EME FAQ’s
Latest Update (3/12/2024):
- EME 105 (EMT Prep) is a prerequisite course to EME 106. Classes are offered every spring, summer, and fall semesters. Please click on the EME class schedule tab from our Site Menu on our homepage to view the classes that are offered.
- EME 106 classes (EMT Basic) is the second and final course for our EMT program. Classes are offered every spring, summer, and fall semesters. Click on the EME class schedule tab from our Site Menu on our homepage to view the classes that are offered.
- Paramedic Prep will be offered once during summer and twice during the spring and fall semesters. The is a 7-week course.
- Cohort 64 Paramedic application is currently open and will close on April 29th. Cohort 64 will begin didactic on Monday, August 26th, 2024.
- Cohort 65 Paramedic application will open in late August 2024.
- San Diego County Paramedic Accreditation workshops are offered once a month. The course is taught in-person here at our Escondido Campus. Please click on the “San Diego County Paramedic Accreditation Course” tab on our website for more information on how to sign-up and for the latest updates.
Important Links:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How do you apply for the EMT program?
A: The EMT courses are credited courses just like any other courses at Palomar College. Therefore, you do not need a special or separate application for these classes. You would enroll in the courses the same way you would enroll in any other courses offer at Palomar College.
Q: What is the first step to enroll in the EME/EMT courses?
A: Before you can enroll in any EME courses, you need to make sure you are a current student at Palomar College. If you are not, the first step is to obtain a Palomar College student ID number by applying online to be a Palomar College Student (https://www.palomar.edu/search/?q=apply ). Once you become a student and have received your student ID number, you may enroll in our EME classes on E-Services. If you need any assistance you can contact enrollment services at extensions 8122 and 8125.
Q: What is the link to the enrollment application to become a student at Palomar College?
A: When you are on the Palomar College main website page (https://www2.palomar.edu/), please click on the NEW STUDENTS tab at the top. This will prompt a dropdown menu that will walk you through the steps of how to enroll.
Q: What does the EMT program consist of in terms of courses, fees, etc?
A: To become an EMT, you only need two classes. The first class is EME 105 (EMT Prep). This course costs around $300.00 including books, parking and other fees. Once you pass that class with a grade of “B” or higher, you may take the EME 106/106L classes (EMT Basic). This class has a lecture and lab component. The cost of these courses totals about $550.00 including books, parking, and other fees.
Q: How many courses do I have to take to become an EMT?
A: EME 105 (EMT Prep) and EME 106/106L (EMT Basic) are the only two classes needed to get an EMT certification (including the NREMT exam).
Q: When are EME courses offer at Palomar College?
A: We offer both the EME105 and the EME106/106L every semester, including summer. Both classes have day and evening options. They are offered as regular full semester courses.
Q: Where are EME courses offer in term of site locations?
A: EME 105 is offered at the following sites: Escondido Center, Fallbrook, Camp Pendleton, and at Ramona High School. However it varies by semester, so please check our catalog before enrolling. EME 106/106L are offer only at the Escondido Center and Camp Pendleton.
Q: How old do you have to be to be eligible to take an EME course at Palomar College?
A: You can take the EME 105 if you are under 18 years old with parent consent. As for EME 106/106L, you must be at least 18 years old by the first day of class.
Q: What are the immunization requirements for the EME courses?
A: There are no immunization requirements for the EME 105 course. There are two immunization requirements for the EME 106 course: a current Tuberculosis (TB) test or QuantiFERON Gold Blood Test AND a current FLU shot (only during flu season from August to April).
Q: I need to take the NREMT Skills Test, how do I go about this?
A: Please call or email our office and we can give you available dates as to when the NREMT Psychomotor exams are being held. The testing fee is $100 and you will need to pay this fee at the cashier’s office prior to the test date and bring your receipt on the day of the exam.
Paramedic Program:
Q: When is the next Paramedic Class?
A: Cohort 64 application is currently open and will close on April 29th, 2024. Cohort 64 will begin on August 26th, 2024.
Q: What are the minimum qualifications for the Paramedic Program?
