Training Institute

Paramedic Course

OVERVIEW

Over the past 30 years, the development of emergency medical systems has significantly improved the caliber of emergency care provided prior to hospital arrival. The Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute, with the assistance of the Center for Emergency Medicine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has developed an education program for paramedics that prepare students to meet the increasing demands of out-of-hospital care.

Emergency medicine professionals have developed the Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute’s Paramedic education program to equip students with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to develop as medical professionals. Throughout the program, students receive instruction in the art and science of emergency medicine through lecture, lab, and clinical education in the hospital and field. The curriculum involves students in these components of education concurrently. This enables paramedic students to master theory and practical application quickly.

All of Good Fellowship’s EMS Training Institute’s Paramedic Education programs are designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to provide high quality emergency medical care. Good Fellowship’s EMS Training Institute’s Paramedic Program is accredited by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health.

DIPLOMA IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Good Fellowship’s EMS Training Institute offers a paramedic diploma program designed to prepare paramedics for entry-level positions in urban, suburban, and rural Emergency Medical Services throughout the country. The program meets two nights a week and during the day on Saturdays over two semesters and a third semester spent in a field internship. The program is completed within 12 months. The dates for the upcoming year are: September 2008 to August 2009.

BACHELOR DEGREE IN HEALTH SCIENCES

The West Chester University School of Health Science offers a Bachelor Degree in Health Sciences. This program is designed to prepare leaders in health services throughout the country. Students who complete the Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute diploma program can apply their education toward a Bachelor Degree at any time in the future. Students interested in pursuing their paramedic certification as part of a Bachelor Degree are encouraged to contact Dr. Jim Brenner at (610) 436-3357 for more information.

SPECIALTY CERTIFICATIONS

The curriculum has been designed to provide the student with an opportunity to obtain certification in:

CURRICULUM

Good Fellowship’s EMS Training Institute is using the 1998 Paramedic: National Standard Curriculum. This is the most comprehensive curricula in the history of EMS and was developed to prepare advanced level providers for the new millennium. The course of study meets or exceeds all of the minimum national and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania training requirements. Upon graduation from the program, the students will take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians EMT-Paramedic Examination. All exam fees are included in the student's tuition.

The course of instruction consists of four phases of education: didactic, laboratory, clinical/field and summative field internship. The program consists of over 495 hours of didactic education and laboratory education, and over 552 hours of clinical education. The didactic material provides the foundation for understanding the purpose and objectives of clinical treatments. We believe that this is the distinction between the professional and the technician. This philosophy provides the rationale for the development of a comprehensive classroom curriculum.

Laboratory training provides a safe and effective opportunity for students to develop psychomotor skills and apply concepts to clinical decision-making. Good Fellowship’s EMS Training Institute maintains an extensive array of training manikins, models and equipment specifically for practice of the psychomotor skills of patient care. We maintain a state-of-the-art computer laboratory with the latest educational software and Internet access.

Clinical and field training provide an opportunity to develop and apply clinical knowledge and skills to the actual treatment of emergency patients. As students are instructed in the theoretical practice of emergency medicine, they participate in various supervised clinical experiences. These experiences are designed to refine the skills involved in patient care. During clinical and field training, students have an opportunity to rotate through Chester County’s respected emergency medical services and health care facilities.

At the successful completion of the didactic and clinical courses, students are required to complete a 120 hour Summative Field Evaluation. This summative evaluation provides students the opportunity to serve as a team leader and to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the role of an entry level paramedic.

As part of the program, students complete field clinical course work with various EMS units located throughout Chester County. The field and clinical training enables students to apply their knowledge and clinical skills in the out-of-hospital environment. Each student is assigned an experienced paramedic who will serve as a preceptor and mentor during each term.

While in training, each student completes in-hospital clinical experience in the following areas:
 Emergency Department
 Critical Care (Coronary Care Unit, Trauma ICU, Cardiovascular Surgery ICU, etc.)
 Burn Care
 Morgue
 Operating Room/Recovery Room/Anesthesia
 Intravenous Team/Phlebotomy
 Pediatrics
 Psychiatric
 Obstetrics/Gynecology (Labor Suite, Delivery Room, Newborn Nursery, etc.)
 Trauma Team
 Respiratory Care


FACULTY

William M. Wells, B.S., EMT-P
Program Administrative Director
Mr. Wells oversees all of the education programs at the Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute. Mr. Wells has been a paramedic for five years and a Pennsylvania certified EMS instructor. Mr. Wells also holds instructor status in the following organizations: American Heart Association, Basic Life Support International, American Academy of Pediatrics, and The National Safety Council. Mr. Wells received his B.S. in Health Sciences from West Chester University.

Jerry L. Peters, B.S., EMT-P
Program Director / Clinical Coordinator
As the Program Director, Mr. Peters is responsible for the management and supervision of the course. He is responsible for scheduling all instructors and field preceptors. As well as being responsible for site visits of all clinical and field sites throughout the county. Finally, he is ultimately assigned the task of preparing each student for their new role as a Paramedic when they graduate from the course. Mr. Peters has been a paramedic for over 20 years and is a Pennsylvania certified EMS Instructor. He is Regional Faculty for the American Heart Association and an instructor trainer in basic cardiac life support (BCLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), and pediatric advanced life support (PALS). Mr. Peters received his B.S. in Health Sciences and minor in Instructional Media from West Chester University.

