Paramedic Program Admission | NorthWest Arkansas Community College
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Health Professions

Paramedic Program Admission

Pursue your dreams of saving lives by applying for the Paramedic Program. 
 
All application materials must be received by the Emergency Medical Services Office on the designated deadline date and time. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, then it will be the following business day. 

Note: Students who will be attending clinical rotations while enrolled in a professional program at the Center for Health Professions will be required to have a drug screen performed, either prior to admission, or prior to attending clinical rotations. Students who test positive for drugs (including medical marijuana) will be denied access to the clinical rotations and will consequently be either denied acceptance into the professional program or dismissed from the professional program.

Application Deadlines:

March 1 of each year. 

The Paramedic application is a two-step process.  Please see How to Apply section.  Your application and all required materials must be received in the division office by 3:00 p.m. on the final day of the application period.

Complete the Paramedic Application

Admission Requirements:

  • Must be enrolled as a student at NWACC prior to the program application, including all transcripts from other colleges
  • You must have the ability to communicate safely, accurately, and effectively in both written and spoken English.  If English is your second language, you are encouraged to enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) course to enhance your success.
  • If you are selected for acceptance into the Paramedic program, you will be required to take the HESI A2 exam.
  • Submission of an application does not grantee acceptance
  • Please note that the course titled "EMT Internship" is required for all student applicants who have not worked for an ambulance service for a minimum of one year. This course will be exempt for EMTs who work for an emergency paramedic level service and provide a letter from the licensed emergency service. Completion of this course or written documentation from licensed emergency service is required.
  • Completed the following classes with a grade of "C" or above:
    • BIOL 2214 Anatomy and Physiology I 
    • BIOL 2224 Anatomy and Physiology II 
    •   emta 1102
    • HIM 1001 Intro to Medical Terminology OR HIM 1403 Med Term for Health Sciences

 

How to Apply:

1. Apply for admission into NWACC. If you are not currently enrolled at NWACC, you will need to apply for admission in addition to applying to the Paramedic program.  Apply now to NWACC.

2. Complete the Paramedic application packet.

The following pieces of information is required and should be submitted as a packet to NWACC, Health Professions Division (CHP 2002), One College Drive, Bentonville, AR  72712:

  • One page, typed essay on why you want to become a Paramedic
  • Copy of current Arkansas EMT certification
  • Copy of current signed CPR card
  • Three (3) letters of recommendation from active paramedics with whom you work(ed) on an ambulance with or did your internship with
  • Letter from EMS Administrator for recommendation to attend Paramedic Program
  • Student health, physical condition and disability form
  • Years of service or EMT internship form from EMS agency *
  • Physicians Physical statement form
  • Authorization to release information form
  • Applicants will be taking the HESI A2 Entrance exam as part of the application process. 

Applicants will be taking the HESI A2 Entrance exam as part of the application process. It is the applicant's responsibility to log into Evolve and create a student account. The Allied Health program will schedule group testing dates and locations (to be sent out via student announcements).

Applicants will need to pay the $39 fee for the HESI test before the scheduled testing date. DO NOT WAIT to register for the test. Each testing date has limited seats and is filled on a first come basis. Due to the limited availability of testing, it is recommended to create a student account as soon as possible; no additional time slots will be added.

To create an account with Evolve:

  • Go to https://evolve.elsevier.com
  • Select Login, then select Create Account
  • Choose Student, then complete name, email, and password
  • Username and password will be emailed to you
  • This username and password will be required to take the test

Applicants may lean more about the HESI A2 Entrance exam, including a study guide, and/or practice tests at www.hesi-exam.com.  The NWACC Library has the study guides available for check-out.

The testing component of the application  process is essential to maintain eligibility. Failure to take the HESI exam or provide previous HESI scores (no older than one year) will disqualify the applicant.

Selection Criteria:

The Paramedic Selection Committee and the Medical Director has the right to make the final decision for student admission.  The following outlines how the selection criteria points are calculated to rank students applying to the program:

Selection of students into the RT program is based on a point system.  Students with the highest total points are selected for admission.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all eligibility requirements have been met.

  • Grades of required courses
  • Paramedic interview
  • HESI A2 exam
  • EMT clinical internship
  • Field experience with an emergency service

 

Program Acceptance

Students will be notified by email when they've been accepted into the program and can then register for classes. 

Within the first month after acceptance into the Paramedic Program, students are required to create an account with certifiedbackground.com and provide them with immunization information (to include MMR, Varicella, TB test & Hep B).  They will do a Federal Criminal background check and a 10-panel drug screen.

You will be required to show proof of the following:

  • Valid EMT Certification
  • CPR for Healthcare Professionals
  • Proof of Health Insurance