Paramedic Program

Admission into programs leading to licensure and credentialing does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or credential. Licensure and credentialing requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the CSU and requirements can change at any time. For example, licensure or credentialing requirements can include evidence of the right to work in the United States (e.g., social security number or tax payer identification number) or successfully passing a criminal background check. Students are responsible for determining whether they can meet licensure or credentialing requirements.

The CSU will not refund tuition, fees, or any associated costs, to students who determine subsequent to admission that they cannot meet licensure or credentialing requirements. Information concerning licensure and credentialing requirements is available by contacting the program staff.

The Paramedic Program is approved by the Sacramento County Emergency Medical Services Agency and the State of California Emergency Medical Services Authority. It is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 – 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

CoAEMSP
8301 Lakeview Parkway Suite 111-312
Rowlett, TX 75088
214-703-8445
FAX 214-703-8992
www.coaemsp.org

Sacramento State is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001. Accreditation was reaffirmed for 10 years in June 2017.

Fees will be due to Sacramento State at specific times, as follows:

1. The first payment will be $120, due if/when you’re accepted into the program
2. The second payment will be $4,025, due at time of registration for NURS 51 and NURS 53: Part 1
3. The third payment will be $4,600, due at time of registration for NURS 52 and NURS 54: Part 2
4. The fourth payment will be $2,875, due at time of registration for NURS 55
5. The fifth and final payment will be $5,750, due at time of registration for NURS 56

You must register and pay for each course by the first day of the class. A $25 late payment fee will be assessed for those who register/pay after the first day of the course. Lastly, you also need to pay for your internship directly with an agency, and their fees may vary. The typical cost for an internship can range anywhere from free to $2,500.

Unfortunately, this program does not qualify for financial aid or student loans. 

Sacramento State is only approved to offer federal financial aid to students enrolled in eligible degree programs. Students enrolled in the Paramedic Program would not qualify for federal financial aid. This includes the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Student Loans.

We accept VA/GI Bill money. Please refer to the Veterans Affairs Benefits webpage to learn more about the benefits accepted by CCE and how to start the registration process.

Applications must be submitted by the deadline along with the following required documents*:

• NREMT card
• State EMT card
• Resume
• Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended (If you have a college degree (associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree), a copy of your diploma can be uploaded instead of transcripts.)
• Test of Essential Academic Skill (TEAS) printout that shows name and score.

Students can take the TEAS exam at a local testing center or virtually through ATI. Please visit the ATI website for more information on how to register for the TEAS for Nursing exam.

*Submit documents in PDF format. Name each file with your last name and first name and the type of document. For example, Smith_John_Resume.

All complete applications are scored and ranked. Acceptance into the program will be based on four criteria:

• TEAS exam score (percentage divided by 10)
• EMT work experience (maximum of 5 points)
• education background (maximum of 5 points)
• interview score (maximum of 10 points)

Applicants can earn up to 2 bonus points on their application:

• 0.5 points for completing an Anatomy & Physiology course
• 0.5 points for completing a Pre-Paramedic course
• 1 point for having at least 1 calendar year of EMT work experience

Once the application deadline passes, the applicant will be contacted via email by the program coordinator to confirm if they ranked in the top 60. Applicants ranking in the top 60 will be invited to interview.

After interviews, the top 40 applicants will be accepted into the program. Applicants will receive acceptance notification via email and will have 48 hours to accept their spot in the program. The remaining applicants who interviewed and meet the criteria will be offered a spot on the waitlist. If you are on the waitlist, but not offered a spot in the current class, you will need to reapply to a future cohort.

Please refer to the University Policy Manual for information on academic credit and university policies.

Applicants must have completed an EMT Basic course, obtained EMT certification from the National Registry and received their state certification. Applicants must also take the Test of Essential Academic Skill (TEAS) exam prior to the application deadline. A minimum of one year experience as an EMT is preferred but not required. All applicants with at least 1 year of EMT work experience will be awarded 1 bonus point.

Your application is scored based on your college units, EMT work experience, and TEAS score:

• Your TEAS score is converted to points, so for example: 74% = 7.4 points.
• Your EMT work experience is scored 1 year = 1 point, up to a maximum of 5 points. If you have less than 1 year of work experience, we divide by 12 to find the points for the amount of months.
• We use a rubric for college units, with 0 – 10 college units receiving a score of 0.5 and a Master’s degree receiving a score of 5. There is a total of 5 points available.
• There are three ways to earn up to 2 bonus points on your application:
  • have more than 1 year of EMT work experience: 1 bonus point
  • take a Pre-Paramedic course: 0.5 bonus points
  • take an Anatomy & Physiology course: 0.5 bonus points

A strong applicant will be well balanced between the 3 areas.

After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation from CCE that includes a link to upload the required documents.

After submitting your application, you will be emailed instructions on how to upload and send the following required documents:

• NREMT card
• State EMT card
• Resume
• Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended (If you have a college degree (Associates, Bachelors, or Masters), a copy of your diploma can be uploaded in lieu of transcripts.)
• Test of Essential Academic Skill (TEAS) printout that shows name and score.

Please make sure to only upload documents in PDF format. Name each PDF with your last name and first name and the type of document. For example, Smith_John_Resume.

