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Administration: (303) 602-2566 EMS Education: (303) 602-2530
COVID-19 UPDATE
Denver Health Paramedics - EMS Education is required to ensure all Paramedic students have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Thank you for your interest in our courses!
Paramedic School
“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.
Accelerated (6 month) Start Dates:
June 13th, 2022
Year Long (12 month)
September 12th, 2022
Application deadline dates for 2022:
Application deadline for the Accelerated course with a start date of of June 13th, 2022 will be April 15th, 2022 at 5:00pm.
Application deadline for the Year Long course with a start date of September 12th, 2022 will be July 30th, 2022 at 5:00pm.
The application and admission process is competitive and top graduates are considered for employment at the Denver Health Paramedic Division. The course 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 meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings from 6 -10pm. Additional days may be 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, Cardiac Cath Lab and Psychiatric Emergency Service. At this time these locations may not all be available due to COVID-19 restrictions.
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. For the accelerated course the field internship will be an approximately 40 hour a week commitment.
The Field Internship is four phases:
Phase 1: First 50 hours (Observation/Orientation Rides)
- Orientation to the system
- Learn the setup of the ambulance
- Observe as a team member and Perform any skills that are allowed by the preceptor
- Develop PCR writing skills
- Perform all BLS procedures
- Clearance to Phase 2 must be approved by the preceptor
Phase 2: hour 50-250
- Paramedic student will begin to function as an ALS team member
- Student will begin patient evaluations/assessments
- Initiate IV’s
- Intubate patients
- Administer medications
- Build upon PCR writing skills
- Develop team leader plan
- Clearance to Phase 3 must be approved by the preceptor
Phase 3: Hours 250-400
- Continue to master the requirements of Phase 1 and 2.
- Continue to develop team leader skills and identify areas of deficiency and areas for improvement
- Student should be able to function as an entry level paramedic
- Clearance to Phase 4 (Capstone Phase)
Phase 4: Hours 400-500 (Capstone Phase)
- Student MUST demonstrate FULL Team leadership as a paramedic
- Student must achieve successful grading on student’s last 18 of their 20 calls of this phase to successfully complete. Meaning that 18/20 of the last calls must have a successful team lead.
- To be counted as a Team Lead the Paramedic student must conduct a comprehensive assessment, establish a field impression, determine patient acuity, formulate a treatment plan, direct the treatment, and direct and participate in the transport of the patient to a medical facility, transfer of care to a higher level of medical authority, or termination of care in the field.
- For the capstone field internship to meet the breadth of the paramedic profession, team leads must include transport to a medical facility and may occasionally include calls involving transfer of care to an equal level or higher level of medical authority, termination of care in the field, or patient refusal of care. Capstone field internship team leads cannot be accomplished with simulation.”
- If there are significant concerns, the student may be extended in the Field Internship beginning with 50 additional hours, progressing if needed.
- Completion of Phase 4 will be granted after preceptors have voiced any concerns or approval.
Prerequisites
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
- Completed a Basic EKG interpretation course
Applying to Paramedic School
Students who complete the application process and their application has been reviewed and approved will be assigned the entrance exam. This will determine if an applicant 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 email of their acceptance or denial.
The Application Package must include the following:
- 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
- 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
Admission/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 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.
If you are accepted into either program, the following will be required:
Picture
Head shot for student ID
BLS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER
BLS FOR HEALTH CARE provider certification. (It is imperative that you understand this has to be a BLS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER certification as this is the reason most applicants are removed from the process as they have the incorrect certification!) Please click here to learn more about what a BLS for Health Care Provider certification is.
Background Check
A background check is required prior to moving on in the application process. You may obtain a background check by going to www.castlebranch.com and utilizing group code EN14 (A fee applies, and is the responsibility of the student to complete the check and upload the documents into the required form). You may choose another vendor for a background check, HOWEVER, the background check must be within the last 6 months and it MUST be a nationwide background check.
COVID-19 vaccination
A complete vaccination is required.
TB PPD or X-Ray
Tuberculin skin test within the past 12 months or documentation as a previous positive reactor or negative x-ray. Please click here to learn more about a TB Skin test.
MMR
Proof of Mumps, Rubella and Rubeola immunity by positive antibody titers or 2 does of MMR
Influenza Vaccine
Flu shot
Hepatitis B
Proof of Hepatitis B immunization or declination of vaccine if patient contact is anticipated
Tdap
Vaccination must have been done within the last 10 years. Click here to learn more about the Tdap vaccination.
Varicella
(Chicken Pox)
Varicella immunity, by positive history of chicken pox (verified) or proof of Varicella immunization
If you are a Colorado resident you may obtain a copy of your vaccination records by going here. A fee may apply and is the responsibility of the applicant. There are no exceptions to the vaccination requirements and/or the background check requirement.
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).
For questions about the application process or any other issue, please feel free to contact MacKenzie Schledorn-Redden at MacKenzie.Schledorn-Rudden@dhha.org or 303-602-2530.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs 1361 Park Street Clearwater, FL 33756727-210-2350📷www.caahep.org
Honored to be partners in education
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