Program Director’s Message

Thank you for your interest in the Paramedic Program at Polk State College.

The Polk State College Paramedic Program was established in 1975 to meet the community’s need for qualified paramedics. The College has a longstanding commitment to Emergency Medical Services education and has continued to support the education and development of EMS professionals throughout the region.

The goal of the Polk State College Paramedic Program is to prepare Paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.

We are privileged to have experienced faculty, instructors, preceptors, and medical professionals from Emergency Medical Services, fire service, healthcare, and related disciplines who guide students through their didactic, laboratory, simulation, clinical, and field education.

As part of Polk State College’s commitment to integrated EMS education, the program provides students with opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary simulation and patient-care scenarios. One longstanding example is Teaching EMS with Actual Methods (TEAM) Day, an educational activity developed by Polk State College in 1991 to promote cooperation, communication, teamwork, and leadership among students functioning at different levels of EMS education.

TEAM Day is conducted each semester and incorporates simulated emergency incidents and patient-care scenarios designed to reflect situations EMS professionals may encounter in practice. Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, and Paramedic students may participate within their respective levels of education and authorized roles. These experiences allow students to practice communication, patient assessment, teamwork, transfer of care, resource coordination, and progressive leadership in a controlled educational environment.

Paramedic students participate in TEAM Day experiences throughout the Paramedic curriculum, providing opportunities to integrate knowledge and skills developed through classroom, laboratory, clinical, and field education.

If you are interested in pursuing a rewarding, versatile, and challenging career in Emergency Medical Services, we invite you to explore the educational opportunities available at Polk State College.

On behalf of our faculty, staff, students, clinical partners, and EMS community, welcome to Polk State College Emergency Medical Services.