No, several weeks of A&P are included in the course curriculum so we do not require it as a prerequisite. However, if you have already taken an A&P course, you will receive a 0.5 bonus point on your application.

Yes, as long as you are current with your county or state.

The Test of Essential Academic Skill (TEAS) serves as our entrance exam. You will need to schedule a TEAS exam on your own and submit the results by the application deadline. The TEAS exam can be taken anywhere that it is offered. When registering for the exam on the ATI website, please choose the TEAS for Nursing Option. There is no required minimum score.

Please do not route your score to Sacramento State via the ATI website. Once you have taken the exam, download your TEAS Score Report from your ATI Account and upload it with your other required documents.

No, students are not required to apply to the university or meet campus admissions criteria. Students apply directly to the Paramedic Program by filling out the online application. There is a $30.00 non-refundable application fee.

Yes. If accepted, you’ll need to show proof of immunizations for: COVID-19, MMR, HepB, Varicella, Influenza (current flu season), 2-step TB skin test (1-3 weeks apart), and Tdap. More information will be provided once accepted. Vaccination requirements vary by clinical site, and more information is provided once clinical assignments are made.

Yes, all students accepted into the program must have health insurance throughout the entire duration of their program.

Upon program acceptance, current car insurance and health insurance coverage need to be shown.

Yes, orientation is mandatory. The date orientation is scheduled is listed under Important Dates.

Having a criminal conviction on your record does not prevent you from applying or being accepted into the program. As of Oct. 1, 2024, the National Registry does not require disclosure of criminal convictions, however, paramedic applicants will need to check with the state for requirements to practice. The Emergency Medical Services Authority can be reached by email or you can contact the Paramedic Licensure Unit by phone at 916-323-9875 to ask about your specific situation.

The average student finishes the program in approximately 12 months. It all depends on how many hours a week you put in during your clinical and fieldwork. Some students finish the program in under a year, and some take longer.

Please note that courses administered by the College of Continuing Education (CCE) do not run on a semester-based schedule like the rest of the university.

Class meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The start date of each program and end date of didactic is listed on the application (didactic is approx. 23 weeks long).

Classes during the didactic portion will be held at 4931 Arnold Avenue, McClellan Park, CA 95652.

During didactic, you will get certified in BLS, ACLS, PALS and PHTLS. There is no additional cost for these classes — they are included with the cost of the program. These certifications also help make you more of a marketable job candidate upon program completion.

Yes, you will receive 30 units of academic credit that may be transferable as elective units.

The courses taken in the paramedic program can be applied to the fully online BS in Health Science degree completion program at Sacramento State.

Yes, students are provided two uniform polos and one program job shirt (sweatshirt), and are required to purchase and wear dark navy blue Taclite TDU 5.11 pants. Students are also required to wear black shoes and a black leather belt.

You will need to purchase Taclite TDU 5.11 dark navy (style #74280) pants. You can purchase them online or at a uniform store.

These pants are being phased out and if you’re unable to find them, the new pant requirement is 5.11® Regular Fit Flex-Tac® TDU® Ripstop Cargo Pant.

No, the program does not provide job placement. However, you will get a chance to network with other students who are already working as EMTs, as well as your instructors who all have careers working as a paramedic or firefighter. Also, your internships serve as a great opportunity to connect with professionals, which can open the doors to job opportunities.

No, we have a Clinical Coordinator and a Field Coordinator who will assist in placing you in your internships.

• Adventist Health Lodi Memorial
• Alameda Health System – Wilma Chan Highland Hospital
• Doctor’s Medical Center of Modesto
• Kaiser (North Sacramento, Oakland, Roseville, South Sacramento, Vacaville, Vallejo)
• Marshall Medical Center
• Mercy General Hospital
• Mercy San Juan Medical Center
• Methodist Hospital of Sacramento
• North Bay Health Medical Center
• Rideout Memorial
• Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
• St Joseph’s Medical Center
• Stanford Medical Center
• Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center – Modesto
• Sutter Amador Hospital
• Sutter Roseville Medical Center
• Sutter Medical Center – Sacramento
• Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital
• Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley (Valley Care)
• Woodland Memorial Hospital

• AlphaOne Ambulance
• American Ambulance Fresno
• ALA
• AMR
• Bi-County Ambulance
• City of Alameda Fire Dept.
• City of Berkeley Fire Dept.
• City of Fairfield Fire Dept.
• City of Folsom Fire Dept.
• City of Sacramento Fire Dept.
• City of Stockton Fire Dept.
• Cosumnes CSD Fire Dept.
• Dinuba Fire Dept.
• El Dorado County Emergency Services Authority
• Falck Ambulance
• Lake County Fire
• Manteca District Ambulance
• Mayers Memorial Hospital District
• Medic Ambulance Services
• Medstar/Ukiah Ambulance
• Metro West Ambulance
• North Shore Fire Protection District
• Orange County Fire Authority
• Patterson District Ambulance
• Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority
• Riggs Ambulance
• Sacramento Metro. Fire Dept.
• San Rafael Fire Dept.
• San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District
• Westside Ambulance Association

The Paramedic Program began in October 2009.

Yes, the Paramedic Program is approved by the Sacramento County Emergency Medical Services Agency and the State of California Emergency Medical Services Authority. The program is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

To prepare Paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.