EMCC Paramedic Program Reaccredited

East Mississippi Community College EMT-Paramedic student Dakota Rhodes intubates a training mannequin in class at the Golden Triangle campus. EMCC’s EMT-Paramedic program recently earned another five years of accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

MAYHEW – The EMT-Paramedic program at East Mississippi Community College has again earned accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

The CAAHEP notified EMCC in writing Monday that the program met all the requirements for accreditation following its most recent review. The program is reviewed every five years by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions, which makes a recommendation to the CAAHEP board of directors.

EMCC EMT-Paramedic instructor and program head John McBryde said CoA EMSP reviewers visited the Golden Triangle campus in April and followed up with a letter of findings. After satisfying all requirements detailed in the letter, the program is fully accredited until its next scheduled review in 2018.

McBryde took over the EMT-Paramedic program in 2008 just prior to its last review and accreditation. This was the program’s first review since implementing McBryde’s curriculum.

“I welcomed this process because it was a chance for somebody outside the program with extensive emergency medical services experience to critique the program and point out things we need to improve on. These are things I can build on to make the program better,” said McBryde.

The process began one year ago as McBryde compiled a comprehensive self-study on the program, which included statistics such as the program’s pass-fail rate, retention rate and the number of students who have completed their necessary field rotations.

He was assisted along the process by several members of EMCC’s nursing staff and various administrators.

“The program is where it is because of a lot of work from a lot of different people. Our strength comes from the support the school gives,” said McBryde.