Paramedic Students

Information for Prospective Paramedic Students

Riverside Community College offers one full-time Paramedic Program each year. The program meets M-F, and lasts approximately 12 months. The required prep class meets approximately 4 weeks prior to the start of each program.

Applications are accepted up to 3 months prior to the start of each program. 

*The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs certifies that the EMS program at Riverside Community College has completed an accreditation review and is judged to be in compliance with the nationally-established standards on 11-12-2004 and will be expiring on 11-30-2009. The RCC EMS program is currently in good standing.*

Program will begin: Fall (September) semester of each year.

Application submission deadlines for the above classes (applications must be received in the EMS office (16791 Davis Ave., Riverside, CA, 92518) by 4:00 pm):

June 1st of each year for classes beginning in September

A completed paramedic application must be on file, and positive attendance at the orientation must occur in order to pre-register for the mandatory RCC paramedic prep class.

To be considered complete, the application must include copies of the following:

Required:

• Current EMT-I card. EMT-I must remain current throughout the program.
• Current CPR card. CPR card must be American Heart Association "Healthcare Provider Level."
• Verification of High School Diploma or GED.
• Verification of age (at least 18 years old). Driver's license is acceptable.
• Documentation from current and/or previous employer(s) verifying at least one-year and 2000 hours work experience as an EMT-I. At least 50% of this experience must be in the pre-hospital setting. Work experience can be either paid or volunteer experience. The letter(s) must be on official letterhead and list the start date and the total hours worked, and if part-time, the monthly or yearly call volume of the area served. This letter is not a letter of recommendation; it is a verification of experience.
• Successful completion (with a "C" or better) of Anatomy and Physiology 10 (or equivalent).In progress A&P will be accepted but all coursework must be completed and verification submitted prior to the beginning of the paramedic program. A copy of current enrollment in A&P must be submitted for the application to be considered complete.*

Download the application here (PDF).

Recommended Courses:

We have found that students who have completed the following prerequisites are more successful in the program. While we do not require completion of these courses prior to acceptance into the program, you should understand that our courses are taught with the understanding that you are familiar with the content of these courses.

• English Composition
• Medical Terminology

Selection Process

After application submission, you will be sent a letter stating whether or not your application was complete. The mandatory orientation time and location will be also addressed in the letter. At the orientation, you will be informed of the paramedic prep class. If you pass the prep class with an 80%, you will be put into a lottery for placement into the course. If you are selected for placement into the class, and are not a continuing RCC student, please send in your application to become an RCC student before the start of the class. Applications can be found online at www.rcc.edu or at the Moreno Valley admissions office. Applications take 24 hours to process. Therefore, please complete your application process in a timely fashion.

Licensure Requirement

Graduates of the RCC Paramedic Program are eligible to apply for licensure with the State of California EMS Authority. The EMS Authority may deny any EMT-P license for occurrences listed in Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code section 1798.200. Questions related to licensure should be directed to the State of California EMS Authority.

*Unofficial transcripts or a copy of the enrollment receipt are acceptable to verify A&P requirements. Any official transcripts submitted to the paramedic office will remain and will not qualify for official RCC transcripts. Official transcripts must be received by the RCC transcript office prior to the start of the program.