EMS Program Information

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is proud to be the oldest accredited Paramedic program in the state and one of the oldest in the country. Our Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program offers an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in EMS, allowing students to stack other credentials such as EMT certification.

Program Options

• EMT and Paramedic (Advanced Placement)
• A.A.S. in EMS (Paramedic)
• Current Paramedic to Degree Options

All students are initially placed into the EMS A.A.S. program, and we highly recommend completing it to gain comprehensive skills and qualifications. However, students also have the flexibility to exit the program after achieving their desired level of certification (e.g., EMT certification).

Information Session

Start Your EMS Career Training

To begin your Emergency Medical Services (EMS) career training at NOVA/MEC, attending an Information Session is mandatory. These sessions provide essential details about the program for the current academic year.

Upcoming Information Sessions

Location: Medical Education Campus (MEC), Room HE-252
Time: 6:00 p.m.

Can’t attend in person?
Email novaems@nvcc.edu or call 703.822.6639 to request a session recording and code.

Have Questions?

Pre-Health students needing academic advising or program requirement guidance should visit the Advising & Counseling Office:

• Location: Medical Education Campus, Room 140
• Phone: 703.822.6639

Minimum Expectations

The goal of the EMS program is to prepare Paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.

State OEMS BLS Accreditation

The Northern Virginia Community College EMS program is accredited to offer EMT education by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Emergency Medical Services. This accreditation is granted upon the recommendation of the Division of Accreditation, Certification, and Education.

EMS Lab Guidelines

The mission of the Emergency Medical Services Lab (EMSL) is to provide students in the emergency services field with the tools and equipment necessary to succeed in their learning experience.

EMSL students are given the opportunity to learn and perform a variety of hands-on training. While there is no guarantee that every student will experience all scenarios during clinical rotations, incorporating simulated experiences allows students to refine critical skills before interacting with real patients.

These guidelines ensure that all individuals understand their rights, roles, and responsibilities while working in Room 174, the Emergency Training Laboratory.

Students

• Must always be accompanied by a faculty or staff member while in the lab and storage rooms.
• Cannot remove or check out equipment from the EMS inventory.

Faculty/Staff Personnel

• Have full discretion over allowing food or drinks during their classes.
• Must adhere to the Section 12.80 Administrative Services Procedures Manual and submit equipment borrowing requests through the lab manager at least 48 hours in advance.
• Faculty/staff offices, including personal workstations, cannot be used without express permission.
• Only trained faculty/staff may operate simulators, computers, and equipment.
• Lead faculty/staff are responsible for ensuring classroom doors are secured at the end of each session.
• Lead faculty/staff are also responsible for returning all assigned lab equipment to its original location after each session.

Equipment

• Damaged or lost equipment must be reported to the lab manager via email or in person by the end of the workday.
• All assigned equipment and components must be wiped down, washed, and secured in proper working order for future use.

Facilities

• Personal items left in the classroom will be turned into lost and found at the end of the following week.
• All items in the refrigerator will be removed every Friday for cleaning. Condiments must be labeled with the date they were placed to remain.
• Cover food when using the microwave.
• The coffee pot, filter, and table must be cleaned after each class use.
• All tables and chairs must be returned to their original positions at the end of each class session.