‘It’s time for a change.’ Weatherford College to offer pilot paramedic program

The opportunity to be a part of history is limited, but available at Weatherford College as applications are now being accepted for the school’s first open enrollment paramedic program with classes starting this May.

The new program eliminates the requirement for students to obtain their emergency medical technician certification prior to entering paramedic training. Rather, an intense EMT level education is part of the paramedic curriculum.

This shortens the program by six months, enabling students to be fully licensed paramedics in one year.

The pilot program is limited to 24 students. Anyone with formal pre-hospital training or who currently is certified at any EMS level is not eligible for this program.

WC Emergency Medical Services Program Director Jeff McDonald said the change will reduce the time frame for the education of a paramedic by up to eight months, from the current standard of up to 20 months down to about a year.

“For a fire department that is needing paramedics on the streets this saves more than time,” McDonald said. “It also saves tax dollars spent training personnel, and the cost of overtime to back fill the vacant positions.

“For civilian paramedic students it allows them to complete the program almost a year earlier since they will not be required to complete EMT school, then wait four to 12 months to get into the next available paramedic program.”

McDonald added that “it’s time for a change.”

“Just because we always have, does not mean we have to keep doing it that way. Over the years EMS education has advanced, but our model of certification hierarchy has not. It’s time to shake the tree,” he said.

Weatherford College is one of only two colleges in Texas chosen to pilot this new program, which was developed to address a nationwide shortage of paramedics. The other is Del Mar College in Corpus Christi.

“We are extremely proud of all of our first responders. Our newly re-envisioned paramedic program will remove barriers and expand the educational opportunities of our students,” Weatherford College President Dr. Tod Allen Farmer said.

McDonald said Weatherford College faculty championed the cause for this pilot program from the onset, along with the leadership of the Education Committee for the Governors EMS and Trauma Advisory Council. He said the college was chosen based on its diligence in assuring the Department of State Health Services that the process of training paramedics could be done without any decrease in the quality of the graduate.

“You don’t have to be a nurse’s aid before becoming an RN, you don’t have to be physician’s assistant before being a physician,” McDonald said. “If these other well-respected professions can prepare students for the ultimate goal in a single educational program, emergency medical services and paramedics can do it as well. It’s time. We are honored to be part of the process to lead the way. “

Those interested can request a petition for acceptance at wcpspinfo@wc.edu.