Duties: Paramedic specialists provide an advanced level of care in a variety of settings. Using critical thinking skills, paramedic specialists rapidly assess, treat and stabilize injured or ill patients and provide transport to or between hospitals. Settings may include ground and air ambulances, emergency departments, critical care units or cardiac cath labs. Along with advanced assessment techniques, paramedic specialists use medications, cardiac monitoring and interpreting, defibrillation and advanced invasive skills as guided by state and local protocols, as well as the medical direction of each service.

Education: The Iowa Paramedic Specialist program follows the 1998 United States Department of Transportation’s National Standard Curriculum for the EMT-Paramedics and prepares the EMT-Basic and EMT-Intermediate for the more advanced scope of practice of the paramedic specialist. This health science program has a mandatory background check on for clinical participation.

Accreditation: Upon successful completion of the program, the student is eligible to take the practical and written certification examinations leading to certification as an Iowa Paramedic Specialist and Nationally Registered EMT-Paramedic through the Iowa Department of Public Health and National Registry of EMTs, respectively.

Successful completion of the degree program also results in the awarding of an Associate of Applied Science degree in Iowa Paramedic Specialist. Current paramedics may also complete the degree requirements, with credit awarded for previous EMS course work.

The Iowa Paramedic Specialist program is CAAHEP accredited.

EMS Program Director:
Dave Hunt, B.S., NREMT-P
Linn Hall Simulation Center
319-398-5672
dhunt@kirkwood.edu

Health Education Assistant:
Amber Moore
Linn Hall Simulation Center
319-398-1269
amber.moore@kirkwood.edu

The Iowa Paramedic Specialist program is CAAHEP accredited.