If you’re interested in becoming a paramedic in the state of Missouri, but aren’t quite sure how to go about it, this detailed breakdown should help you understand the process.
Paramedic Training Classes in Missouri
Below, please click on a school to get admissions information on their healthcare programs:
Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center – Cape Girardeau, MO
1080 South Silver Springs Road
Cape Girardeau , MO – 63703
Crowder College – Neosho, MO
601 Laclede Ave.
Neosho , MO – 64850
East Central College – Union, MO
1964 Prairie Dell Road
Union , MO – 63084
Grand River Technical School – Chillicothe, MO
235 Southwest Drive
Chillicothe , MO – 64601
IHM Health Studies Center – St Louis, MO
2500 Abbott Place
St. Louis , MO – 63143
Mercy Hospital Springfield – Springfield, MO
Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic Program
1407 E St Louis
Springfield, MO 65802
Metropolitan Community College – Kansas City, MO
3444 Broadway
Kansas City , MO – 64111
Mineral Area College – Park Hills, MO
5270 Flat River Road
PO Box 1000
Park Hills , MO – 63601
Missouri Southern State University – Joplin, MO
3950 E. Newman Road
Joplin , MO – 64801
Ozarks Technical Community College – Springfield, MO
1001 East Chestnut Expressway
Springfield , MO – 65802-3625
Pike-Lincoln Technical Center – Eolia, MO
Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic Program
PO Box 38
342 Vo-Tech Road
Eolia, MO 63344
· Respond Right EMS Academy/St. Charles Community College Consortia – St. Peters, MO
7491 Mexico Road
St. Peters , MO – 63376
Rolla Technical Center – Rolla, MO
500 Forum Drive
Rolla , MO – 65401
· South Howell County Ambulance District – West Plains, MO
1951 East State Rt K
West Plains , MO – 65775
· St. Charles County Ambulance District – St. Peters, MO
4169 Old Mill Parkway
St. Peters , MO – 63376
St. Louis Community College – St. Louis, MO
5600 Oakland Ave.
St. Louis , MO – 53110
Three Rivers College – Popular Bluff, MO
Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic Program
2080 Three Rivers Blvd
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
· Univ of Missouri Health Care EMS Institute – Columbia, MO
One Hospital Drive
Columbia , MO – 65212
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine – Kansas City, MO
Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic Program
2411 Holmes Street
MG200
Kansas City, MO 64108
Paramedic School Requirements in MO
Any person looking to apply to a paramedic program will need to meet the following requirements:
· He or she must be at least 18 years old.
· He or she must be a high school graduate or have a GED.
· He or she will need to have their EMT-Basic license for the state of Missouri. Do remember that being state licensed/certified is not the same thing as being Nationally Registered. The NREMT (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians) is a non-governmental agency that registers and maintains a database of certified EMTs. You can learn more at www.nremt.org.
· He or she will likely be asked by a college/paramedic program to provide references (one personal, one professional, for example), as well as show proof of immunizations (such as Hepatitis B), and likely submit him or herself to a criminal background and/or drug screening. Things like a valid driver’s license and a copy of one’s Social Security card, too, will need to be provided.
· He or she will also need to provide proof of their CPR certification and/or ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certification, as well.
PARAMEDIC PROGRAM DETAILS
Paramedic training courses can typically be found at community colleges.
Generally, an EMT-P course often provides students with a mixture of classroom and in-hospital clinical experience, as well as some field experience.
You will want to make sure that whichever paramedic training program in MO you select is an accredited program.
Where can I find an accredited paramedic training program in Missouri?
In general, make sure you visit the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) to find an accredited paramedic training program. This is important, because as of January 1, 2013, all students will need to complete paramedic education at an accredited school in order to take the paramedic NREMT exam.
Do I need EMT experience to apply to a paramedic training program?
Typically no, but this can differ from program to program. Most programs, however, would like for you to have had some experience, while others actually feel that teaching students who have had previous road experience is more difficult.
How long will it take me to become a paramedic?
This really depends on the college and training program you select. Typically, a paramedic program can take anywhere from 6 months to two years to complete.
Understand that training to become a paramedic can, in many ways, feel like a full-time job to some students. At the IHM Health Studies Center, for example, provides 584 didactic hours to students and 600 clinical hours.
At Cape Girardeau Career and Technology, students are required to have a minimum of 536 hours of classroom instruction and 600 hours in the field.
How much will a paramedic training program cost?
The cost of a program ranges from school to school, and certainly state to state. But typically, you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 for a paramedic program. Tuition costs can certainly exceed this amount, however.
TAKING THE PARAMEDIC NREMT EXAM
After you successfully complete the required paramedic training course, you will want to pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam. This is both a computer adaptive test (cognitive examination) as well as a skills test (psychomotor examination).
Cognitive Examination
The cognitive examination will cover the entire spectrum of EMS care. This includes Airway, Ventilation, Oxygenation, Trauma, Cardiology, Medical, and EMS Operations. The maximum amount of time you will be given to pass this portion of the exam is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Psychomotor Examination
The psychomotor examination consists of 12 separate skills laid out in a scenario-type format to approximate the abilities of the EMT-Paramedic to function in the out-of-hospital setting. Those taking the test are actually allowed to bring their own equipment to the exam provided it is approved for testing by the National Registry Representative in attendance at the examination.
The psychomotor exam portion of the paramedic NREMT exam will test your knowledge and competency in each of the following skills: Patient Assessment-Trauma, Ventilatory Management, Cardiac Management Skills, IV and Medication Skills, Oral Station, Pediatric Skills, and Random Basic Skills.
PRACTICING AS A PARAMEDIC
Missouri does not have its own state exam, which means that once you successfully pass the NREMT exams, you simply apply to the state (and show proof of your National Registry license) and you will be issued a Missouri license.
Remember, this is an important step that must be done, because in order to work in Missouri as a paramedic, you need to have a Missouri license. Simply being Nationally Registered is not sufficient.
As for re-licensure, the National Registry requires you to renew your license every two years (unless you intentionally opt to let it lapse). In Missouri, you are required to renew your state license every five years.
How much money does a paramedic make annually?
An average paramedic salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2011, is about $34,030 per year.
Get more information about paramedic training online via our interactive table on our website.
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