Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Emergency Medical Services

Apply to the Paramedic program

To join this program, you must apply for admission. Graduates earn an Associates of Applied Science. This program is for those with an Oregon EMT license who want to take the NREMT Paramedic exam. Admission is based on an application and testing process. 24 students are admitted each year, typically in winter term. Applications are accepted annually from July to September.

Questions? For detailed admission and application information, please review the Paramedic advising guide. You may also contact ems@pcc.edu for Emergency Medical Services admissions information, or Michelle Butler for Emergency Services academic advising.

How to apply

  1. Apply to PCC

    Applying to PCC is free and only takes a few minutes. Complete this step as soon as possible so you can start using PCC resources. On the application, choose Associate of General Studies for your major. (Your major can be updated after you’re admitted to the program.)
    Apply to PCC angle right

  2. Meet with the EMS advisor

    Make an appointment with the EMS Advisor Michelle Butler to schedule prerequisite courses and plan for application.

  3. Take prerequisites

    You must meet the standard PCC perquisites in Reading, Writing, and Math. Follow the steps for new students to complete your college placement. All required prerequisites must be completed by the end of fall term, with a C grade or higher, in the year of application.

    • High school diploma or equivalent
    • WR 121: Intro to College Composition (or placement into higher)
    • MTH 65: Fundamentals of Math (or placement into higher)
    • PSY 101: Psychology & Human Relations (higher level psychology courses also accepted)
    • COMM 111: Public Speaking (higher level communications courses also accepted)
    • BI 231: Human Anatomy & Physiology I
    • BI 232: Human Anatomy & Physiology II
    • BI 233: Human Anatomy & Physiology III
    • EMS 100:  Introduction to EMS
    • EMS 105: EMT Part I
    • EMS 106: EMT Part II
    • EMS 115: Crisis Intervention
    • EMS 116: Emergency Medical Tech Rescue
    • MP 111: Medical Terminology
    • HE 295 + PE 295 or FP 289: Health and Fitness for Life*
  4. Supporting documents

    Gather the following document copies which you will need to attach to your online Paramedic application:

    1. Current Oregon EMT or higher certification (out of state students should allow 12 weeks for reciprocity to Oregon)
    2. Current American Heart Association  (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider level card
    3. If you are substituting any prerequisite courses from another college or university, include a copy of your email correspondence for approval of these courses below.
  5. Personal statement

    The online application will require a response to the following prompt: What are your unique qualities and professional goals as a Paramedic? Think about your response prior to beginning the online application. Prompt responses will be limited to 2000 characters.

  6. Submit application

    Complete the Paramedic application.

After you apply

After submitting your online application, you will be contacted (via your PCC email address) of program admissions status and given permission to register if there are seats available. If you are accepted to the program, you will receive information and permission to register for EMS 238. It is your responsibility to register for the appropriate courses. If you do not attend the first class session, you will be dropped from the class.