Sandburg EMS/Paramedic Program Awarded Accreditation
Aaron Frey
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 3:56 PM
Campus News
Galesburg, IL
Carl Sandburg College’s emergency medical services (EMS)/paramedic program has been awarded initial accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
The peer review leading to the program’s accreditation was conducted by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoA EMSP) and the Board of Directors from the CAAHEP. The agencies recognized Sandburg’s substantial compliance with nationally established accreditation standards. The program’s next evaluation will take place no later than 2025.
“This is an important step for our EMS/paramedic program, and we’re incredibly excited to have been awarded accreditation,” said Kris Gray, dean of health professions at Sandburg. “The accreditation process is extremely lengthy and detailed, but receiving it means that our students are learning the skills and materials they need to be successful, which, in turn, means that the people they’ll be helping as graduates are getting the care that they need.”
Sandburg first offered a paramedic program from 1994-2008. The program was revived in 2015, and accreditation activities began in February 2018.
CAAHEP accredits educational programs that prepare health professionals in a variety of disciplinary areas. Accreditation is one step in a process that is meant to protect the public and ensure a supply of qualified health care professionals. Programs are accredited when it is determined that they meet the educational standards and guidelines established by the profession.
The accreditation process, which can take 2-3 years, first requires schools to do a self-examination that is submitted to the CAAHEP and reviews the program’s curriculum, resources and outcomes to ensure it meets established standards and guidelines. Once that has been approved, the CAAHEP conducts a site visit to examine facilities and speak with students, instructors, coordinators, administrators and clinical affiliates associated with the program. The agency then submits a site visit report, and the program addresses any findings with the accrediting agency.