Becoming a Paramedic
Requirements
In Ontario, any person who would like to become a paramedic must attend a recognized college or university paramedic program. All accredited college and university Primary Care Paramedic programs are 2 years in length.
Generally colleges require the following prior to the start of their program:
- Current Standard First Aid (or equivalent) certificate
- Current CPR (C) - Basic Rescuer level (or equivalent) certificate
- Senior Biology high school course (grade 11 or higher)
- Senior Science high school course (other than biology)
- High School graduation diploma
- Class 'F' Drivers License - Ontario
- Current Immunizations (including Hepatitis B, Chicken Pox -if needed-, & flu shot recommended)
- Be Communicable Disease free
- Be physically fit & able to lift
- Possess good communication skills & be able to fluently read & write English (French also required for francophone programs)
- Be at least 18 years old prior to beginning preceptorship (on-the-job) training
Medical, Vision and Hearing "Class F" Drivers License Requirements
Medical, Vision and Hearing requirements are determined by:
The "Class F" (Ambulance) Drivers license medical must be repeated as follows:
- every 5 years, under age 46
- every 3 years, age 46-64
- every year, age 65 and over
Medical Requirements
Medical Requirements are set out by the Ontario Ministry of Health
Physical Requirements
Physical requirements should follow best-practice guidelines as established by researchers at Wilfred Laurier University.
Information on the A-EMCA provincial certification exam
Upon completion of the college Primary Care Paramedic program, graduates are eligible to write the Advanced Emergency Medical Care Assistant (A-EMCA) examination. Candidates for the A-EMCA are offered 3 attempts to successfully pass (70% required) the exam before remedial training is required & may work for an ambulance service for up to 210 days while preparing.
If you are attending an approved institution that offers the paramedic program, your institution should be contacting the MOHLTC-EHS Branch office to obtain application packages for all of their students, prior to graduating.
For more information on the A-EMCA, please contact:
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Emergency Health Services Branch
Patient Care Standards, Education and Certification
5700 Yonge Street, 6th Floor
North York, ON M2M 4K5
Tel #: (416) 327-7813
Fax #: (416) 327-7911
Toll Free: 1-800-461-6431
Ontario Ambulance Service - Emergency Health Services
All paramedics are subject to follow the Ontario Ambulance Service - Emergency Health Services "Paramedic Practice Documents".