Undergraduate Programs

Emergency Medical Services
Associate of Science in Paramedic Science
Associate of Science in Paramedic Science at IUPUI
  • Department Chair: Professor E. Hobgood
  • Interim Medical Director: A. Stevens
  • Program Director: Assistant Clinical Professor L. Bell
  • Adjunct Faculty: Lecturers  D. Bignell, D. Ervin, K. Gona, J. Hallam, G Hedeen, P. Hutchinson, J. Hively, M. Mangrum, A. Michaels, J. Scheiderer, D. Seketa, M. Thralls, B. Tilson

Completion of the Course Work/ Graduates of the Program
The associate degree in paramedic science is open to students of the university who have completed the prerequisites for admission. A student completing the course work is prepared to work as an EMT-Paramedic to deliver emergency patient care in the out-of-hospital setting. The paramedic must be a confident leader who can accept the challenge and high degree of responsibility entailed in the position. The paramedic provides the most extensive pre-hospital care and may work for fire departments, private ambulance services, police departments, or hospitals. Response times are dependent upon nature of call.

Credential Required to PracticeEMT-Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician- Paramedic)

Licensure Required to Practice  Graduates of the paramedic program must pass a state-administered certification examination before credentialing. The certification examination in Indiana is the National Advanced Level Certification Examination for EMT-Paramedics and is administered by the National Registry of EMTs on behalf of the Indiana EMS Commission. The EMS Commission is the regulating body that certifies paramedics in Indiana.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

Description of the Profession Paramedics have fulfilled prescribed requirements by a credentialing agency to practice the art and science of out-of-hospital medicine in conjunction with medical direction. Through performing of assessments and providing medical care, their goal is to prevent and reduce mortality and morbidity due to illness and injury. Paramedics primarily provide care to emergency patients in an out-of-hospital setting.

Paramedics possess the knowledge, skills, and attitudes consistent with the expectations of the public and the profession. Paramedics recognize that they are an essential component of the continuum of care and serve as linkages among health resources.

Paramedics strive to maintain high-quality, reasonably priced health care by delivering patients directly to appropriate facilities. As an advocate for patients, paramedics seek to be proactive in affecting long-term health care by working in conjunction with other provider agencies, networks, and organizations. The emerging roles and responsibilities of the paramedic include public education, health promotion, and participation in injury- and illness-prevention programs. As the scope of service continues to expand, the paramedic will function as a facilitator of access to care, as well as an initial treatment provider.

Paramedics are responsible and accountable to medical direction, the public, and their peers. Paramedics recognize the importance of research and actively participate in the design, development, evaluation, and publication of research. Paramedics seek to take part in lifelong professional development and peer evaluation and assume an active role in professional and community organizations.

Program Goals

The Associate of Science in Paramedic Science Program intends to:

  • Enable the student to perform as a paramedic.
  • Provide didactic instruction in the body of paramedic knowledge that will lead a student to hold competencies that will guide the student in lifelong learning as a health care professional.
  • Provide clinical instruction that will provide the student with mastery of clinical competencies necessary to perform as a paramedic and will guide the student in lifelong learning as a health care professional.
  • Provide a field internship that will develop a student's ability to apply mastered competencies, guided by mentors in real-time situations.
  • Develop values that will prepare the student to be sensitive to the cultural needs of all patients.
  • Develop knowledge, competency, and awareness of one's abilities and limitations; the ability to relate to people; and a capacity for calm and reasoned judgment while under stress.
  • Develop values that will prepare the student to independently process information to make critical decisions.

Program Objectives

  • The paramedic student will be able to establish and/or maintain a patent airway and oxygenate and ventilate patients.
  • The paramedic student will be able to take a proper history and perform a comprehensive physical exam on any patient and communicate the findings to others.
  • The paramedic student will be able to integrate pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan for trauma and medical patients, including neonatal, pediatric, and geriatric patients; patients of diverse backgrounds; chronically ill patients; and patients with common complaints.
  • The paramedic student will be able to safely manage the scene of an emergency. 

At the completion of the general course of study,

  • The student must demonstrate the ability to safely administer medications.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to safely perform endotracheal intubation.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to safely gain venous access in patients of all age groups.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to effectively ventilate un-intubated patients of all age groups.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to perform a comprehensive assessment on pediatric, adult, geriatric, obstetric, trauma, and psychiatric patients.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to perform a comprehensive assessment and formulate and implement a treatment plan for patients with chest pain.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to perform a comprehensive assessment and formulate and implement a treatment plan for patients with dyspnea/respiratory distress.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to perform a comprehensive assessment and formulate and implement a treatment plan for patients with syncope.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to perform a comprehensive assessment and formulate and implement a treatment plan for patients with abdominal complaints.
  • The student must demonstrate the ability to perform a comprehensive assessment and formulate and implement a treatment plan for patients with altered mental status.

Length of the Program Two years; one year (24-26 credit hours) of prerequisite work plus 12 months of professional course work (42 credit hours).

Structure of the Professional Program The prerequisites may be taken on a part-time basis; the professional program is a full-time program conducted primarily during the day. Students can enter in either the spring or fall semester. Clinical activities occur during the evening or on weekends.

Design of the Professional Curriculum The curriculum is a competency-based education program of clinical, didactic, and practical instruction integrated with a field internship in advanced emergency care and services.

This program will serve students seeking careers in emergency medical services. It will serve students entering the program immediately after high school as well as nontraditional students. The majority of students are nontraditional in that they have begun to pursue a career in the emergency medical services field on a part-time, full-time, or volunteer basis before deciding on a full-time role in emergency medicine as an EMT-P.

The program follows guidelines established by the Indiana Emergency Medical Services Commission, integrating general-education course work and paramedic science course work leading to an associate of science degree. The degree program will build on resources established in the largest and most comprehensive EMT-Paramedic Program in Indiana, the program at Wishard Hospital. In addition to classroom and laboratory facilities located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus, area health care facilities involved in the preparation of EMT-paramedics in this program include Wishard Hospital, Wishard Ambulance Service, Avon Fire Department, and Riley Hospital for Children.

Location of Clinicals The primary locations of the clinical rotations are in Indianapolis. A few rotations may be required elsewhere in central Indiana.

Additional Costs In addition to regular university fees, students will need to purchase a personal stethoscope, EKG caliper, and uniform for the clinical rotation. Contact the program for a current cost sheet.

Opportunity for Students to Work Some students have part-time jobs while completing the professional course work.

Description of Facilities The program offices are located at 3930 Georgetown Road (northwest Indianapolis) through Wishard Memorial Hospital's Emergency Medical Services Division. The classroom and laboratory are located on that Wishard campus. The primary clinical site is at Wishard Hospital. The primary field site is the Wishard Ambulance Service. Other clinical and field sites are available in central Indiana.

Accreditation The associate degree program in paramedic science received its initial accreditation through the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions, 4101 W. Green Oaks Blvd., Suite 305-599, Arlington, TX 76016, (817) 330-0080, www.coaemsp.org.

Last Update: August 14, 2012


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