Paramedic

Program Overview

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Program Overview

Today’s paramedics must be both highly skilled first responders and compassionate caregivers who are able to meet community members’ emergent and non-emergent health needs on their level. In this program, you will build the diverse skill set needed to succeed in the field with a focus on medical theory and techniques, social and communication skills, critical thinking and effective decision-making. Training will also include clinical and field placement components, as well as an emphasis on physical and emotional wellness. Students are provided with 24/7 access to the lab and practice space to support their learning.

Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
September 2025	Closed	Closed

Program Highlights

• DC Experience
• Success Stories
• Resources

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Mature Student Status
• Grade 12 English (C or U)
• Grade 12 mathematics (C, M or U)
• Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)
• Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)

Please note: This program may be highly competitive and have a specific selection process and application deadline. Please refer to Admission Process for details regarding highly competitive programs.

Post-Admission Requirements

• Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS)
• Current Canadian Heart and CPR (BLS provider) (within one year)
• Current standard first aid certificate (within three years)
• Entry immunization form including COVID-19 vaccination
• Freedom from communicable disease report

Employment and Licensing Readiness

• Hiring timelines in Ontario vary by region and employer, typically beginning in the fall and continuing through the winter months; however, opportunities may arise at any time throughout the year.
• A valid Class F driver’s license is required to be eligible for employment. Students must have valid Class G driver’s license by end of the first year of the program and valid Class F licences beginning of Semester 3.

Tuition

• Year one domestic: $7,711 (CAD)

Semester 1 Courses

• Paramedic Anatomy/Physiology (ANTY 1401)
• Paramedic Clinical 1 (CLIN 1400)
• Paramedic Fitness and Wellness (FITS 1401)
• General Education Elective (GNED 0000)
• Indigenous Elective (INDG 0000)
• Leadership (LEAD 1400)
• Paramedic Theory 1 (THEO 1401)
• Paramedic Theory Lab-1 (THEO 1402)

Career Options

• Medical attendant
• Military medical technician
• Paramedic
• Primary care paramedic

Program Details

Durham College successfully achieved accreditation for our Paramedic program in November 2005, making it the first college in Ontario to achieve this status. We continue to be accredited by Accreditation Canada.

Preparing you for employment, the program’s instructional techniques include:

• Classroom and laboratory activities
• Computer-assisted learning
• Essential communication skills
• Individual and group study
• Clinical and field placement components
• Physical and emotional wellness training

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Communicate and interact effectively and appropriately with patients and others.
2. Assess patients using relevant theory and practices and in compliance with current legislation, regulations, standards, and best practice guidelines.
3. Establish patients’ treatment and transport priorities based on assessment findings.
4. Implement preventive and therapeutic patient management strategies to maintain and promote patients’ well-being in compliance with current legislation, regulations, standards, and best practice guidelines.
5. Integrate and perform delegated controlled medical acts in a simulated, clinical, and field setting.
6. Evaluate in an ongoing manner the effectiveness of patient management strategies used and adapt or change strategies to provide optimal care for patients.
7. Report and document patient information completely, accurately, and in a timely manner, in compliance with current legislation, regulations, standards, and applicable policies and procedures in a simulated, clinical, and/or field setting.
8. Ensure personal safety and contribute to the safety of partners, patients, and others.
9. Ensure the operational safety and preparedness of an ambulance and its equipment and operate an ambulance-type vehicle in a simulated setting.
10. Collaborate with a broad range of personnel such as first responders, paramedics, emergency services personnel, health care professionals, and other allied health care workers.
11. Integrate and meet legal, ethical, and professional responsibilities while providing optimal care for patients.

Courses

The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.

Semester 1

• Paramedic Anatomy/Physiology (ANTY 1401)
• Paramedic Clinical 1 (CLIN 1400)
• Paramedic Fitness and Wellness (FITS 1401)
• General Education Elective (GNED 0000)
• Indigenous Elective (INDG 0000)
• Leadership (LEAD 1400)
• Paramedic Theory 1 (THEO 1401)
• Paramedic Theory Lab-1 (THEO 1402)

Semester 2

• Paramedic Anatomy/Physiology 2 (ANTY 2400)
• Paramedic Clinical 2 (CLIN 2400)
• Paramedic Fitness and Wellness 2 (FITS 2401)
• General Education Elective (GNED 0000)
• Paramedic Medical Mathematics (MATH 2400)
• Paramedic Medical Legal Issues (MED 2400)
• Paramedic Theory 2 (THEO 2400)
• Paramedic Theory Lab - 2 (THEO 2401)

Semester 3

• Paramedic Anatomy/Physiology 3 (ANTY 3400)
• Paramedic Crisis Mgmt (EMEG 3401)
• Paramedic Practicum I (PRAT 3400)
• Paramedic Theory 3 (THEO 3400)
• Paramedic Theory Lab - 3 (THEO 3401)

Semester 4

• Paramedic Ethical Issues (ETH 4400)
• Paramedic Practicum II (PRAT 4400)
• Paramedic Theory 4 (THEO 4400)
• Paramedic Lab Theory - 4 (THEO 4401)

Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.

Course Delivery

In person with some hybrid course delivery

Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.

In person:

• Course is delivered in person, on campus within a classroom, lab, shop or studio. Hybrid:
• Part of the course is delivered online, remotely, and part is in-person on campus within a classroom, lab, shop or studio. Online:
• Fully remote course delivery.

Costs

Personal Equipment

Personal equipment and uniforms are required to facilitate lab, clinical and field placement participation. With the exception of boots, all items are included in the Program Fee and will be available during the first week of class; specific details to follow.

