose: The curriculum is designed to develop the competencies needed to prepare the student to achieve National Registry Paramedic Certification and to function as a Paramedic in the community.

Occupational Outcomes: To serve the community with advanced life support care via the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards (NEMSES)​​.

Accreditation Status: The EMS program at Laurel Ridge Community College is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Virginia Office of EMS.

Admission Requirements

1. Satisfy admission requirements for Laurel Ridge Community College.
2. Be at least 18 at the start of the program.
3. High School graduate or GED.
4. Laurel Ridge Community College placement test and completion of any developmental work that may be identified by the placement test. 
5. Attend a mandatory EMS orientation session prior to the start of the fall semester.
6. Meet the requirements listed in the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Service document “Prerequisites for EMS Training Programs, Criminal History and Standards of Conduct”.
7. Current Virginia or National Registry EMT-Basic
8. Current Healthcare Provider CPR Certification or other CPR card accepted by the Commonwealth of VA Office of EMS
9. No physical limitations rendering the student unfit to perform all required duties.
10. Submit results of a physical exam completed within the last 12 months as ​proof of immunizations or resistance to measles, mumps, rubella, Tdap, polio, Covid, Hepatitis B, and a TB skin test within the last 12 months. If PPD is positive, submit results of chest x-ray showing negative for active TB.
11. Complete a national background check, including fingerprinting and drug screen, with no record of any sexual crime and at least five years past the final release of any felony or drug-related convictions.

Acceptance into the EMS program is required to enroll in all EMS courses with the exception of EMS 163 , EMS 164 , EMS 165 , and EMS 167 .

Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will achieve a score above the designated cut-score for the Paramedic summative exam. 
2. Students will function as the team leader of a routine, single-patient ALS emergency call. 
3. Students will safely and effectively perform all psychomotor skills identified in the National EMS Scope of Practice document. 
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to interact with other healthcare professionals, patients, and the public at large in a highly professional manner. 

Courses are displayed under the semester in which they are regularly offered and are recommended to be taken in this sequence to ensure timely graduation. It is possible that a course shown in a particular semester may not be offered due to low enrollment or other factors.