Paramedic Paramedic Certificate Program Admission Information Packet Applications Accepted September 1, 2026 - August 10, 2027 Credits 29 Program Type Certificate Accredited by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Office for Emergency Medical Services (OEMS), CoAEMSP (#600741) and CAAHEP Build the patient care knowledge, medical skills and confidence necessary to advance your career in emergency medicine As a certified basic or advanced EMT, you can complete GCC’s paramedic certificate to take the next step in your career. Our rigorous program covers all aspects of advanced life support care, such as advanced patient assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment plans and implementation. The paramedic certificate program starts each fall. It meets on campus two evenings per week, as well as an average of two Saturdays a month. The program can be completed in as few as 15 months and includes 600 hours of clinical and field time. This program follows a specific sequence of required courses. 100% attendance at all classes and clinical sessions is required. A strict attendance policy forces the supervised makeup of all missed work. Classes must be completed sequentially within 24 months of beginning the program; we do not accept transfer into our paramedic program. Consult our Student Handbook and academic calendar for policies and important dates. The paramedic program is a comprehensive course of study in advanced life support care. Lecture Schedule Section 1: Tue/Thurs 5-9:30 p.m. Section 2: Mon/Wed 5-9:30 p.m. Both sections meet together on scheduled Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at GCC for skills labs, seminar teaching and other specialty topics. Paramedic students are required to purchase paramedic program shirts and texts. There are lab fees which cover the cost of drug screen testing, national background check and the costs of ACLS, PALS, PHTLS and PEARS certifications, disposable goods, instructor/student ratios and initial NREMT examination fee. Students are required to cover the costs associated with travel to and from clinical and field sites. The curriculum of GCC’s paramedic program meets the most recent national standard requirements for paramedic education and prepares you to take the National Registry certification examination. Paramedics go on to work with fire departments, ambulance services, hospital emergency departments and in other clinical settings where advanced emergency care skills are required. Paramedic course credits may be transferable to degree programs at some two- or four-year colleges—GCC's Liberal Arts Health (LAH) program will accept 22 EMS credits and our Fire Science Technology (FST) program will accept up to 15 EMS credits. Admission and transfer offices at any college or university can advise you on applying your credits towards an associate or baccalaureate degree. Application Process Applicants to this program must: Be 18 years old at the time of program enrollment Be a current or new GCC student New students — Submit a general GCC admission application and select Paramedic as your intended major; if accepted, you will be placed into Liberal Arts/PMC Intent (LIB) Current students — Submit a change of major form to Allied Health/PMC Intent (ALH) Have a minimum GPA of 2.0 (current students) Meet the English requirement by either: Successfully completing any college-level course at GCC (with a grade of C- or better) Submitting official transcripts of previous college coursework (with a grade of C- or better) Taking a placement assessment Be a currently certified EMT or AEMT Acceptable documentation includes current Massachusetts EMT or advanced licensure card; current NREMT basic or advance certification card; any other state basic or advanced EMT licensure card (e.g., CT, VT, NH) Have a minimum of 75 ambulance patient contacts Hold current CPR certification (American Heart Association Basic Life Support only) Submit official high school transcript or HiSET®/GED® transcript with graduation date Complete the Paramedic Certificate Program Application GCC General Application connect.gcc.mass.edu/apply Paramedic Application gccfor.me/PMC The program accepts students on a rolling basis pending completion of specific admission criteria. Acceptance is contingent upon space availability. Program applications are accepted throughout the year until the program is full, but not after August 10 of each year. If applications exceed program capacity, a waiting list will be established. The waiting list will roll over to the next academic year; applicants need not reapply. Health Requirements All health occupations students must provide appropriate documentation of immunity as required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Greenfield Community college and clinical practice sites. Requirements are subject to change at the discretion of clinical healthcare facilities. If requirements are updated during your time in the program, you are required to take the necessary steps to meet the new requirements and continue in the program. Forms for documentation can be found in your admission status portal upon acceptance and should be submitted only after you have been directed to do so by the Health Records