Emergency Medical Services

Terry Houston,
Director of Occupational Extension
(828) 448-6751 • thouston@wpcc.edu

Nicole Hudson
Paramedic Program Director
(828) 430-1488 • ncarswell2@wpcc.edu

Western Piedmont Community College offers area rescue personnel training opportunities throughout the year, including Emergency Medical Technician-Basic and Paramedic courses. Learn more about our course offerings below.

EMS Training Calendars

• Current EMS Training Calendar 
• CPR Schedule
• Current Fire and Rescue Training Calendar
• Statewide Emergency Services Training Classes

Upcoming EMT Classes

Emergency Medical Technician – Night Session (#69522)

July 31 – December 14, 2023
Monday/Thursday, 6:00 – 10:00 PM
8 Saturdays from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM – 8/5, 8/19, 9/23, 10/7, 10/21, 11/4, 11/18, 12/9
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: July 24

Get More Information & Register

Paramedic Program

Western Piedmont’s Emergency Services Training Center paramedic program offers you and educational experience that emphasizes professionalism and standardization.  WPCC has options for those with no previous EMS experience and also functioning EMTs.  Whether you are a recent high school graduate or someone in career transition, you will receive quality training and experience in this education setting.  In addition to both day and night classes, WPCC has partnered with Burke County EMS to offer an EMS Academy.  Paramedic certification will help students meet the local and regional labor market demands as well as fulfilling their career aspirations.

Our program goal is: To prepare competent entry–level Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exits points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and/or Emergency Medical Technician, and/or Emergency Medical Responder levels.

Interested students should contact Nicole Hudson via email at ncarswell2@wpcc.edu for information on how to apply for the EMS Academy or to register for Paramedic classes.

Prerequisites for Paramedic Classes and EMS Academy

• Must be 18 years of age to enroll into the course.  Applicants to the EMS Academy currently less than 18 years of age should discuss directly with the Paramedic Program Director.
• Placement testing with reading, English language comprehension, and mathematical computation on the post-secondary level.  Please schedule placement testing with Nicole Hudson as part of the overall course registration process.  Proof of successful completion of college-level English and/or college-level Math may be accepted upon the approval of the paramedic director.  A degree conferred from an accredited institution may meet the placement testing requirement.  Please discuss with Nicole Hudson.
• For entry into the paramedic night or day classes (not the EMS Academy):  Possession of a valid and active North Carolina EMT credential, NREMT, or other state EMS credential.
• Co-Requisite: Successful Completion of an approved Anatomy and Physiology course:

• • EMS 3163: NC OEMS Anatomy and Physiology (offered at WPCC)
  • BIO 163: Basic Anatomy and Physiology (offered at WPCC)
  • BIO 165 & BIO 166: Anatomy and Physiology I & II (must complete both sections)
  • BIO 168 & BIO 169: Anatomy and Physiology I & II (must complete both sections)
• Must complete the application packet entirely and submit it. Contact Nicole Hudson via phone (828-430-1488) or via e-mail (ncarswell2@wpcc.edu) for information on how to register.
• Due to the class complexity and prerequisite requirements, walk-ins will not be accepted.

Accreditation

The Western Piedmont Community College Paramedic program holds a Letter of Review, which is NOT a CAAHEP accreditation status, but is a status granted by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP) signifying that a program seeking initial accreditation has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the accreditation standards through the Letter of Review Self Study Report (LSSR) and other documentation. However, it is NOT a guarantee of eventual accreditation.

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