Paramedic is the highest level of Emergency Medical Technician and involves a significant amount of training in advanced life support (ALS) practices. In this comprehensive course, you will develop skills, knowledge, and enough confidence to care for patients at the scene of an accident and while transporting patients by ambulance to the hospital. Paramedics have emergency skills to assess a patient’s condition and manage cardiac, respiratory, and trauma emergencies.
Paramedics also help transfer patients to the emergency department, report their observations and actions to the emergency staff room.
The following is a list of requirements you will need to satisfy prior to becoming a licensed Paramedic in the State of New York:
Paramedic License Requirement
- 18 years of age
- High School diploma or have GED
- Valid driving license
- Department of Health EMS Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic Certificate
- Criminal background check, criminal records may result in rejection; if you have a criminal record review the information in this link: http://www.health.ny.gov/nysdoh/ems/pdf/09-05.pdf)
- NY State CPR course certificate
- NREMT certification
- Able to show proof of their New York EMT certification
Apply for Paramedic training program
Find a local approved training facility and register for the Paramedic training. The minimum training duration is 1090 hours, divided into 400 hours coursework, 300 hours labs, 74 hours testing and 300 hours field internship, but many training programs considerably exceed this minimum requirement.
It is very important that you only register for an approved training program at a state approved facility, as non-approved courses will not be allowed for an EMT license.
For a full list of approved training providers see here: http://www.health.ny.gov/nysdoh/ems/pdf/csponsors.pdf
Due to the long duration and intense content, paramedic courses do not come cheap. While prices vary between facilities an applicant should expect to pay $4,000 to $10,000.
CPR Certification
A lot of approved training facilities also offer CPR certification courses. It would make sense for you to choose a training facility that does indeed offer both the EMT and CPR training courses. You should also talk to the training provider about the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) psychomotor examination and whether they will be able to provide such a certificate (see next step).
Upon completion you will receive a certificate that is needed for the state EMT license application.
Examination Requirement
Paramedic license applicants must pass the NREMT exams, which are made up of two parts, a written cognitive exam and a psychomotor exam. For the written exam an applicant will need to register with the NREMT (http://www.nremt.org) and pay the $110 application fee. When the applicant is ready to take the exam they will need to get in touch with Pearson Vue (http://www.vue.com) who provides the computer based testing for the NREMT exam.
For the psychomotor examination you should check with your Paramedic training provider whether they are able to provide such certification in conjunction with the Paramedic course. Alternatively contact your local EMS Agency for details about test schedules. Note that this exam tests the applicant for 12 separate skills and is likely to incur a fee by the training facility.
Once the applicant has received certification for both exams they will be issued with an NREMT certificate which is valid for 2 years; this certificate is needed for the state EMT license application.
For some tips and recommendations on preparing for these exams take a look at our Preparing For NREMT Exams page.
Criminal Background Check
Paramedic Applicants must undergo a criminal background check as part of the application process. If you have a criminal conviction it is advised to contact the NY Department of Health EMS for further instructions.
Application Process
In order to submit an application an applicant must do the following:
- Complete the New York State EMS Agency’s Paramedic application form (http://www.health.ny.gov/nysdoh/ems/main.htm)
- Include certificate of EMT Paramedic course
- Include documentation of passing NREMT exams
- Include proof of NY State CPR course completion
- Include copy of valid legal photo ID
Knowing all these steps in advance will greatly help in planning your training and ensuring a quick and efficient process as possible.
Paramedic Training Schools in New York
- CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College – New York, NY
199 Chambers Street North
Allied Health Department
New York , NY – 10007
- Dutchess Community College – Wappingers Falls, NY
31 Marshall Road
Wappingers Falls , NY – 12590
- Erie Community College – Orchard Park, NY
4041 Southwestern Blvd.
Room #3130
Orchard Park , NY – 14127
- Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Paramedic Program – Utica, NY
14 Foery Drive
Utica , NY – 13501
- Hudson Valley Community College – Troy, NY
80 Vandenburgh Avenue
Troy , NY – 12180
- Kingsborough Community College – Brooklyn, NY
Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic Program
2001 Oriental Blvd
Room T280
Brooklyn, NY 11235
- LaGuardia Community College – Long Island City, NY
Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic Program
31-10 Thomson Ave
C-368
Long Island City, NY 11101
- Monroe Community College – Rochester, NY
1190 Scottsville Road, Suite 216
Rochester , NY – 14624
- Nassau County Fire Police EMS Academy at NUMC – East Meadow, NY
2201 Hempstead Turnpike
East Meadow , NY – 11554
- New York Methodist Hospital – Brooklyn, NY
1401 Kings Highway
Brooklyn , NY – 11229
- Northwell Health Center for Learning and Innovation-Emergency Medical Institute – Lake Success, NY
Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic Program
1979 Marcus Avenue
Suite 101
Lake Success, NY 11042
- Suffolk County Community College – Selden, NY
Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic Program
533 College Rd
Selden, NY 11784
- SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology – Cobleskill, NY
111 Schenectady Avenue
Wheeler Hall, Room 103
Cobleskill , NY – 12043
Paramedic Program Courses
- Managing medical emergencies
- Utilizing Basic Life Support equipment
- Patient assessment
- Trauma care
- Managing environmental emergencies
- Emergency childbirth
- Use of a semi-automatic defibrillator
- Fracture and spinal stabilization
- Hemorrhage control
FAQs
- Where can I find an accredited paramedic training program in New York?
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
- Do I need EMT experience to apply to a paramedic training program?
Typically the answer is no, though many colleges prefer their students to have experience prior to entering into their paramedic program. But at the very least, you must have valid EMT certification.
However, if you do not have EMT certification, then you will need to take the EMT course before you start the paramedic level classes.
- 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.