Office. Health records can typically be obtained from your primary care provider’s office. Most offices have a patient portal where you can print your immunization records and laboratory results. The print option produces the best version for a screenshot as the document must show your name and date of birth as well as a list of immunizations or blood test results with dates. Your immunization records may also be available from the Massachusetts Immunization Information System. All health records must include your name, date of birth (DOB), type of vaccine/test and date of vaccine/test and must be signed/labeled by a healthcare provider such as a pharmacy, clinic, healthcare provider’s office, patient portal, school/college or state immunization system Laboratory test records must include the results COVID-19 and flu vaccination records must include the name of the site that administered each vaccine COVID-19 vaccination records must include the manufacturer (Pfizer, Moderna, etc.) of each dose Documents your receive prior to vaccination will NOT meet the criteria Payment receipts, consent forms and prescriptions will NOT be accepted as proof of vaccine administration Required Documentation Upload to your application status portal after acceptance to the program; refer to your status portal for forms and deadlines. Deadlines in your acceptance packet are strictly enforced; students who do not have these items completed by the posted dates will be replaced by students on the waiting list. Student Health Information Release Authorization for Health Occupations Students — This form allows the college to share your health records with clinical agencies if requested. Form must be signed and dated. Student Health History & Physical Exam Attestation — You must have a complete physical performed by your healthcare provider within a year of the deadline; form must include the date of the exam and be signed by the provider. CPR certification — American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) only Clinical Onboarding Information Form — Required by the clinical agencies for security onboarding purposes Respirator Medical Clearance Form — Must be completed and signed by your healthcare provider within a year of the deadline COVID-19 vaccination — At least an initial series OR one (1) dose received September 2022 or later is required. A dose of the most recent booster formula is strongly recommended, however the updated booster dose may be declined. If this requirement changes during your time in the program, you will be required to meet the updated requirement. Influenza (flu) — Seasonal vaccination required each fall. Meningococcal ACWY — Required only if you are 21 years old or younger; one Meningococcal C Conjugate vaccination on or after 16th birthday, OR a signed MDPH Meningococcal Information and Waiver form. Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) — One (1) vaccination within the past 10 years (must be the TDaP vaccine—the Td vaccine does NOT meet this requirement). Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) — Two (2) vaccinations at least 28 days apart OR positive IgG blood titers for measles, mumps and rubella. Varicella (chickenpox) — Two (2) vaccinations at least 28 days apart OR a positive IgG blood titer. Four-panel urine drug screen — Screening will occur between July 15 and August 15 of the year you begin the program. Annual tuberculosis (TB) screening — Choose one (1) of the following two methods. Students with a positive TB test result must submit a negative chest x-ray and a tuberculosis symptom questionnaire. Another TB test is required annually one year after initial test, and after any break from your clinical program where you went to a high-risk facility or traveled to an endemic area outside the United States. One (1) negative IGRA blood test (T-SPOT or QuantiFERON Gold) Two (2) negative skin tests (PPD/Mantoux) one-two weeks apart with documentation of the plant and read dates and induration reported in mm. Hepatitis B — Completion of a three-dose vaccination series OR a two-dose Heplisav-B series Positive hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) blood titer — See table; any titer result that is indeterminate or equivocal will be considered a negative result and you will need to be (re)vaccinated with a complete series of vaccinations per current standards for healthcare personnel. Titers are not recommended after two (2) vaccinations against MMR or varicella. Hepatitis B Schedules Vax Type 0 Month 1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months 5 Months 6 Months 7 Months Original 3-dose infant schedule 1st dose 2nd dose 3rd dose This original series is typically given between birth and the first birthday. No titers are drawn until required by a college, employer or medical necessity. Therefore, get a titer as soon as possible while you search for your records. If it is positive you may be all set or able to decline vaccination. If negative you will need to be vaccinated over the next 2–6 months with ONE of the following: 2-dose series due to negative titer HeplisavB, HepB-CpG 1st dose 2nd dose Titer Repeating a 3-dose series due to negative titer EngerixB, Recombivax HB, Twinrix, PreHevbrio 4th dose