EMS and Fire Science students go through joint mass casualty training recently in Sierra Vista. (Submitted photo)
SIERRA VISTA — Cochise College’s paramedicine program received national accreditation in March, ensuring students who complete the program will qualify for national certification.
The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians instituted a policy beginning Jan. 1 that required all paramedicine applicants seeking national EMS certification at the paramedicine level to complete their education through a program with accreditation recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. The Cochise College paramedicine program is the fifth in Arizona to receive its accreditation.
“Accreditation is basically third-party verification of a quality education. Someone without a stake in our program comes in, looks at it and says, ‘You’re meeting the national standard,'” said Josh Meeker, Emergency Medical Services coordinator for Cochise College. “What accreditation means for us is that it will open up doors to more groups of students, and I think you’ll see more people coming to the college for their paramedicine training.”
Meeker said there used to be about 30 paramedicine training programs in the state. Now, with only five remaining because of accreditation, he’s already receiving calls from Phoenix and Tucson about getting into Cochise College’s program. Students seeking to enter the program this fall must apply by May 24 to be considered for the 24 available slots. Meeker said a preparatory class for the program is offered during the summer.
“Most of the students we get are EMTs in the fire department and want to take it to the next level, go for a promotion, advance their training,” he said. “But, more and more, we are seeing those trying to get into the field, who don’t currently work as EMTs.”
Meeker began working with the college about five years ago and now coordinates EMS programs part-time in addition to his full-time job as a captain paramedic for the Sierra Vista Fire Department. He said changes implemented within Cochise College’s program have helped it establish a positive reputation in Cochise County and aided in building partnerships with local fire departments.
“These past couple of years, changes to our program have been accreditation driven,” Meeker said. “With that, we’re going to get more students, hopefully, but we’ve also been able to develop our faculty a little more, add instructors and a clinical coordinator. We’ve streamlined our classroom components, our curriculum and restructured our schedule to follow traditional semesters.”
Cochise College’s paramedicine program 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. The college’s paramedicine and EMT programs are also certified through the Arizona Department of Health Services, Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Division.
Meeker, whose parents are former longtime leaders of the Cochise College music department, said working both at the fire department and at the college is demanding, but also rewarding.
“At the fire department, we hire these people, so we’re also the end user of the product Cochise produces,” he said. “It’s neat to be on both ends.”