MONROE and TEMPERANCE, Mich. – Monroe County Community College has launched new degree and certificate programs to be offered at its Bedford location to prepare future paramedics, Helen Stripling, dean of the Health Sciences Division, has announced.
The programs will be housed at the MCCC's Bedford location, the Whitman Center, at 7777 Lewis Ave. in Temperance. That location is also home to MCCC's Emergency Medical Technician Certificate Program and offers numerous credit and non-credit classes and other services.
Students can apply for enrollment in the programs for the 2026-27 academic year, which beings August 26.
The new Associate of Applied Science Degree in Paramedic Program takes 5 semesters to complete, while the new Paramedic Certificate Program is 3 semesters in length.
Paramedics are allied health professionals who function as part of a comprehensive emergency medical services response, performing interventions with the basic and advanced equipment typically found on an ambulance, Stripling said. In order to become a paramedic, you first have to become an emergency medical technician. An EMT requires less training and cost than becoming a paramedic. Upon successful completion of either the Paramedic degree or certificate program at MCCC, students will be eligible to sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Paramedic Certification Exam.
According to the Michigan Department of Labor and Opportunity, a paramedic is classified as a high-demand and high-wage job through 2032 that requires a postsecondary certificate or moderate-term training. There are 150 projected annual paramedic openings in Michigan with an average hourly wage of $22-$27 per hour. Projected growth through 2032 is 3.6% in the state.
Both the degree and certificate programs are selective admissions programs, said Shawn McBride, director of emergency medical services. To be admitted, applicants must possess a current, unrestricted EMT license or higher or have completed a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services-approved EMT program and be eligible to sit for the National Registry of Medical Technicians Certification Exam. In the latter case, certification and licensure must be completed prior to completing of the Paramedic degree or certificate program at MCCC. In addition, prospective students must complete The Human Body (HLTSC-170) or Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL-257) or equivalent course prior to admission.
"Students who do not meet these requirements but would still like to eventually become a paramedic can enroll in MCCC's EMT Certificate Program, which is two semesters in length and prepares students to provide out-of-hospital emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical services system," he said.
The MCCC Paramedic Program has been issued a Letter of Review by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions. This letter is not a CAAHEP accreditation status; it is a status signifying that a program seeking initial accreditation has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the accreditation standards through the Letter of Review Self-Study Report and other documentation. Letter of Review is recognized by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians for eligibility to take the National Registry's Paramedic credentialing examination(s). However, it is NOT a guarantee of eventual accreditation.
For more information, go to www.monroeccc.edu/paramedic or contact McBride at MCCC's Whitman Center at (734) 457-6057 or smcbride@monroeccc.edu.
About Monroe County Community College
Founded in 1964, Monroe County Community College is a public, two-year institution supported by tax monies from Monroe County, educational funds from the State of Michigan and student tuition. The college’s mission is to enrich lives in the community by providing opportunity through student-focused, affordable, quality higher education and other learning experiences. The Main Campus is located at 1555 South Raisinville Road, Monroe, Mich., 48161, with easy access to Toledo and Detroit. The Whitman Center is located at 7777 Lewis Ave., Temperance, Mich., 48182, near the Ohio-Michigan Border. Detailed information about MCCC is available at www.monroeccc.edu.
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