General Information
An EMT-B certification opens the door to many opportunities. Many students who take our class want real clinical experience before pursuing higher education in the medical field. Often, they work as EMS volunteers or as paid EMS providers. Other students take our class for their own professional research purposes, or to increase their preparedness in case of an emergency. Some challenge the state Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam to pursue another certification and employment opportunities. The EMT-B certification is the first step for many.
We have been teaching at UNC for 10 years and enjoy teaching to the unique and driven population that the campus offers. We teach at a higher level than the North Carolina Department of Transportation requires, and the graduates of our program have a near 100% first-time pass rate on the North Carolina EMT-B Board Exam and the National Registry EMT Exam.
Our EMS program provides clinical opportunities for our students. As a required part of the course, you will ride on a local ambulance or fire truck to apply the skills you learn in class. This allows our students to take their skills outside the classroom as well as network with local emergency response agencies. To be eligible to participate in the required clinical, you must pass a drug screen and criminal background check. These will be conducted confidentially through a third party and will require a nominal cost.
Current Course
We are gearing up for the Summer 2018 semester and hope to see you in our class!
Fall 2018
When: August 21, 2018 – December 5, 2018//Tues and Thurs Nights (6 PM – 10 PM) and 3-4 Saturdays
Where: UNC Campus (Exact Building TBD)
Cost: $600.00 + $105.00 (Criminal Background Check, Drug Screening, & Document Verification)
Click on the Register button start the registration process.
Prerequisites/Requirements
- High School Diploma OR GED
- Acceptable Documents
- Copy/Picture of High School Diploma
- Copy/Picture of Bachelor or Higher Diploma
- Copy of High School Transcript Showing Graduation
- Letter from High School Confirming Graduation Date
- Acceptable Documents
- ACERIP Photo Release
- ACERIP Liability Waiver
- Criminal Background Check & Drug Test
- Laptop Computer/Tablet w/ Access to the UNC Network
FAQs
Q: Are there any prerequisites for your program?
A: You do not have to have any prior medical experience or coursework in order to take our class. However, a course in Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL 252, PHYI 202, EXSS 175 and 276, or equivalent) would be very beneficial to have. The only requirement, per NC OEMS Standards, is having a High School or GED diploma. See the above list of Prerequisites/Requirements for the acceptables forms of this documentation.
Q: How much does the course cost?
A: The course costs $600.00. This covers tuition, supplies, liability insurance for clinical, uniform rental, ACERIP membership fee, and the American Heart Association CPR for Healthcare Providers certification. You will need to purchase the required textbooks on your own. Being an independent teaching institution means that we are solely dependent on student tuition dollars, as we do not have outside funding. After completion of our program, you will be able to take the North Carolina State Board exam for your EMT-B license at no additional cost.
Q: Why do I have to complete a background check and a drug test?
A: Many formal courses in healthcare involve a clinical education component. Sites where you complete this clinical education often require a criminal background check and drug screening before being able to interact with and assess live patients.
Q: If I am a full-time student, how do I balance this class with my other classes?
A: Treat this class as a 4 credit hour UNC course (class + lab). Add that to your normal semester workload in order to see if you go above the overload threshold (18 credit hours). This course is Pass/Fail, but you need to maintain an 80% cumulative average throughout the class in order to stay enrolled. This course does not count towards University graduation requirements and is not printed on your transcript.
Q: What is the course schedule?
A: This course follows the UNC schedule; meaning, the course will be in session for the duration of the UNC semester. We will not hold class on University holidays or breaks. The course meets Tuesday and Thursday evening (6 PM – 10 PM) and occasionally on weekends (4-5 per semester); for summer courses, we reduce the number of weekends by meeting Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. We will not hold class if the university closes for inclement weather, but due to the State Office of EMS requirements, any missed hours will have to be rescheduled and made up.
Q: How do I become a certified provider in NC or elsewhere?
A: After successful completion of the course, you are eligible to test with the NC State Office of EMS (NC OEMS) and the National Registry of EMT’s. Students have one year after the course completion date to take and successfully complete the NC OEMS state exam with up to three attempts. Per NC OEMS regulation students must make their first attempt within the first 90 days after completing the course. Students who do not successfully complete the exam within three attempts need to complete an entire initial provider course again. Students wishing to take the National Registry exam must register for the exam within two years after initial course completion.
Students register themselves for the state exam through the NC Office of EMS using their “P” number. Exam dates, times and locations vary and may be selected by the student through Continuum for the NC Office of EMS after they have been “passed” by their program in the system. the State Office of EMS charges $68.00 for this exam for students who complete a course in North Carolina. The National Registry exam is also scheduled based on student selection; there is a cost associated with this exam. Visit the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) website for further information. Students wishing to take the National Registry exam must first create a profile on the NREMT website and then wait for approval by the EMS program director. Please send an email to the ACERIP Program Director to request approval to test once your profile has been completed.
It is recommended that all students take the NC OEMS state exam. Students who wish to practice outside of NC are encouraged to review the reciprocity requirements of the particular state in which they wish to practice. Every state has their own requirements. Many states accept successful completion of the National Registry Exam for reciprocal certification in that state. Additionally, National Registry certification may enhance your application for an EMS position.