Paramedic School

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  “There is no higher honor than to be given the responsibility to care for another human being.”—Richard K. Schachern 

Denver Health is the area's leading and only academic Regional Level I Trauma Center for Adults and Level II Trauma Center for Children. The Denver Health Paramedic Division is the sole 911 provider for the City and County of Denver and responds to over 110,000 calls per year. Our students have the opportunity to learn in a high-volume, fast-paced urban setting. That's why we are being chosen as a partner by many of the Denver Metro Area Fire Departments and Ambulance Services throughout the state to provide their departments with Paramedic Training.

Clinical opportunities are unparalleled in the field and include working alongside paramedics and physicians at special events, including large concerts, Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies games, and community outreach events like the Shots 4 Tots program. All clinical departments are located on the Denver Health Campus affording the opportunity for our students to receive the best and consistent training possible all the while allowing for convenience of not having to travel to different locations for clinical opportunities. 

The Denver Health Paramedic School consists of a rigorous 1300 hour training for those interested in providing advanced emergency medical care to patients. Students who complete the curriculum are eligible to sit for the NREMT-P written and practical exams. 

The application and admission process is competitive and top graduates are considered for employment at the Denver Health Paramedic Division.

There are two schedule formats for students to choose from: a 12-month or an accelerated 6-month program.

 The application and admission process is competitive and top graduates are considered for employment at the Denver Health Paramedic Division. Training consists of three phases:

Phase 1 - Didactic Phase (Classroom)

The program curriculum is based on the 1999 D.O.T. EMT-Paramedic curriculum and taught by some of the leading industry experts to include Denver Health Paramedics, Denver Health Physicians. 

There are two schedule formats for students to choose from:

• The 12-month program generally meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings from 6 -10pm. Some Saturday classes are required.
• The accelerated 6-month program meets Monday through Friday for 8 hours per day.

Phase 2 - Clinical Rotations

• Phase 2 clinical rotations are run concurrently with the classroom training. All students participate in direct patient care in a variety of urban, high patient volume locations at Denver Health, including the ED, Pediatric ED, Operating Room, Intensive Care, Respiratory Therapy, Labor and Delivery and Psychiatric Emergency Service.

Phase 3 - Field Internship

• The field internship involves the practical application of classroom knowledge and clinical instruction. The field internship represents both an instructional and evaluative phase of the program. During the field internship, the student will be under direct supervision by a preceptor. The field internship phase will be a 30 hour per week commitment.
• Pursuant to the State of Colorado Paramedic Training Center rules and regulations, students are required to complete 500 hours of field internship time. The first 100 hours will be done concurrently with the first two phases, and the remaining 400 hours commence immediately after the end of the didactic phase. All of these hours will be spent on a Denver Health Paramedic Division ambulance.

 To apply to Denver Health Paramedic School, applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a high school graduate or have GED certificate
• Have successfully completed an EMT-Basic training program and have worked at least 6 months as an EMT
• Possess a current CPR certification (a BLS for Healthcare Provider Certification)
• Have successfully completed an IV Therapy Approval Course
• Passed Anatomy and Physiology I and II (or its equivalent), as defined by the Colorado Community Colleges and Occupational Educational Services (CCCOES). This requirement can be met through a challenge assessment process that leads to equivalent credit. Information regarding the challenge assessment can be found online.

Contact Matt Mattix with any questions at matthew.mattix@dhha.org or 303-602-2534.

All students applying to the Denver Health Paramedic School are required to have the application package submitted by the deadline corresponding to their desired admission track. The 12-month program accepts 24 students; the 6-month program accepts 24 students. The 6-month accelerated course will start June 1st, 2020 (with interviews commencing in March 2020) and the 12-month course will start September 21st, 2020 (with interviews commencing in June 2020)

Applicants will be contacted for pre-admission testing and interviews once the EMS Education office has received and reviewed applications. Should the candidate meet all program requirements and prerequisites, he/she will be notified in writing of pre-admission test dates and locations. A description of the testing process and recommended study materials will be included.

Students who successfully complete the pre-admission testing, and are deemed to have a positive likelihood for success in the program, will be invited for a panel interview. The Paramedic School will then develop a list of eligible candidates for admission to the subsequent class and these individuals will be notified by mail of their acceptance.

The Application Package must include the following: (Application deadline for the accelerated course is March 1st. The yearlong course application deadline is June 1st.)

• Completed application
• An admission essay of approximately 200 words must be submitted with this application to be considered for admission into a program.   The essay should state why the applicant wishes to become a paramedic and why he or she wishes to attend the Denver Health Paramedic School.
• EMT or Advanced EMT certification
• High school diploma or GED Certificate
• Current TB test, TDAP, Varicella, Hepatitis B vaccination series, MMR vaccination and a current flu shot.
• Transcripts demonstrating successful completion of anatomy and physiology requirements
• A non-refundable processing fee of $75.00 is required of each applicant for admission to the Denver Health Paramedic School. This fee is not deductible against any other fee charged or other sum required of the applicant by the program. 
• Three Letters of recommendation

Pre-Admission Testing and Interview Process

The Denver Health Paramedic School will evaluate applicants on proven academic competence and potential, goals, understanding of the paramedic's role, and recommendation letters. Pre-admission test results and the panel interview will further aid the program in selecting the most competitive applicants for admission.

Each applicant accepted for admission is required to make a non-refundable $300.00 seat deposit in order to secure a place in the entering class. Seat deposits are due no later than 14 days as postmarked on the notification of acceptance letter. Deposits should be mailed to the Denver Health Paramedic School office at 190 W. 6th Ave. MC 3652, Denver, CO 80204. The seat deposit is applied toward tuition.

Click here for tuition assistance information.

 Paramedic School 5 year Data Outcomes for Graduates

• Three year outcomes for National Registry pass rate for written exam 98.1%.
• Three year outcomes for National Registry pass rate for practical exam is 90%.
• Graduate positive placement in the workforce is 100.%.
• The school's retention rate is 80.1%.
• The Denver Health Paramedic School Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs1361 Park StreetClearwater, FL  33756727-210-2350📷www.caahep.org