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Release Date: 
Friday, December 7, 2018

HFC’s EMS program achieves 100% pass rate, receives full 5-year accreditation

Photo of HFC's ambulance, which students use to learn the paramedic profession

HFC's life-saving Emergency Medical Services / Paramedic program has now proven its long-term value by earning accreditation. The program was awarded accreditation for a full five years by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). This is an "initial" accreditation, which means the program has been accredited for the first time.

“The EMS/Paramedic program at the College has a rigorous curriculum," said Shannon Bruley, EMS/Paramedic program director. "This accreditation validates the quality of our program.”

Demand for EMS professionals is high, and there is a national shortage of EMS providers. The HFC program's successes are evident in the professionalism and skills of its graduates. For years, the graduates' pass rates on their certifying exams have exceeded 85%. The 2018 paramedic class have all passed their NREMT Paramedic exam, for a 100% pass rate!

The first EMS course at HFC was offered in 1984. The program now enrolls up to 48 EMT-Basic students and up to 25 paramedic level students each year. It generally takes two years for a student to complete the associate degree program. Students can earn certificates of completion for the EMT Basic level in just 4 months, and for the paramedic level in just 10 months, which helps qualified students enter the work force early.

Part of the curriculum includes students working with a fully-functional ambulance that HFC owns.

CAAHEP and accreditation

Although the CAAHEP is the accrediting agency, the Committee of Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoA EMSP) – working under the auspices of CAAHEP – has represented the EMS profession for more than 30 years.

The recent peer review conducted by the CAAHEP’s Board of Directors and the CoA EMSP recognized the HFC EMS/Paramedic program’s substantial compliance with the nationally established accreditation standards. The initial accreditation status runs through Sept. 30, 2023.

CAAHEP is the largest program accreditor of the health science professions. It reviews and accredits more than 2,100 individual education programs across 30 health science occupations.

The CAAHEP standards by which programs like HFC’s EMS/Paramedic program are measured have been developed by the professionals involved in each discipline, are approved by the profession, and are intended to reflect the required knowledge and skills a professional needs to successfully function within the profession.

CCAHEP standards focus on quality outcomes, assuring that educational programs are preparing competent healthcare professionals, according to Bruley.

“Programs accredited by the CAAHEP provide the educational foundation necessary for a successful career in the EMS/paramedic profession, which serves a very important role for the general public” said Bruley. “Accreditation helps assure that healthcare personnel are well-prepared and qualified for what awaits them in the field.”

To learn more or to enroll in the HFC EMS / Paramedic program, please visit our website.