For related EMT programs, see Related Programs Listing .

Purpose: This Career Studies Certificate leads to entry-level employment opportunities in the field of Emergency Medical Services. This curriculum prepares students to assess and care for patients at the basic life support (BLS) level. Successful completion of required courses allows students to sit for the National Registry of EMT’s Emergency Medical Technician certification exam.

Admission Requirements: Applicant should meet the general requirements for admission to the college. Placement test may be required in some areas.

Program Requirements: 

Physical Requirements: This program requires extensive walking, stooping, bending, pushing, pulling, climbing stairs, and lifting. Lifting and carrying requirements: at least 125 pounds; Motor coordination is necessary because over uneven terrain, the patients’, EMTs’, and other workers’ well-being must not be jeopardized. Further, extensive use of sight, hearing, and speaking is required. An EMS provider is faced with many physical and psychological challenges. Please refer to the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services website for a more detailed functional job description- www.vdh.Virginia.gov/oems/training.

Clinical and Behavioral Requirements: Selected and supervised student clinical experience is required by the program and will be accomplished at selected, regional health care facilities and licensed EMS agencies. The student is responsible for transportation to these facilities, as well as to any scheduled field trips or combined program classes. Program preceptors will observe and evaluate the student’s suitability for the profession. If a student does not exhibit those documented behaviors required of the EMS professional, the student may be asked to withdraw from the program.

Other Requirements: In addition to basic college costs such as tuition and fees, this program requires expenditures for uniforms, books, immunizations and physical, testing fees, certification courses and some medical equipment items. Students are also responsible for their own transportation to clinical sites.

Requirements by the Virginia Department of Health

Eligibility to attend an Emergency Medical Technician course in Virginia requires that you must:

(1) Be proficient in reading, writing and speaking the English language.

(2) Be a minimum of 16 years of age at the beginning date of the certification course.  If less than 18 years of age, you must provide the course coordinator with a completed parental permission form with the signature of a parent or guardian verifying approval for enrollment in the course.

(3) Have no physical or mental impairment that would render them unable to perform all cognitive and psychomotor skills required for that level of certification.

(4) Hold current certification in an Office of Emergency Medical Services approved Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course at the beginning date of the course.  This certification must also be current at the time of state testing.

(5) Not have been convicted of or found guilty of any crime, offense or regulatory violation, or participated in any other prohibited conduct identified in state EMS regulations as follows:

(A) Have never been convicted or found guilty of any crime involving sexual misconduct where lack of affirmative consent by the victim is an element of the crime.

(B) Have never been convicted of a felony involving the sexual or physical abuse of children, the elderly or the infirm.

(C) Have never been convicted or found guilty of any crime (including abuse, neglect, theft from, or financial exploration) of a person entrusted to their care or protection in which the victim is a patient or is a resident of a health care facility.

(D) Have never been convicted or found guilty of any crime involving the use, possession, or distribution of illegal drugs except that the person is eligible for affiliation or enrollment five years after the date of final release if no additional crimes of this type have been committed during that time.

(E) Have never been convicted or found guilty of any other act that is a felony except that the felon is eligible for affiliation or enrollment five years after the date of final release if no additional felonies have been committed during that time.

(F) Are not currently under any disciplinary or enforcement action from another state EMS office or other recognized state or national healthcare provider licensing or certifying body.  Personnel subject to these disciplinary or enforcement actions may be eligible for certification provided there have been no further disciplinary or enforcement actions for five years prior to application for certification in Virginia.

(G) Have never been subject to a permanent revocation of license or certification by another state EMS office or recognized state or national healthcare provider licensing or certifying body.

(6) All references to criminal acts or convictions under this section refer to substantially similar laws or regulations of any other state or the United States.  Convictions include prior adult convictions, juvenile convictions, and adjudications of delinquency based on an offense that would have been, at the time of conviction, a felony conviction if committed by an adult within or outside Virginia.

(7) Be clean and neat in appearance.

(8) May not be under the influence of any drugs or intoxicating substances that impairs your ability to provide patient care or operate a motor vehicle while in class or performing clinicals, while on duty or when responding or assisting in the care of a patient.