The job of paramedic typically has a high turnover rate, often strained by a lack of grant money and other resources.
But a new partnership launching Tuesday takes a more regional approach, helping hospitals, ambulance companies, and fire departments. For the first time, three community colleges will offer paramedic training.
Joey Greer heads the Emergency Medical Services program at Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg. He explains that without more highly trained paramedics, emergency crews are lacking in areas like cardiology, and a knowledge of pain medications.
"We can get advanced EMT's, but it's hard to get paramedics," he said. "Students can really take most of these classes for zero dollars, and get the same education as someone getting the college credit. And if they want to come back later, they can get college credit for it."
Greer said Virginia's community college system got some funding from the General Assembly, with a boost from the 'Go Virginia' economic development initiative. He also said volunteering is down, and municipalities are having to address that need.
"That is one of the biggest things that we hope to bring to this area – the availability to more people that maybe wanted to take those classes from a private university or private agency," he adds.
The other schools involved in the Innovative Paramedic Program partnership are Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke and New River Community College in Christiansburg.
