Are you a person who is interested in providing emergency care, basic and/or advanced life support services to the critically ill or injured person? If so, then you should consider a career in the emergency medical services. The EMS curriculum provides both the classroom and clinical experiences necessary to meet the criteria established by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Emergency Medical Services and Highway Safety and the National Standard Curriculum. At Richland Community College, the student may select from three levels of training: EMT Basic (Certificate), EMT Intermediate (Certificate), and Paramedic (AAS - Emergency Medical Services). After successful completion of each level, the student is eligible to apply for examination to attain State licensure at that level.

The EMS program is offered in cooperation with St. Mary’s Hospital Emergency Services and utilizes clinical experiences at St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur Memorial Hospital and Decatur Ambulance Service.

Career and Technical Education Options

• Associate in Applied Science in Emergency Medical Services (Paramedic) (64 hours)
• Basic Certificate
  • EMT Basic (11 hours)
• Advanced Certificate
  • EMT Intermediate (22 hours)

Entry Requirements

High school diploma or its equivalent is required, Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification, and successful completion a pre-entry reading test.

Length of Study

The EMT Basic can be completed in one semester, the Intermediate in two semesters, and the Paramedic in five semesters.  Support courses in health, English, biology, psychology, mathematics, and other general education electives are required to complete the certificate and degree programs.

Employment Outlook

Employment opportunities include ambulance services, hospitals, and rescue squads within industry and fire or police departments.