Titer Positive: Stop here Negative: Complete the next 2 doses 5th dose 6th dose may be given 4 months after 4th IF it is also at least 2 months after the 5th 6th dose Titer If the titer is still negative after a second series of vaccinations you may be a non-responder. No further vaccinations are needed and you may continue in your program. Discuss the results with your healthcare provider to see if further testing is required and to be aware of your risk of exposure to hepatitis B and the precautions to follow in such an event. Additional Program Requirements Enrollment in a health occupations program is conditional upon completion of the following prior to the start of classes or to begin clinical courses. Specific deadlines will be available in an applicant’s admission status portal upon acceptance to the program. In addition, students must maintain a minimum 2.0 (C) grade point average throughout the duration of enrollment. CORI Check Health occupations students are required to undergo and pass a CORI check as well as a national background screen in order to begin and remain in the program and be eligible for placement in a clinical facility. Students assigned to clinical education experiences at our contracted facilities may also be required to undergo and pass additional random screenings in order to remain at that clinical facility and in the program. Students who fail a screening, or refuse to submit to a screening within the designated time frame, will be ineligible for beginning or continuing in the program. Any appeal of a CORI screening will be reviewed and decided by the college’s CORI Officer. Drug Screening Health occupations students are expected to perform at their highest functional level during all educational and clinical experiences to support learning and ensure patient and student safety. Therefore, students must remain free of impairment from prescription or non-prescribed drugs, including alcohol and marijuana. All health occupations students must undergo and pass a college-endorsed four-panel urine drug screen to remain in the program and qualify for clinical placement. Contracted clinical facilities may also require additional random or scheduled drug and/or alcohol screenings. Students who fail a screening or who do not complete one within the required timeframe will be ineligible for clinical placement and therefore unable to remain in the program. Students with a positive drug test may appeal the results of the test within five (5) days of notification of the drug test results. This appeal must be in writing and delivered to the college’s Health Records Office. An appeal by a student who claims that they tested positive due to a prescription drug and was unable to clarify this matter with the CastleBranch medical review officer (MRO) shall include evidence from a health care provider of the type of prescription, dates of permissible use and dosage amounts. Students whose appeals are denied may re-apply for re-entry into the program after one year. Requests for re-admission will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with program criteria. Students notified of a “negative-dilute” result must complete one additional drug screen by the deadline set by the college. A second “negative-dilute” result will be treated as a positive test and will result in withdrawal from the program. Additional random testing may be required. Students who test positive for marijuana may not be allowed to continue in clinical placement, which will affect program standing. Although recreational marijuana is legal in Massachusetts, it remains a controlled substance under federal law and its use, possession, distribution or cultivation is prohibited at educational institutions. Students are responsible for any additional testing fees related to an appeal. All students must sign a release form authorizing GCC to conduct the four-panel urine drug screen. Further information about the screening process will be provided by the Health Records Office before program enrollment or the start of clinical rotations. Health Insurance All health occupations students must provide proof of health insurance; insurance may be purchased through the college. Requirements for Final Program Enrollment Informational meeting with program coordinator — Schedule after acceptance into the program All students are required to submit a current AHA BLS Provider CPR certification and NREMT, state EMT or advanced certification documentation at the time of application. Students must maintain CPR and EMT/advanced credential currency while in the program. Curriculum Available at catalog.gcc.mass.edu/programs/PMC Program Costs Costs below are an estimate only based on the most recently available tuition and fee schedule; all costs are subject to change. Tuition & Fees Semester Tuition & Fees Program Fee Total Fall Year 1 (5 credits) $1,255 $735 $1990 Spring Year 1 (10 credits) $2,490 $666 $3,156 Summer I (8 credits) $1,996 $293 $2,289 Fall. Year 2 (4 credits) $968 $450 $1,530 January Year 2 (2 credits) $494 $405 $1145 Total $10,110 Additional Costs Malpractice insurance (per year)* $13 Clinical and field uniforms $175 Books and supplies $1,300 NREMT Cognitive Exam fee (if needed) $175 OEMS certification