One of the requirements for accreditation of Paramedic educational programs is that the Program Director must possess a Bachelors degree. Because some programs may find it difficult to meet this requirement by the 2013 date, the CoAEMSP Board of Directors has approved a Bachelors Degree Plan for Program Directors.

This plan provides an extended period of time for the Program Director of a program seeking Initial Accreditation to obtain his/her Bachelors degree. To be eligible for this plan, the program must submit its Initial Accreditation Self Study Report (ISSR) and fees to the CoAEMSP for evaluation prior to January 1, 2011. Doing so will allow the Program Director to demonstrate that qualification by current enrollment and continual satisfactory academic progress (defined as a minimum of 15 semester hours per year) toward a Bachelors degree until successfully completed.

Make sure the Paramedic program has an accreditation-eligible sponsor, which can be a college, university, hospital, clinic, medical center, U.S. Armed Forces, governmental educational or medical services, governmental fire academy or governmental EMS training agency, or a consortium. Complete information about accreditation-eligible sponsors is here under Standard I.

Complete the CAAHEP Request for Accreditation Services form found here.

Complete the Initial Accreditation Self Study Report (ISSR) found here.

Submit the completed Initial Accreditation Self Study Report (ISSR) and appropriate fees.
 
Submission of a completed ISSR by January 1, 2011, will make the program director eligible for the extended period of time to complete a Bachelors degree. More information is available here. For additional information or assistance, contact Bill Goding at bill@coaemsp.org or 817.330.0080, EXT 113.