Should Paramedic Education Require a College Degree?

Recently, there has been a heated debate about the professionalism of EMS and the possibilities of degree requirements. In the U.S., students of paramedic training programs aren't required to have a college degree to become certified for licensure. U.S. paramedic training programs are required to be nationally accredited and meet all other state requirements for licensure, but that requirement does not mandate the provision of a degree. In the UK, the College of Paramedics has recently led a number of projects to advance paramedic practice in the United Kingdom, including a structure for identifying specialist, advanced, and consultant-level paramedics, with a number of paramedics working at an equivalent level to the MD. In 2018 legislation was changed to allow paramedics to independently prescribe medication. To register as a paramedic, the minimum standard of education should be a degree. In Canada, the paramedic profession has evolved significantly in the past twenty years. We are both urgent and non-urgent care providers. The competency requirements have increased. Technical training is no longer sufficient to perform in both a safe and effective manner. Baccalaureate training is now required. This session looks at these issues and discusses both sides, with consideration given to other established paramedic training programs in the world.