Black, green triangle police-style boots must be purchased by from any outside vendor ($80.00 to $260.00; ISECO, Marks Work Wearhouse, Mr. Safety Shoe, etc.).

Post Admission and Field Placement Documentation

In order to maintain confidentiality and security, the program utilizes an independent provider, Verified by Synergy Gateway (Synergy) for documentation collection and validation. There is a cost associated with this external agency. You will receive information on how to access the service once you have completed the registration.

Program Costs

The fees below are estimates only based on information available at the time of publication, and do not include the cost of textbooks. There may be additional costs; however, not all courses require textbooks.

Finances shouldn’t be a barrier to you achieving your educational goals. DC’s Financial Aid and Awards office is here to help you navigate a number of financial aid programs to support your education.

Residency

Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident International

Started Academic Year In

Fall Winter Spring

Paramedic Year 1 Costs

Semester 1 | | Tuition: | $3,855.37
---|---
Program Fee: | $730.67
Ancillary Fee: | $493.77
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $430
Total: |$5,509.81

Semester 2 | | Tuition: | $3,855.37
---|---
Program Fee: | $0
Ancillary Fee: | $493.77
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $120
Total: |$4,469.14

Paramedic Year 2 Costs

Semester 3 | | Tuition: | $3,855.37
---|---
Program Fee: | $662.75
Ancillary Fee: | $474.19
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $430
Total: |$5,422.31

Semester 4 | | Tuition: | $3,855.37
---|---
Program Fee: | $0
Ancillary Fee: | $474.19
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $120
Total: |$4,449.56

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

• Medical attendant
• Military medical technician
• Paramedic
• Primary care paramedic

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

• Municipal, regional or provincial emergency medical services
• Armed forces
• Hospitals and public health organizations
• Patient transfer service

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Qualified graduates can go on to take Durham College’s Paramedic – Advanced Care graduate certificate program. Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:

• Bachelor of Allied Health Sciences (Hons) – Ontario Tech University (Ontario Tech)
• Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) bridge – Ontario Tech
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) – Educational Studies and Digital Technology – Ontario Tech
• Bachelor of Business Administration (General Business) – Davenport University
• Bachelor of General Studies – Thompson Rivers University
• Bachelor of Health Science – Thompson Rivers University

Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

Tech Requirements

To help students have the best remote learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.

Processor: i3 RAM: 4GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection

See Your Space

Living Lab

The Living Lab at Durham College mimics a typical residential unit, allowing students to work through real-life scenarios that depict several challenges they will face in their future careers. Complete with obstacles to problem solve and work around, such as a living room, bedroom, kitchen, and laundry room, students learn to not only care for the patient, but to be mindful of their environment as well. In an emergency, a person’s life can depend on the decision making and the abilities of the paramedic to take swift action; the Living Lab ensures that the students are well prepared and confident to meet the demand of this challenging career head on. Students plan and try out what they learn in the lab and are able to apply the new knowledge to future situations. By going beyond the theory learned in class and learning by doing, students get first-hand experience of practicing what has been taught to retain the life-saving skills and knowledge necessary to succeed.

Field Placement

The Paramedic program features a series of practicum opportunities in all semesters of the program. The first two semesters will include clinical opportunities interacting with patients in long-term care facilities. This will progress to hospital clinical rotations and an on-ambulance preceptorship with professional paramedics.

These practicum placements are designed to provide the opportunity to accept a series of graded responsibilities, progressing towards competency. All evaluations are conducted in accordance with the Paramedic Association of Canada’s (PAC) definition of competency.

Eligibility

This program also demands a high degree of physical fitness, flexibility and lifting strength. In order to participate in field placement, you must be able to:

• Transfer patients weighing up to 95 kg (210 lbs)
• Do two-person lifts
• Manage the weight of any necessary equipment

Pre-Placement Requirements

Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Requirements Verification (ERV), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:

• Service fees for Verified, our documentation collection and ERV verification partner.
• Costs to complete mandatory immunizations, lab tests, and certifications.

It is required that students have completed the ERV with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:

• A clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS). If you cannot provide a clear CRC with VSS, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency. CRCs with VSS must be obtained from your local police station. You may be required to obtain additional CRCs with VSS to meet field placement agency requirements
• Current Level C CPR from a recognized provider
• Current standard first aid certification from a recognized provider
• Entry immunization form completed by a health-care provider

Project Lord Ridgeback

Project Lord Ridgeback (PLRB) is multi-disciplinary experiential learning exercise that simulates a local disaster. Interacting with actors who play victims, casualties, emotionally distressed persons and the elderly in a staged, choreographed event, students from a wide range of programs learn by acting and responding as they would in real emergencies. Subject matter experts design injects into disaster-related scenarios which simulate authentic workplace demands.

Following the mock disaster, students participate in follow up exercises to apply learning in mock court testimony, critical incident stress debrief, crime-scene lab work, and form completion specific to their program areas.

Student participants are from a wide range of DC programs including: Practical Nursing, Primary Care Paramedic, Police Foundations, Protection Security & Investigation, Paralegal, 911 Call Centre Communications, Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations, Journalism Mass Media Program, Social Service Worker, Activation Co-ordination – Gerontology, Court Support Services.

Emergency Services Fundamentals (EMSF) is a one year certificate program in the School of Justice and Emergency Services. This program focuses on developing fundamental skills that will prepare you for entry into a college program in a related emergency service field such as paramedic, police foundations, or pre-service firefighter. Courses include communications, math, biology and chemistry, law and civics, ethics, fitness, and other topics relevant to emergency services.

Some EMSF courses may also qualify as General Education equivalents which can be used towards a diploma in another program.

Please note: completion of the EMSF program does not guarantee admission to other programs.

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