2025-2026 Catalog

Emergency Medical Science A.A.S.

A45340

The Emergency Medical Science curriculum provides individuals with the knowledge, skills and attributes to provide advanced emergency medical care as a paramedic for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system and prepares graduates to enter the workforce.

Students will gain complex knowledge, competency, and experience while employing evidence based practice under medical oversight, and serve as a link from the scene into the healthcare system.

Graduates of this program may be eligible to take state and/or national certification examinations. Employment opportunities include providers of emergency medical services, fire departments, rescue agencies, hospital specialty areas, industry, educational and government agencies.

Upon succesful completion of this program, the student should be able to:

  • Develop contextual, integrative, and adaptive competence of a professional entry-level paramedic.        
  • Apply the fundamental knowledge of the Emergency Medical System (EMS).
  • Demonstrate conceptual, technical, and interpersonal competence by meeting all knowledge (cognitive), skill (psychomotor), and behavioral (affective) objectives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services.    
  • Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication and critical thinking.
  • Demonstrate effective management techniques critical to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) field. 

Additional Information

The WPCC Emergency Medical Science (EMS) program functions as an EMS Bridge program in which students must be a credentialed North Carolina or National Registry paramedic to be admitted to the program. Prior to admission to the EMS Bridge program, students are admitted to a placeholder program in which they can complete the required general education coursework and complete paramedic certification. Students must complete Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and become credentialed as an EMT prior to entering a paramedic program. Students who are credentialed paramedics will receive credit for prior learning for the following courses: EMS 122, EMS 130, EMS 131, EMS 160, EMS 220, EMS 221, EMS 231, EMS 240, EMS 241, EMS 250, EMS 260, EMS 270, and EMS 285.

General Education

Required Course

CourseTitleCreditsOffered
ENG 111Writing and Inquiry

3

FA, SP, SU

English/Communications

Take 3 semester hours credit from the following courses
CourseTitleCreditsOffered
ENG 112Writing/Research in the Disc

3

FA, SP, SU
ENG 114Prof Research & Reporting

3

FA, SP, SU

Humanities/Fine Arts

Take 3 semester hours credit from the following courses
CourseTitleCreditsOffered
ART 111Art Appreciation

3

FA, SP, SU
DRA 111Theatre Appreciation

3

FA, SP
DRA 126Storytelling

3

FA, SP
HUM 115Critical Thinking

3

HUM 230Leadership Development

3

MUS 110Music Appreciation

3

FA, SP, SU
PHI 240Introduction to Ethics

3

FA, SP, SU
REL 110World Religions

3

FA, SP, SU

Social/Behavioral Science

Take 3 semester hours credit from the following courses
CourseTitleCreditsOffered
PSY 150General Psychology

3

FA, SP, SU
SOC 210Introduction to Sociology

3

FA, SP, SU

Natural Science

CourseTitleCreditsOffered
BIO 168Anatomy and Physiology I

4

FA, SP

Major Courses

Core Required Course

CourseTitleCreditsOffered
EMS 110EMT

9

FA

Required Subject Area: Anatomy & Physiology

CourseTitleCreditsOffered
BIO 169Anatomy and Physiology II

4

SP, SU

Required Subject Area: Paramedic

CourseTitleCreditsOffered
EMS 122EMS Clinical Practicum I

1

SP
EMS 130Pharmacology

SP
EMS 131Advanced Airway Management

2

SP
EMS 160Cardiology I

3

SP
EMS 220Cardiology II

3

SU
EMS 221EMS Clinical Practicum II

2

SU
EMS 231EMS Clinical Pract III

3

SP
EMS 240Patients w/ Special Challenges

2

FA
EMS 241EMS Clinical Practicum IV

4

FA
EMS 250Medical Emergencies

4

SU
EMS 260Trauma Emergencies

2

SU
EMS 270Life Span Emergencies

3

SP
EMS 285EMS Capstone

2

FA

Other Major Required Courses

Other Major Courses

CourseTitleCreditsOffered
ACA 115Success & Study Skills

1

FA
EMS 235EMS Management

2

SU
MED 120Survey of Medical Terminology

2

SP

Total Credit Hours: 70