EMT Certification Program FAQs

Table of Contents

EMT student demonstrating how to take a pulse on practice manikin.
EMT student demonstrating how to take someone's pulse on practice manikin.

Enrollment

  • Do I have to fill out an application for the EMT course or be a UC Davis student to enroll?
  • No to both. This is an open enroll course and you do not need to complete an application or be a UC Davis student to enroll.
  • How do I enroll in the course?
  • Enrollment is done through the UC Davis Fire EMT Program website. This course is not on the UC Davis Schedule Builder.
    https://fire.ucdavis.edu/emt-certification-class
  • Do I need my AHA BLS card to enroll in the EMT class?
  • You will not need to have your AHA BLS card prior to enrollment in the EMT class. You will need to have it completed before the first day of class.
  • What are my options if I don't get into the course?
  • If the EMT course reaches capacity, the 'Enroll Now' option will disappear from the registration form. If you'd like to be contacted for future courses or potential openings submit an interest card. 
  • I have additional questions about the enrollment process, who should I contact?
  • Please email Beth Schroeder at ekschroeder@ucdavis.edu.

Course Fees

  • What is the course fee?
  • $2195*
    *includes $100 non-refundable enrollment fee
    Refund deadline is 14 days prior to start of class. No refunds will be given after that date.
  • Are there additional costs not included in the registration fee?
  • Yes, there are additional course fees that are not included in the registration fee. Please click here for details.
  • Is financial aid available?
  • Federal financial aid, such as Stafford loans and Pell grants, is not available for our EMT course. Your bank or credit union may offer private loan options. Students are encouraged to contact their local credit union or bank, and inquire about what private loan services they offer to members.
  • What is your refund policy and how do I request a refund?

  • · Participants will receive a refund less $100 non-refundable enrollment fee plus a $30 processing fee up to 14 days prior to the start of the class.

    · The refund deadline is 14 days prior to start of class. No refunds will be issued after that date.

    · To request a refund, students must contact Beth Schroeder at ekschroeder@ucdavis.edu.

  • Do you accept VA/GI Bill money?
  • Not currently.

Prerequisites

  • What are the prerequisites for this course?
  • - Age requirement: You must be at least 18 years old on the first day of class.
    - Have a current American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Provider CPR certification.
  • Is there a language requirement for the course?
  • In order to be successful in the course, students should be able to read, speak, and write fluently in English.

Attendance

  • What is the attendance policy?

  • Participants must plan to attend all hours of the class. Any hours missed, must be made up on an hour for hour basis prior to receiving a course completion certificate.

    Attendance during the first week is mandatory. Participants who miss any in-person classes during the first week of class will be dropped from the course and no refunds will be issued.

Academic Credit

  • How many Academic Units will I receive when I complete this course and are the units transferable to other Colleges and Universities?
  • Participants will receive 11 units. This is an X-400 level course, which are typically accepted as transferable to other colleges and universities, however it is at the discretion of each institution to determine if they will accept. Students should always check with their department’s advisor in advance, or the institution they are considering transferring to.
  • How will the units be applied to my UC Davis course load? Will they count towards my graduation requirements?
  • Participants will receive eleven UC Davis units through Continuing and Professional Education. This is an X-400 level course, which means it is a professional level course and is not transferable as an Undergraduate level course to UC Davis.  However, if the Faculty/Master Advisor for the student’s major find the coursework relevant to the major, they may approve two to three units towards the student’s degree after the EMT course is completed. Students will need to contact their Faculty/Master Advisor for additional information.
  • Will these units count towards my full-time or part-time enrollment status at UC Davis?
  • Students should check with their department's advisor in advance to ensure how these units will affect their enrollment status; however, units approved by a student's Faculty/Master Advisory are applied after the EMT course is completed.  Typically, this means that the units do not count towards a student's full-time or part-time enrollment status..

Clinical Requirements

  • What are the clinical requirements?

  • Prior to the clinical experience participants must successfully pass an approved background and drug/alcohol screening through PreCheck. The drug screening includes testing for THC and marijuana. Due to federal regulations, position of a medicinal marijuana card does not exclude participants from this requirement.

    In addition, participants must complete requirements in an MyClinicalExchange account and obtain malpractice insurance.

  • What accounts do I need to complete my clinical requirements?

  • Please do not begin to create these accounts until you've attended or watched the recording of the clinical orientation. PreCheck (Background, Drug Screening, and Immunization tracking) Account: ~$120.45 (Account must be created prior to the start of class).

    MyClinicalExchange Account (MCE): ~$20 for six months (Account must be created by the first day of class).

    Please note that the program cannot refund any account purchases made with third-party vendors such as PreCheck and MyClinicalExchange.

  • Is the cost of required clinical accounts included in the registration fee?
  • No, students need to pay for these accounts out of pocket. These fees should be planned for when making the decision to enroll into the class as they are required to complete your clinical and field experience portion of the class and therefore cannot be waived.
  • Why are these accounts and requirements required?
  • The clinical and field experience sites that we partner with require that all students entering into their facilities or riding-a-long with them complete these requirements.
  • Am I required to receive immunization prior to the start of the course?
  • No; however, you will be required to provide proof of immunization, or a negative titer to the following prior to starting your clinical experience:
    - Current Season Flu vaccination
    - Hepatitis B Vaccine (start of 3 shot series) or signed declination form (provided after clinical orientation)
    - Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
    - Negative Tuberculosis (TB) completed within the preceding 3 months of entering into clinicals:  Students must complete a two-step TB skin test (four total visits).
    - Varicella
    It is recommended that students complete these requirements as soon as possible as not to delay course completion.
  • Am I required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?

  • Our program falls within the purview of UC Davis; the program is compliant with current campus policy.

    More information can be found here: https://campusready.ucdavis.edu/covid-vaccination.

    In addition, it is the policy of our ambulance-based clinical partners that all students participating in ambulance ride-a-longs be vaccinated or have approved waivers on file with our program. 

  • I have additional questions about the clinical requirements, who should I contact?
  • Please email our clinical coordinator, Meghan Scannell at mescannell@ucdavis.edu

Job Placement Post-Certification

  • What is the career outlook for an EMT after certification?
  • - EMTs and paramedics earn an average salary of $34,320 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
    - EMT and paramedic jobs are expected to grow by 7% through 2028, which is faster than the average national job growth rate (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
    -EMTs can find employment with a variety of employers in the healthcare and emergency response fields, including fire departments, private ambulance companies, and hospitals.
    -Students often use EMT training as a foundation for an education in advanced medicine, including paramedic school, medical school, nursing school, and physician's assistant school.
  • Do you provide job placement assistance after course completion?
  • We invite ambulance companies to deliver presentations and discuss what a 'day in the life' looks like for their EMT's. It is typical for them to offer on the spot interviews and hire many of our students. The UC Davis Fire Department also hires current UC Davis students to work as EMTs and Student Firefighters. Many of our student employees came from our EMT program. We also encourage hospital, fire departments, and ambulance service providers to hold job fairs and recruit graduates of our programs.