EMT - Paramedic Program - Accreditation

Accreditation is an important academic standard. Accreditation reflects an institution or program having met the standards set forth by respective national, state, and local bodies. Though accreditation does not specifically address the quality of education attained at any given institution or program, it does provide a measure of security that one institution or program has submitted to an evaluation and has met a minimum set of standards for similar institutions or programs.

Washington Community College District 17 (Community Colleges of Spokane) includes Spokane Community College (SCC), Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC), and the Institute for Extended Learning (IEL). SCC and SFCC are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

SCC's paramedic program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) through the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for EMS Professionals (CoAEMSP).

This accreditation is required for paramedic programs in the State of Washington. By 2010, it will be required by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) for graduates of paramedic programs to be eligible to test with NREMT.

As the paramedic program at Spokane Community College has met these accreditation standards, under the umbrella of an accredited postsecondary institution, graduates of the program are eligible to test with NREMT and the State of Washington for paramedic certification. Graduates of the program are also eligible to complete the additional requirements for an Associate of Art and Sciences degree which has the full recognition associated with an accredited institution. Postsecondary degrees are rapidly becoming the standard for many states and services across the United States.