fee† $150 Remediation fee (if needed) $200-300 Health insurance (waivable)‡ $4,379 * Required of all students, collected in fall semester † Fee to practice in Massachusetts after certification; other state feeds will vary ‡ All students must have proof of health insurance; this is the cost to purchase through MyGCC Risks & Standards Occupational Risks Providing emergency medical services involves inherent occupational risks for EMS responders, including violence, verbal threats, motor vehicle accidents, infectious diseases, lifting injuries, sprains, falls, exposure to hazardous chemicals, temperature extremes, fatigue and psychological trauma. Paramedics face substantial physical, emotional and cognitive demands as part of their profession. Technical Standards Successful completion of the Paramedic Certificate Program requires proficiency in the performance of a variety of skills. Our admission requirements determine minimal standards for the cognitive learning domain; technical standards clarify minimum standards for the affective and psychomotor learning domains. To that end, students must: Be ambulatory and able to lift, carry and balance up to 100 pounds. Examples of activities include but are not limited to: Carry and manipulate equipment Carry, lift, support and position patient(s), including patients incapable of independent movement/ambulation Be in sufficient physical condition so as to be able to bend, stoop, balance and crawl on even and uneven terrain; have the ability to withstand varied environmental conditions such as extreme heat, extreme cold and moisture, at times under prolonged conditions. Examples of activities include but are not limited to: Gain access to and extricate patients from a variety of mechanical, environmental and physical settings Perform tasks and duties in inclement weather and during natural and manmade disaster situations Perform duties in conditions of extreme or sustained noise Possess fine motor coordination and hand/eye/foot coordination required to perform technical and precise skills. Motor coordination may be defined as the ability to make a movement or response quickly and accurately. Examples of activities include but are not limited to: Preparation and administration of medications Insertion of intravenous catheter Insertion of endotracheal tube Perform CPR and manual electrical therapy Balance while lifting/moving/positioning patients and/or equipment Drive, steer and brake emergency response vehicle in a variety of environmental conditions during day and night settings Possess the visual acuity necessary to perform technical skills and to make precise discriminations. Examples of activities include but are not limited to: Accurately discern street signs and address numbers Accurately read medication/prescription labels and directions for usage Accurately determine precise amounts of medication Discern deviations in eye/skin coloration due to patient’s condition and treatment provided Discern anomalies in patient appearance during physical assessment Have sufficient verbal ability and auditory perception to be able to perform comprehensive patient assessment, management and transport. Examples of activities include but are not limited to the ability to: Interpret and respond to written and oral instructions or descriptions Converse via phone, radio or in person with health care providers and EMS personnel Communicate verbally with patients and bystanders in diverse cultural and age groups Effectively use a stethoscope and other diagnostic equipment requiring visual and/or auditory interpretation Be able to effectively communicate with patients, bystanders and other health care providers. Communication involves speech, reading, writing, and awareness of emotional messages included in body language, tone and presentation. Activities include but are not limited to: Clear and rapid communication with medical personnel, non-medically trained professionals, patients and family members, including the ability to elicit as well as convey information Awareness of the emotional messages conveyed by patients, self and others Precise and legible medical/legal documentation of all aspects of patient care Have the emotional stability and maturity to exercise sound judgment while effectively completing patient care activities. Examples of attributes include but are not limited to the ability to: Remain calm in high-stress situations Assume the role of team leader Work independently and confidently without defined structure Practice effective time-management Reason in a stable manner Draw valid conclusions expediently, often with limited information Self-reflect Accept constructive criticism Contact Information Laura Earl Health Occupations Admission Coordinator Program application requirements and admission information Transfer credit CORI and background check questions (413) 775-1816 earl@gcc.mass.edu Schedule an Appointment Danielle VerPlanck Office of Admission General college admission information (413) 775-1802 verplanckd@gcc.mass.edu Health Records Office Health requirements information (413) 775-1858 healthrecords@gcc.mass.edu Dawn Josefski Associate Dean of Allied Health General program information (413) 775-1761 josefski@gcc.mass.edu