A: You must have two thousand (1,200) hours of PAID work experience as an EMT in the following areas: Private ambulance, Fire Department, Lifeguarding, Navy Corpsman, Emergency Room, etc. Completion of a college level Intro to Anatomy & Physiology course from an accredited college or University with a grade of “C” or better (BIO-145 at Palomar College, formerly ZOO-145). Completion of Paramedic Preparation course (EME-175/EME-175 Lab) or an equivalent with a grade of “B” or better. Paramedic Prep classes from other institutions are accepted if the curriculum meets or exceeds EME-175/175L. Please consult with the department to see if the alternate class meets our requirements.
Q: How many Paramedic Academies does Palomar College offer every year?
A: Palomar College offers two paramedic classes (2 cohorts) per year. One that starts in Fall (August) and one that starts in Spring (January).
Q: When do you offer Paramedic Prep at Palomar College?
A: Paramedic Prep is offered every semester including summer. We have two classes in the Fall and Spring (one in the Fast Track 1 which is the first half of the semester and one in Fast Track 2 in the second half of the semester) and one course that is offered during the 7 week Summer semester.
Q: Do the prerequisites for the Paramedic Program have to be completed by the deadline of the application or at the start of the academy?
A: All requirements except your Paramedic Prep and A&P courses need to be completed by the application deadline. You can still apply if you are currently enrolled in either Paramedic Prep or A&P and are in good standing. You will need to provide a letter from your instructor to show that you are currently in good standing.
Q: What is the evaluation process for the Paramedic Application?
A: The evaluation process for the Paramedic Application consists of two steps: The EMS written Entrance Exam and an Oral Interview.
Q: What is the breakdown of the Entrance Exam?
A: The entrance exam is consists of an EMT Level Assessment, a Math Assessment, and a Reading Assessment. We will host two testing dates for the entrance exams. You only need to attend one day. You will have 4 hours to complete the exam.
Q: What is consisted in the oral interview portion of the application process?
A: The oral interview consists of two events: an EMT level simulated patient assessment, which may include EMT level treatment and an oral interview. The oral interview may include questions about medical pathophysiology, the applicant’s work history, and scenario based questions, etc.
Q: How long is the Paramedic Program?
A: Our Paramedic Program is about 10-12 months.
Q: How many students do you normally accept in a cohort (academy)?
A: We normally have about 24 students per cohort. This all depends on how many applicants apply and how well the group performs in the evaluation process.
Q: Can you list the breakdown of the Paramedic Academy?
A: The Paramedic Academy is comprised of three sections: Didactic (4-5 months of in-classroom lectures and labs), clinical rotation (5 weeks and a total of 175 hours of clinical rotating in the adult OR and ER, Radys Children’s ER and OR, UCSD Burn Unit, and Shadow-a-doc), and the Field Internship (2-3 months completing 480 hours of field experience on an Ambulance).
Q: What is the cost of the Paramedic Program?
A: The Paramedic Program is about $5,000. You can find an estimate of the cost on our website by clicking this link https://www.palomar.edu/eme/fees/. You can also apply for financial assistant or scholarships through the college financial aid office https://www.palomar.edu/fa/ . We also offer scholarships through the Palomar College’s foundation office. Once accepted please ask our office for more information.
Q: How often does the paramedic class meet during the didactic portion of the program?
A: The paramedic class normally meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for lectures and Tuesday and Thursday for labs. Some weeks are 4 days a week and some are 5. This varies for each block and all dates are subject to change with holidays and specialty classes that may be added during the program.
Q: I am a Paramedic outside of the county and I need to take the San Diego Paramedic Accreditation course. When do you offer these courses?
A: We offer a Paramedic County Accreditation Workshop once a month. You can find upcoming class dates by clicking on the link below and filling out an online application to hold a seat. Please indicate on the application which date you would like to attend. Once you have submitted an online application, you will be automatically sent an email with more information and the requirements for the workshop. A week before the date of the workshop, you will receive a confirmation email with more information pertaining to the workshop. https://www.palomar.edu/eme/paramedicclass51application/san-diego-county-paramedic-accreditation/