Rogers State University announced its Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic program has received national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
The CAAHEP voted on July 19 to award initial accreditation to the program after peer review conducted the group’s Committee on Accreditation and the CAAHEP Board of Directors recognized substantial compliance with the nationally established accreditation standards. The initial accreditation status will last through on July 31, 2017.
CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field. In collaboration with its Committees on Accreditation, CAAHEP reviews and accredits more than 2000 educational programs in 22 health science occupations.
RSU is now one of five accredited EMS programs in the state of Oklahoma, and the first in Northeast Oklahoma.
“Beginning in January 2013, students seeking to be licensed as paramedics must complete their education with an accredited program,” said Clem Ohman, Coordinator of the EMS program at RSU. “Our students always enjoyed the benefit of a program that meets or exceeds the educational standards. Now it’s official.”
The EMS – Paramedic program at RSU is an associate degree program that currently serves about 45 students. It provides medical background in the classroom and a clinical setting. The program also incorporates additional clinical time in leadership activities.
More than 87 percent of RSU EMS students pass the National Registry exam, compared to a national pass rate of 64 percent. It also boasts one of the highest EMT-Intermediate pass rates in Oklahoma.
For more information, visit www.rsu.edu/ems/.