ESD Completes First Semester
Emergency Services Department Completes First Semester
The newest department in the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences, the Emergency Services Department, is a consolidation that resulted from the Program Prioritization process initiated in 2013. This new department includes the following programs:
- Community Paramedic Academic Certificate
- Emergency Management, A.S. and B.S.
- Fire Services Administration. A.S. and B.S.
- EMS Concentration under the B.S. in Health Sciences
- Paramedic Science, A.S.
The department chairperson Michael Mikitish also serves as the Director of the Institute of Emergency Management. The Paramedic Science program is taught in both the classroom and Simulation Lab. All other degree and certificate programs are taught live, online in a synchronous format, at scheduled times with an instructor, discussion, breakout groups, etc. Department offices are located on the Meridian Health Science Center campus.
Community Paramedics is an emerging healthcare profession that allows paramedics to operate in expanded roles to provide healthcare services to underserved populations. Working in a primary care role, community paramedics can meet the needs of those living with chronic illness and as well as those who have been recently discharged from the hospital by providing follow-up care and linking patients to available community services.
Emergency Management offers students the opportunity to learn about disaster and emergency management while focusing on planning, mitigation, resource management, and leadership providing a broad base of learning applicable to many career paths in the public, private, healthcare and nonprofit sectors.
Fire Services Administration is targeted at working firefighters who intend to become company officers such as Chief, Deputy Chief, Battalion Chief and Training Officer.
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Concentration provides a pathway to a bachelor’s degree for paramedics that allows them to focus specifically on their profession. Four tracks: community paramedics, leadership and management, education, and clinical allow for a variety of emphases depending on the student’s goals.
Paramedic Science provides the next educational step for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) who want to advance in their chosen profession and prepare themselves to offer more advanced medical services to patients.
May 2016
