For your official Valencia record, you may declare that you are seeking the Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) Certificate. The Valencia Application for Admission serves as the application for the A.S. Degree in EMS, while there is a specific program application with application deadline dates for the Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) Certificate. (As long as you remain in Active Student Status, you will submit only one Valencia Application for Admission for the EMT Certificate, the Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) Certificate and the A.S. in EMS.)

Students are admitted to Valencia’s Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) Technology Program by a selective admission process. The Health Sciences Admission Committee confirms a limited number of students twice per year.

Step 1: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate

1 Semester. Offered every semester.

The EMT Certificate is the first step toward the Paramedic Certificate or A.S. Degree in EMS.

The advanced level of EMS care is provided by the paramedic. This individual may perform Advanced Life Support (ALS) procedures. ALS is defined as treatment of life-threatening emergencies through the use of specific techniques identified by the U.S. Department of Transportation. These procedures must be performed under the supervision of a licensed physician.

Certificate Details

Step 2: Paramedic Technology Certificate

3 Semesters. Begins each fall on West Campus and begins each spring on Osceola Campus.

The Paramedic Certificate is a limited access program for students who hold a current Florida EMT Certificate.

Admission to Valencia does not imply acceptance to the Paramedic Certificate
Program.

Students must apply and be accepted into the program.

Certificate Details

Step 3: Emergency Medical Services Technology A.S. Degree

1 Semester. Offered every semester.

To earn the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Degree, a student must complete the EMT Certificate and the Paramedic Certificate as well as the General Education and Elective Component.

All degree-seeking students must satisfy entry testing requirements and satisfactorily complete all mandatory courses in reading, student success, mathematics, English, and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in which the student is placed.

Degree Details

1. Read about Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) admission & program requirements and the Valencia College catalog; read this program guide in its entirety and confirm you are capable of meeting the Core Performance Standards listed within this guide.
2. Be a U.S. Citizen, a U.S. permanent resident or an International Student.
   International Students: F-1, J-1, and all other non-immigrant visa types eligible to enroll in degree-seeking programs, must complete their background check, fingerprinting, drug testing, immunizations and CPR certification at least six months in advance of the anticipated start term. Contact the Health Sciences Compliance Office to begin the compliance process and background check at email: HSCompliance@valenciacollege.edu.
   NOTE: All individuals who have DACA, Temporary Protection Status, Refugee, Asylee status, etc. must complete the Employment Authorization Permit (EAP) prior to submitting application. (Social Security document is required from state to sit for Board Exam).
3. Attend a Health Sciences Information Session (strongly recommended). Information Session dates are posted on the Health Sciences website
4. Satisfy the Valencia entry testing requirements
5. Attend a Valencia New Student Orientation.
6. Satisfactorily complete any mandatory courses in Reading, Professions of Caring or New Student Experience, Mathematics, English and English for Academic Purposes in which you are placed (must be at college-level for Reading, Mathematics, and English). Visit the Valencia College Catalog for more information about Mandatory Courses
7. Complete the EMT Certificate courses if you have not already done so or continue taking the General Education courses required in the EMS Degree. The EMT courses will need to be completed prior to application to the Paramedic Certificate.
8. Transfer students with completed coursework at Valencia College also need to have a minimum Institutional/Valencia GPA of 2.0.
9. Prior to submitting your program application, you are encouraged to meet with your assigned advisor. You can locate your assigned advisor by logging into Atlas, Courses tab, Academic Profile. We strongly recommend that you meet early in your course planning to ensure all requirements, including program pre-requisite courses mentioned in this guide are met.

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Valencia’s Health Science programs are offered through the School of Allied Health and the School of Nursing, which provide information about specific admission criteria for the programs. The Health Sciences Program Guides, of which this is one, are developed for a specific academic year (August to July) and, as a rule, changes to admission and program requirements becoming effective at the start of an academic year. Valencia College, however, reserves the right to make changes in admission and program requirements as circumstances require. If a mid-year change becomes necessary, it will be indicated in the information for the specific program. Review your Program's Updates.

Students interested in a health sciences career are encouraged to explore the many challenging and rewarding opportunities available in health professions. The health sciences programs may have clinical experiences that expose the student to blood borne pathogens via contact with bodily fluids including, but not limited to blood and saliva. Students accepted into these programs will be expected to adhere to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for the use of Standard Precautions. The CDC defines standard precautions as “a set of precautions designed to prevent the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B virus (HBV), [and] other blood borne pathogens when providing first aid or health care.” Under standard precautions, blood and certain body fluids are considered potentially infectious for HIV, HBV, and other blood borne pathogens. Students will be expected to adhere to hand hygiene protocols and consistent use of personal protective equipment including masks, gloves and eyewear. In some of the health sciences programs, students may need to conduct peer-to-peer examinations in lab settings.

Valencia offers eight health sciences programs which lead to an A.S. degree. They are the Cardiovascular Technology, Dental Hygiene, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Emergency Medical Services Technology (including EMT and Paramedic technical certificates), Health Information Technology (including Medical Information Coder/Biller technical certificate), Nursing (R.N.), Radiography, and Respiratory Care. Admission to these programs is limited because of clinical facilities and staff. Once you complete your A.S. degree in Cardiovascular Technology, you can continue at Valencia to earn your Bachelor’s degree in Cardiopulmonary Sciences or a bachelor-level Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC) in Echocardiography. With additional education at the bachelor’s level and professional experience, you will enhance your skills and have more career options available.

