“The measure of our greatness is not in saving those lives that everyone else can save, for this is the standard of care. Our greatness is measured by saving those that no one else can save.”
Roy K. Yamada, M.D.
EMS Medical Director, Brookhaven College
Mission Statement
The Brookhaven College Emergency Medical Services program is dedicated to student success and committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of education and training in emergency medical service. The EMS program goal is to create responsible, caring and competent emergency medical services professionals through the professionalism and aptitude of our instructors.
Degree and Certificate Options
Brookhaven College’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program has training for EMT-basic (EMT-B) and -paramedic (EMT-P) certifications, and also offers a unique opportunity to earn an associate degree in paramedicine.
Credit certificate and associate degree options include:
Paramedicine Associate in Applied Sciences Degree
EMT-paramedics recognize, assess and manage medical emergencies of acutely ill or injured patients in pre-hospital care settings, working under the direction of a physician (often through radio communication).
The associate degree plan combines classroom teaching with supervised clinical and field experience. When you successfully complete all required coursework, you’ll be eligible to take the exam for registration as an emergency medical technician paramedic through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). Upon successful completion of that exam, you’ll then be eligible to apply for a license as an EMT-paramedic in the state of Texas.
If you are a nationally certified EMT and enrolled in Brookhaven College, credit may be given for EMSP 1501 and 1160 via credit-by-exam.
Completion time for the Paramedicine associate degree plan depends on how many courses you take at one time and in what format. Please work with a Brookhaven College advisor to devise the best strategy for your educational goals and for other prerequisites.
EMT Basic Certificate
The EMT Basic Certificate takes approximately four months to complete. A variety of schedules are offered, including shift-based, nighttime and fast track. Instruction includes basic life support, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automatic external defibrillation, physical assessment, bandaging and splinting, traction splinting, spinal immobilization, airway management, oxygen therapy and other noninvasive procedures.
Paramedicine Certificate
The Paramedicine certificate takes approximately 10 months to complete and will prepare you to function in an advanced life-support capacity with invasive skills such as:
- establishment of peripheral intravenous lines, including initiation of external jugular cannulation
- endotracheal intubation
- drug administration by various routes
- intraosseous infusions
- electrocardiogram (ECG) rhythm identification and 12-lead ECG interpretation
- defibrillation and cardioversion
- noninvasive cardiac pacing and chest decompression
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Both EMT and paramedic courses include classroom instruction, hospital rotations with emphasis on emergency department experience and emergency ambulance experience. Classes are scheduled on a “fire department” shift-based format (A-, B-, or C-shifts) as well as a nighttime class that meets four nights per week and every other Saturday. They are designed to prepare you to provide basic and advanced prehospital care to emergency patients. Skills lab time includes a cadaver lab, vehicle extrication day, helicopter landing zone class and wilderness rescue day.
Actual length of time to complete either certificate or the associate degree depends on factors such as semester and length of course and whether a course is taken in spring, summer or fall; in the daytime or at night; or as a regular or fast-track class.
How to Get Started
Acceptance to Brookhaven College’s EMS program is on a first-come, first-served basis without regards to professional affiliation.
All EMS students must:
- Be accepted to Brookhaven College (get information about the admissions process) and hold a student ID card.
- Provide proof of current CPR for health care provider certification prior to the start of the EMS program. CPR must be at the American Heart Association Health Care Provider or American Red Cross Professional Rescuer level and must be kept current throughout the duration of the EMS course of studies.
- Provide proof of immunizations. Hospitals and clinical facilities have the right to refuse students who have asked for exemptions from immunizations for personal or religious reasons. These cases will be handled individually. Contact the Brookhaven College Health Center for information or to make a vaccination appointment. Students without proof of completed immunizations will not be allowed to continue in the program, without exception.
- Obtain a Social Security card and required liability insurance policy.
Important Note: Clinical opportunities are not available for any student who cannot obtain a U.S. Social Security number. Upon acceptance to the program, students are required to obtain a Social Security number. International students are advised to contact the Brookhaven College Multicultural Center concerning this requirement.
- Have their own transportation in order to get to clinical rotation sites.
- Obtain liability insurance and consent to a thorough criminal background check and random drug testing at the student’s expense.
- Attend an EMS program orientation day and obtain required textbooks and the EMS kit(s) by the first day of class.
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EMT Certification Required to Begin Paramedic Classes
In addition, prospective paramedic students must provide proof of Texas or national registry of EMT certification for EMT-basic or EMT-intermediate prior to the mandatory EMS program orientation date.
Tuition
Dallas County residents pay $117 per three-hour class — that’s $39 per credit hour, or less than $500 for a full semester load of 12 credit hours. Compare that to what you’d pay elsewhere! See DCCCD tuition rates for tuition according to your place of residency.
Faculty Profiles
Our faculty members not only have relevant academic degrees and advanced certifications but also real-world experience that enables them to relate to the challenges you’ll face on the job. Our instructors work closely with you one-on-one, encouraging you and helping you to succeed in your training and career. See profiles of our EMS faculty members.
Accreditation
On March 14, 2008, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) awarded accreditation to the Brookhaven College EMS program.
The Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP) and CAAHEP’s board of directors recognize the program’s compliance with nationally established accreditation standards.
Brookhaven College’s EMS program is also accredited through the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).
Program Location
The EMS program, including offices and classrooms, is located in Center 2 of the Brookhaven College East complex located at 13614 Midway Road, at the northeast quadrant of Midway and Alpha roads. The program will move to the college’s new science building on the main campus when the building is completed in 2009.
Noncredit Classes in Emergency Medical Skills Certifications
Brookhaven College’s Continuing Education Divison also offers noncredit classes in emergency medical skills certifications for EMTs, paramedics, physicians, nurses and other allied medical personnel, as well as the National Registry Exam for EMTs.
| ACLS |
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (regular and fast-track) |
| BCLS |
Basic Cardiac Life Support |
| CPR |
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation |
| EMT |
EMT Basic Refresher Course |
| PALS |
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (regular and fast-track) |
| PEPP |
Prehospital Education for Prehospital Professionals
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| PHTLS |
Prehospital Trauma Life Support |
| NRP |
Neonatal Resuscitation Program |