Beverly A. Mikuriya, M.D.
Medical Director
In her role as Medical Director, Dr. Mikuriya oversees all aspects of the didactic education. Dr. Mikuriya is an attending physician and former Chairman for the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Chester County Hospital. Dr. Mikuriya has over thirty years of experience and is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Mikuriya received her M.D. from Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dianne G. Lanham, M.S.N., R.N., C.P.H.Q.
Program Counselor
Ms. Lanham provides counseling and support services for students enrolled in the Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute’s Paramedic Program. Ms. Lanham is the Patient Safety and Quality Officer for the Chester County Hospital. She has also held the positions of Process Improvement Coordinator, Mental Health Instructor, Administrative Supervisor, and Nurse Manager for the Emergency Department. She is a Certified Professional for Health Care Quality and has over thirty-five years nursing experience. She received her Masters in Nursing from Widener University, Chester, PA.

FACILITIES

The Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute has specially designed classroom facilities for all EMS Programs. The classroom space was built to permit maximum educational flexibility and versatility. The lecture room contains current state of the art technology. The practical room was designed to accommodate practical exercises, skills practice, and scenario training. The practical room is furnished with the most advanced medical equipment available. With these resources readily accessible, the student receives both didactic instruction and considerable hands-on practice.

The Institute has a student computer lab and an extensive array of computer-aided instructional programs.

The Institute maintains a library of the most up-to-date resources in emergency medicine. The library contains an extensive collection of medical texts, journals, and instructional videotapes on emergency medical topics. These resources are available for students to enhance their knowledge in areas of special interest.

[ View photos of the Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute ]

TUITION/FEES

Tuition for the program is all inclusive and is:
$8,500 for in-region* residents**
$9,000 for in-state residents**
$9,500 for out-of-state residents**

* The Region is considered the Chester County Regional EMS Council and covers residents and employees in Chester County.
**Residency is determined by the student's permanent address 6 months prior to the start of the program.

Tuition is subject to change.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Even though there is no financial aid available through the Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute, The First National Bank of Chester County is willing to finance the cost of the class for qualified students. Please contact Ms. Claire M. Price, Assistant Vice President and Installment Loan Officer at (484) 881-4779.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Since admission to the Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute program is competitive, seats are limited. We highly suggest that you apply early.

To be eligible for enrollment in any of Good Fellowship EMS Training Institute’s Paramedic Programs, the applicant must be:

• 18 years of age or older
• A High School graduate (or equivalent)
• Currently certified as an EMT in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or a Nationally Registered EMT*
• Capable of all duties and requirements as described on the Functional Job Description of the Paramedic **

To apply to the program, the candidate must submit a completed application. A completed application will include:

• High school and/or college transcripts. If applicants have earned more than an equivalent of 60 college credits, a high school transcript is not necessary
• Two sealed letters of evaluation. (Return Letters in provided envelopes with application or under separate cover)
• Copy of current EMT certification and BCLS certification.

Students are admitted to the program based on their academic history, personal statement, two letters of evaluation, and a phone interview conducted by the Institute.

After you are formally accepted by the Institute, you will be contacted by mail as to your acceptance into the training program. If you are accepted, a $300.00 deposit will be required to hold your seat in class. This deposit will be put toward your tuition and is non-refundable. You are required to be certified as an EMT (Pennsylvania or National Registry) and have a physical exam (including blood work) completed to start the program. If you are not accepted into the program, a letter of explanation will be sent. Most applicants will be given the opportunity to resubmit an application for acceptance into a future paramedic training program.

* Students with EMT certification from other states who are not Nationally Registered must apply for Pennsylvania certification. The reciprocity process typically takes 6-8 weeks to complete. Depending on the origin of the student’s certification, it may be necessary for students to take a state-administered written and/or practical exam. Out-of-state students should contact: Chester County Department of Emergency Services; 601 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA 19380, (610) 344-5000 immediately upon being admitted to the Institute. All out of country students, whether they are Nationally Registered or not, will need to take the Pennsylvania Exam.

If you are currently enrolled in an EMT Program, you can still submit your application and write “pending” where the application asks for your EMT Certification number. Prehospital experience is strongly recommended but not required. If students are interested in receiving experience prior to the program, an EMT Internship is available.

** In accordance with the State of Pennsylvania EMS training guidelines, the student must possess the sensory acuity and the physical ability to perform all of the diagnostic, therapeutic, and communication functions of a paramedic. Please contact the Institute for a Functional Job Description of the Paramedic and a detailed list of the sensory and physical requirements for the Paramedic program.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

The Good Fellowship Ambulance & EMS Training Institute, as a health care provider, educational institution, and as an employer, values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic and cultural diversity. Accordingly, the Center prohibits and will not engage in discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era.

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