Career Description Enter the challenging and rewarding profession of pre-hospital emergency medicine as a paramedic.
Paramedicine is a specialty whose practitioners respond to emergencies before a patient reaches a hospital, rendering basic and advanced medical treatment before and during transport to a medical facility. The EMT-paramedic provides the highest level of pre-hospital medical care for sick and injured persons.
Cochise College provides both a certificate and an associate of applied science degree in paramedicine. Certified by the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (ADHS-BEMS), the program prepares you to practice as a nationally registered paramedic providing pre-hospital emergency medicine for fire departments, ambulance services and hospital emergency units.
Students pursuing the associate of applied science degree in paramedicine must complete the 28-credit curriculum for the paramedicine certificate, as well as 39 credits of additional general education and elective courses. Certification as an EMT-Basic or completion of EMT 174 is required. The degree is awarded only to those who have successfully completed the required Cochise College coursework and who have been certified as paramedics through the Arizona Department of Health Services. You also must complete the state-mandated hours of clinical experience, including ambulance "ride time" under the supervision of a qualified preceptor.
Employment Outlook This program prepares you to become employed as a paramedic and to provide emergency healthcare services through emergency services providers.
Paramedics earn an average of $14.00 to $25.00 an hour for an average salary of $30,000 to $50,000 a year.
Program Length
The core curriculum takes three semesters and includes 500 hours of classroom time and 500 hours of clinical time as required by ADHS-BEMS. Degree-seeking students can expect to spend additional semesters completing 39 additional general education and elective courses associated with the paramedicine degree.
Curriculum
Students pursuing the associate of applied science degree in paramedicine must complete the 28-credit curriculum for the paramedicine certificate, as well as 39 additional general education and elective courses, as listed below. Certification as an EMT-Basic or completion of EMT 174 is required.
General Education Requirements for Degree* Credits
ENG 101
Composition
3
ENG 102
English Composition
3
PSY 101
Intro to Psychology
3
SOC 101
Intro to Sociology
3
BIO 201
Human Anatomy & Physiology I
4
BIO 202
Human Anatomy & Physiology II
4
CHM 130/151
Chemistry
4
BIO 205
Microbiology
4
Electives
3
*Pre-requisites / additional courses required
Cost - for 67 Credits
Certificate Program Cost*
$5,864
Tuition (67 x $47/credit)
$3,149
Registration / Technology Fee
90
Lab Fees
EMT 201
555
EMT 202
555
EMT 203
155
ACLS
150
PALS
150
NALS
150
ITLS
150
Liability Insurance
30
National Testing Fee**
110
Uniform/Name Tag
30
Background and Drug Screen Fee
90
Books
500
*All fees are approximate, subject to change, and for in-state students.
** Fee paid to testing agency
*All fees are approximate, subject to change, and for in-state students.
