Increasing Paramedics in the Field

Description: Since COVID -19, Emergency Medical Services has seen a drastic turnover of providers, and it continues to get smaller. COVID has caused many issues, from educational institutions shutting down to paramedics leaving to work in hospitals because of a nursing shortage that pays higher wages. To address the shortage, Texas is trialing a civilian to Paramedic program.
Since so many allied programs have no prerequisites to enter their programs, why should EMS? For instance, do you have to be a CNA before becoming a nurse? Do you have to be a Physician Assistant before you become a doctor? It can be pretty costly and time-consuming with the amount of time and money of becoming a Paramedic. The Department of State Health Services allows two programs to pilot this new concept. We are not saying that there is no more EMT-Basic; we are fast-tracking to a Paramedic program where you do not have to be an EMT-Basic before becoming a paramedic. Del Mar College has just finished the first pilot and has a great success story. This course will share with you the partnership Del Mar College and the Corpus Christi Fire Department have made to make this program successful.