Students whose official records indicate they are seeking admission to a limited access Associate in Science (A.S.) health sciences program will have the health sciences program designated as their secondary major and the Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree designated as their primary major in order to maximize their educational opportunities. If the student has already earned a Bachelor’s or A.A. degree, the student will not have A.A. designated as a major.

Application Information

Most programs have an application deadline, but some do not. If a program application deadline falls on Saturday, Sunday or a Valencia holiday, the deadline will become the following Valencia business day. Health Sciences program applications are available on each program's page. Program applications received after the deadline date will not be considered for the identified term. Students who are not accepted will need to reapply for a future term.

Students must complete a Valencia application for admission and the application for the specific health sciences program. Admission to Valencia does not imply acceptance to the health sciences program.

Students may apply to more than one limited access Health Sciences program; however, enrollment is limited to only one Health Sciences program in a term. A new program application is required if reapplying for admission. Having previously earned a college degree does not grant an advantage in admission to a Health Sciences program that does not require a degree for admission nor does it exempt students from taking the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) if the ATI TEAS is required for admission to the program.

All communication from Valencia relative to program admission will be sent via your Atlas e-mail address. Written communication you initiate with Valencia staff should also be via your Atlas e-mail account and should include your full name and your Valencia ID number.

Background Check, Fingerprinting, Drug Testing, Immunizations and CPR Certification

The Health Sciences programs include student clinical rotations in external affiliate health care facilities with which Valencia has agreements for student clinical assignments. The affiliates’ policies require that students serving in a clinical rotation be cleared of offenses that would disqualify them from participating in student clinical assignments. Thus, all students conditionally* accepted to a Health Sciences program are required to submit to a criminal background check, fingerprinting and drug testing as well as provide documentation of specific immunizations and American Heart Association (AHA) and Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification following acceptance to a program. The timeframe for meeting these requirements will be provided in the Orientation information that will be sent to the student upon acceptance through ATLAS email.
NOTE: Non-Immigrant visa holders must complete their background check, fingerprinting, drug testing, immunizations and CPR certification at least six months in advance of the anticipated start term.

Students may need to renew their background and drug testing requirements annually. See the Compliance Department for more details at Orientation & Compliance

* If you have a positive background check, fingerprint or drug screening, you may be denied enrollment in a Health Sciences program due to the inability to participate in a student clinical assignment. If you have concerns regarding known background issues, it is recommended that you email questions to HSCompliance@valenciacollege.edu.

Mandatory Orientation

The mandatory program Orientation for accepted students usually is held four to six weeks prior to the program start date. Once accepted to a program, students will receive an email via ATLAS regarding the Orientation date, requirements and deadlines. The Orientation materials will give the student information regarding the processes for completing background checks, fingerprinting, drug screening, and other requirements through Castle Branch Student Portal.

Transportation to Clinical Sites

If accepted to a program, students will be responsible for furnishing transportation to the community and/or hospital facilities used by Valencia for clinical practice.

Valencia is an Equal Opportunity Institution

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• EMT: Technical Certificate in Emergency Medical Technology
• Paramedic: Technical Certificate in Paramedic Technology
• EMS: Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree in Emergency Medical Services Technology

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The following information explains the differences in declaring your program as the EMT Technical Certificate, the Paramedic Certificate or the A.S. Degree in EMS

EMT

To receive financial aid for the EMT courses, you may need to complete additional course prerequisites and you need to:

• Declare the AA degree or the AS Fire Science as your Primary major
• Declare the EMT Technical Certificate as your Secondary major
• Have at least 12 Elective credits remaining in the AA Degree

Paramedic

• You will be entered as “Pending Paramedic” until actually accepted to the Paramedic Program.
• If you hold a current Florida EMT license, you will not be required to complete entry testing in reading, English and mathematics or the EMT Program to apply to Paramedic, unless you also declared the AA degree for financial aid purposes.
• The Paramedic program is eligible for financial aid upon admittance.

EMS AS

• You must satisfy entry testing requirements and satisfactorily complete all mandatory courses in reading, New Student Experience, mathematics, English, and English for Academic Purposes in which you are placed.
• You must complete EMT and Paramedic courses as well as General Education courses to earn the degree.
• The A.S. in EMS is eligible for financial aid when all conditions of degree-seeking status are met.

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Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) is a practice discipline with cognitive, sensory, affective, and psychomotor performance requirements. Based on these requirements, the following list of "Core Performance Standards" has been developed. Each standard has an example of an activity or activities, which a student will be required to perform while enrolled in the Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) Program. These standards are a part of the Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) courses and of the role expectation of a Medical Information Code/Biller professional.

For the purpose of the Emergency Medical Services Technology (EMS) Program, a “qualified individual with a disability is one who, with or without reasonable accommodations or modifications, meets the essential eligibility requirements for participation in the program.” The School of Allied Health at Valencia makes no preadmission inquiries concerning an applicant’s disability status. Information related to an applicant’s disabilities is not a part of the information reviewed by the Admission Committee.

These Performance Standards should be used to assist students in determining whether accommodations or modifications are necessary for the student to meet program requirements. A student who identifies potential difficulties with meeting the Performance Standards should communicate his/her concerns to an advisor in the Office for Students with Disabilities. The student has the responsibility to identify and document the disability and to request reasonable and appropriate adjustments. Determination is made on an individual basis as to whether any accommodations or modifications can be reasonably made.