Paramedics use their skills to treat acute illnesses and work in traumatic situations along side firefighters. You’ll learn all aspects of patient care in Hawkeye’s state-of-the-art simulation lab before gaining real world experience through our hospital and field internship program.
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program prepares you for entry-level emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic positions. You will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize, assess, and manage medical emergencies and patients with acute traumatic and medical conditions in a pre-hospital setting. You'll be prepared to provide optimal response and care to victims of any emergency, disaster, or mass casualty event. Skills include but are not limited to:
- Patient assessment and stabilization
- Medication administration
- Airway management and ventilation
- Patient records and documentation
- Wound care
EMS is a unique combination of public health, public safety, and acute patient care.
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
Accreditation
The Emergency Medical Services at Hawkeye Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
1361 Park Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org
The Emergency Medical Services program is authorized by the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
Certification
Upon successful EMS course completion, you will be eligible to take national certification exams through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT).
Community and Continuing Education Options
Emergency medical responders (EMR) and emergency medical technicians (EMT) classes are available for individuals who would like to serve their communities as on a volunteer basis.
Hawkeye also offers continuing education courses for graduates and professionals to maintain their EMS licenses in the State of Iowa.
Student Success Specialist
Darla Palmer
“If you sincerely want to be successful in life, all you need is one person to believe in you, and that one person should be YOU. As long as you genuinely believe in yourself, you can and will be a success. Your mindset is a powerful force! What you think and how you think will be the ultimate factor of your journey’s end.” —Stephanie Lahart
See Darla's bio.
Your Criminal History Matters
As a future emergency services responder, students need to use good judgment in all areas of their personal, professional, and scholastic interactions and activities; and must keep their records clean. All hospitals, EMS, and fire agencies require background checks for internships, volunteer placements, and employment.
Be aware that character counts and your behavior can sabotage your ability to graduate from this program and your ability to work in the field. Consider what your actions and criminal history says about you….i.e. an OWI conviction indicates that you demonstrate poor judgment by drinking to excess and deciding to drive, which may kill or injure you or another person.
If you want to work in emergency services, avoid these issues:
- Acquiring speeding tickets or safety violation citations.
- Acquiring a suspended driver’s license or citations for driving with a suspended license.
- Participating in underage drinking, using fake ID’s, or buying alcohol for underage persons.
- Use or abuse of prescription drugs, street drugs, club drugs (ecstasy), marijuana, or synthetic drugs.
- Engaging in theft of property, goods, or services.
- Assault or battery related cases.
You will not be employable in emergency services if you have:
- Felony convictions.
- Domestic abuse convictions.
- Placement on an abuse registry (sex offender, child/elder abuse).
- Drug convictions, or history of drug use or abuse (methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, etc.) Each agency (city, county, state, or federal) sets their own limits on marijuana use from zero tolerance to a limited amount of use, and factors in how recent the use was.
Ultimately, potential employers will rationalize your behavior by this criteria: If you know or reasonably believe an action is illegal or will cause harm then the best candidate will take responsibility, demonstrate self-control, and not do it.
Lastly, employers will ask our faculty for references. Students need to know that full time faculty and adjunct faculty members are constantly formally and informally assessing students in terms of academic performance, attendance, honesty, professionalism, social skills, maturity, and appearance so that we can make objective assessments when asked. Your interactions count, and we are here to mentor you.
Paramedic—Certificate Option Admissions Requirements
Admissions Process
- Apply for admission at Hawkeye.
- Request to have your official transcripts sent to the Admissions office.
- Complete Step 1–6 below.
Completed applicant files (we have your application, transcripts, and test scores) will be processed as follows:
- Applicants who do not meet the program's admission requirements will be sent an admissions inactivation letter.
- Applicants enrolled in coursework to complete Steps 1–6 will become candidates.
- Upon successful completion of Steps 1–6 applicants will be placed on the Eligible for Acceptance list. Placement on the list is determined by the highest total points from the Paramedic criteria. If applicants share the same number of points, the second criteria used will be the Paramedic application date. The earliest application date will take priority over a later application date.
The Paramedic program accepts approximately 18 students each fall semester.
Hawkeye's Equal Opportunity Statement
Complete the online application for the Paramedic program
The application link will be sent to you upon acceptance to the Emergency Medical Services program.
Complete the Basic Skill Competencies Requirements
Option 1
Score at least the following scores on any combination of the below assessment options:
| ACT sub scores |
COMPASS scores |
ASSET scores |
ACCUPLACER scores |
19—Reading
19—English
14—Math |
82—Reading
65—Writing
24—Pre-Algebra |
38—Reading
40—Writing
38—Numerical |
90—Reading
98—Sentence Skills
40—Arithmetic |
Applicants can take the ACT assessment or the ACCUPLACER assessment at Hawkeye. Pre-registration is required.
Option 2
Successfully complete the following college success courses with a "C" grade or higher at Hawkeye Community College or comparable courses at another accredited college:
- ENG-061 College Preparatory Writing II
- RDG-040 College Preparatory Reading III
- MAT-045 Fundamentals of Math
Option 3
Any combination of the above fulfilling the basic skills requirements of algebra, reading, and writing.
Complete Required General Education Courses
Successfully complete the required general education courses, or the equivalent, with a cumulative GPA or 2.50 or higher:
- BIO-168 Human Anatomy & Physiology I
- BIO-173 Human Anatomy & Physiology II
- HSC-113 Medical Terminology for Health Sciences
Certifications
Hold current Iowa EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) or NREMT (National Registry Emergency Medical Technician) Certification.
Letters of Recommendation
Provide three letters of recommendation. The letters must come from non-family members and be submitted directly to:
Hawkeye Community College
Paramedic Department
Health Education and Services Center
P.O. Box 8015
Waterloo, IA 50704
Paramedic Admission Interview
Successfully complete the Paramedic admission committee interview.
Paramedic Point System
| Required General Education Courses CGPA: (BIO-168, BIO-173, HSC-113) |
| Cumulative GPA 3.50 or higher. |
4 points |
| Cumulative GPA 3.00–3.49. |
3 points |
| Cumulative GPA 2.80–2.99 |
1 point |
| Cumulative GPA 2.79 or below. |
0 points |
All General Education courses completed with a CGPA 2.50 or higher:
(BIO-168, BIO-173, HSC-113, ENG-105, SPC-101, MAT-110 or MAT-122 or MAT-156, SOC-110 or SOC-205) |
1 point |
| Highest Degree Earned: Points awarded in one category using the highest score earned |
| Master of Arts or Master of Science Degree -OR- |
3 points |
| Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree -OR- |
2 points |
| Associate in Arts or Associate in Science Degree |
1 point |
|
Associate of Applied Arts or Associate of Applied Science Degree (from appropriate health-related field)
|
1 point |
| Paramedic Admission Interview Score: |
|
| Interview score 90 or higher |
2 points |
| Interview score 80–89 |
1 point |
| Interview score 79 or below |
0 points |
| ACT Composite of 22 or higher |
1 point |
| Hawkeye Community College EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) Graduate |
1 point |
| Hold other Health Care Provider Certification (RN, RT, etc.) |
1 point |
| Applicant has not repeated any EMS courses. |
1 point |
| Volunteer Fire/EMT for more than 1 year1 |
1 point |
| Military EMS/Medic experience |
1 point |