Online Paramedic Programs: Courses, Fees, and Career Outlook

Certificate

Certificate programs give students the basic training they need to get a job at hospitals, fire departments, private ambulance companies, and government agencies.

Program length: 12 to 18 months

Curriculum: Through online classes, students on this level generally study areas such as pharmacology, pathophysiology, patient assessment, and trauma experiences.

Field training: Students are required to get hands-on experience through laboratory work, clinical experiences, and field internships.

Diploma

Diploma programs are designed to help students hone their paramedic skills. They may include learning opportunities not present in certificate programs.

Program length: 12 to 18 months

Curriculum: Online coursework covers topics such as emergency resuscitation, assessment, cardiac life support, and trauma care skills. In addition, students may be required to complete a capstone project to demonstrate their understanding of all the material they studied throughout the program.

Field training: Hands-on training is gained through clinical experiences and internships.

Associate Degree

Associate degree paramedic programs are designed to give students a more advanced paramedic education. Earning this degree can be beneficial as some employers prefer to hire workers with at least an associate degree.

Program length: Two years

Curriculum: The courses introduce the foundations of paramedics through topics including advanced life support, anatomy and physiology, and critical trauma care. In addition, students take general education classes, such as psychology, English composition, and political science.

Field training: To solidify the theories they’ve learned, students go on to complete fieldwork under the supervision of paramedicine professionals.

Bachelor’s Degree

Bachelor’s level paramedic science degrees can be earned by those who are entering the field for the first time. These programs are also ideal for current professionals who want to advance in their careers and take leadership roles at their jobs.

Program length: Four years

Curriculum: Coursework is designed to help students demonstrate a deep understanding of how emergency care works. Student also take general education courses including foreign language, sociology, mathematics, and humanities.

Field training: During clinical experiences, students develop the skills needed to treat diverse groups in the community. They also utilize evidence-based medical principles when providing care.

Accreditation

Students should choose a paramedic program that has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE). This ensures that they learn the skills employers are looking for.

In fact, accreditation is so important that people who have not attended an accredited school may not be eligible to earn the certification they need to obtain employment.

State Approved

Every state has different requirements and standards for paramedics, so students should find a school that has been approved by their state.

Otherwise, they may waste their time and money completing a program that doesn’t yield the state certification they need to find employment.

NREMT Prep

In order to earn a license, students who graduate from paramedic programs are required to pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) certification exam.

As a result, the coursework in the program students enroll in should prepare them for this test. In some cases, schools may even provide additional NREMT study resources to help.

Faculty & Support Services

When considering schools, students should look at the background of faculty members in order to ensure that they’re experts in the field.

The people providing training should have significant experience themselves to effectively teach students the realities of being a paramedic.

In addition, students should look at the amenities that schools offer, such as technical support, research materials, and access to the local medical community.

Medical Equipment & Training Facilities

Since students need to participate in simulated exercises before they can work with actual patients, it’s imperative that they have access to the best medical equipment and training facilities.

Ideally, students should visit the campus or medical facility where clinical training will take place so they can ensure they’ll have access to state-of-the-art equipment.

Administering medications

In order to learn how to administer medications during pre-hospital care, future paramedics are required to take pharmacology courses. These classes are designed to familiarize students with techniques for providing medications.

In addition, students learn about the side effects of different medications and the ethical and legal standards associated with providing these pharmaceuticals.

Performing assessments

Paramedics are required to make quick decisions about what’s wrong with patients and what needs to be done to treat them.

The fundamentals of assessments can be taught in online courses where students learn how to recognize specific medical issues and help patients accordingly.

Working with special populations

Paramedics work with patients across the lifespan, so they can take online courses that address how to deal with special populations like infants and the elderly.

These classes, which may focus on one population specifically or address different ones in the same course, teach students the special challenges associated with treating patients in these special groups.

Managing airways

When patients have an obstruction with their breathing, paramedics must know the techniques and tools necessary to clear those airways.

This is one of the skills that can only be developed with practice during hands-on training provided on campus.

Providing intravenous medications

Although students can learn about the basics of pharmacology in an online class. They learn how to give an intravenous treatment, and must practice during simulated exercises.

Communicating with patients and peers

Paramedics must be able to communicate effectively with patients that may be challenging to work with because of the pain they’re experiencing. This takes compassionate communication skills that students learn by being in these situations firsthand.

In addition, these professionals must also know how to communicate well with members of their team, so clinical experience is needed to gain this skill.