Program Description

Robert and Freda Brown Paramedic Program

This program is intended for students who are interested in helping and treating patients to achieve the highest level of care outside of the hospital. Prospective students should have an interest in the pathophysiology of disease, mathematic competence, and should be able to function effectively in a dynamic work environment.

Paramedics must be confident leaders who can accept the challenge and high degree of responsibility that is required for the position. They must have excellent judgment and be able to prioritize decisions and act quickly in the best interest of the patient. In addition, paramedics must be self-disciplined, utilize communication skills to develop rapport with patients/significant others from diverse ages and cultural groups, and function independently at an optimum level in a nonstructured, changing environment.

The program meets or exceeds the National Standard Curriculum set forth by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and adheres to New Jersey State Paramedic Regulations NJAC 8:41 and 8:41A. The program is approved and sanctioned by the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Emergency Medical Services www.state.nj.us/health/ems/.

The Union County College Paramedic Emergency Health Science Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

Program Director Contact Information:

Dane Fishburn, Paramedic Program Director
Plainfield Campus
Email: dane.fishburn@ucc.edu
Office: 908-412-3551

Prospective students must meet the following requirements to be accepted into the degree program:

• Have a current New Jersey EMT and Health Care Provider CPR certification.
• Have a New Jersey Driver’s License with clean record.
• Obtain the age of 18 by the first day of Paramedic I.

PMD course enrollment requires:

• Completion of all remedial math and English courses;
• Receipt of hospital sponsorship from a New Jersey Department of Health approved Mobile Intensive Care Unit Hospital. All students should refer to the program website for the specific application process here;
• Two (2) applications for acceptance into the Paramedic Degree Program. The first application is submitted to the College. The second application is submitted to the Paramedic Program to obtain hospital sponsorship, which is then sent directly to the clinical site. The program application, directions and timeline for submission can be obtained here or from the Paramedic Program website;
• Attendance at a mandatory orientation, once a student has been accepted by a hospital for sponsorship. The exact date will be provided upon offering of the clinical sponsorship. There is no make-up session for this mandatory session;
• Students are required to submit a clear criminal background check, demonstration of vaccination status, proof of a two-step PPD skin test, and a clean 5-panel drug screen result at the time of the orientation. The fees associated with these tests are paid by the student;
• There is a sponsorship fee, which is paid directly to the clinical site upon acceptance of sponsorship;
• There is a Paramedic Student Handbook which has policies and procedures that are specific to the program because of State and/or National mandates. 

​Advanced Placement in Paramedic:  There is a process in place for advanced placement for currently certified New Jersey Paramedics in good standing to obtain their Associate Degree in Applied Sciences.  Applicants for Advanced Placement may contact the program director for more information. Prospective students must provide copies of college transcripts indicating paramedic coursework, current NJ paramedic certification, current CPR, ACLS, PALS, and PHTLS certifications. Up to 38 credits may be awarded for prior PMD coursework with these current certifications. Required courses include PMD 214 - Paramedic Clinical III, offered during the Fall semester, worth 5 credits, and all general education coursework required in the program. 

Transfer of Credits

Transfer credits will be considered for general education courses based upon the New Jersey transfer guidelines. Program specific courses will not be accepted for transfer credit. 

Credits for Experiential Learning

Applicants requesting credits for experiential learning for general education courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

The program has the following goal defining minimum expectations for graduates:

• To prepare competent entry-level Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains, with or without exit points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and/or Emergency Medical Technician, and/or Emergency First Responder levels.

After Union County College

Graduates of the program will obtain national and New Jersey Paramedic Certification making them eligible for a Paramedic service nationally. Graduates can transfer to a four-year institution for continuation in a bachelor’s degree program.

Recommended Sequence

Prior to enrollment in the Paramedic Program, students need to have completed all developmental course work in English and math, and received sponsorship from a clinical hospital site.

Students are encouraged to complete the general education requirements prior to enrollment, as the Paramedic Program is a rigorous and time-intensive curriculum.  Anatomy and Physiology I is a mandatory prerequisite of Paramedic I.  Anatomy and Physiology II is a mandatory co-requisite of Paramedic I.

Milestone Courses