Primary Care Paramedic Program
What is the Primary Care Paramedic Program?
The goal of the Primary Care Paramedic Program is to develop individuals into paramedics who possess sound knowledge and skills, an unwavering commitment to excellence in all that they do, and a deep sense of professionalism and caring. The program meets the competency requirements of the Nova Scotia Regulator of Paramedicine (NSRoP) and the Paramedic Association of New Brunswick (PANB); as well as the National Occupational Competency Profile, as established by the Paramedic Association of Canada, for Primary Care Paramedics. Graduates will not only be an asset to the profession of Paramedicine, but to the communities they serve as well.
The program is designed to provide the acquisition of concepts and theories, mastery of professional skills, and the attainment of a professional attitude.
One of the key objectives of the program is to instill a commitment to lifelong learning. Since the medical field is constantly changing and evolving, an emphasis is placed on the development of self-directed learning skills. In addition to supporting the development of self-directed learning techniques, faculty serves as both academic advisors and facilitators.
With the responsibilities of paramedics increasing, it is no longer acceptable to simply accumulate a set amount of knowledge and skills. Today’s students must be inquisitive and dedicated to continuously expanding their expertise and abilities.
The Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) program is 50 weeks in length which includes 7 months of classroom/simulation training, as well as 4 months of clinical and practicum training. The total cost of the PCP program is approximately $21,000 which includes cost of books and uniforms as well training and resources for obtaining class 4 driver’s license.
The student will receive a diploma upon successful completion of all program requirements as outlined in policy.
Program Prerequisites
To apply as a general applicant to the Medavie HealthEd PCP program, a candidate must meet the following prerequisites:
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Successful completion of grade 12 (Diploma or GED) with:
- Math at the grade 11 or 12 university preparatory level and one science at the grade 11 or 12 university preparatory level (Biology, Chemistry or Physics).
- Grade 11 or 12 English university preparatory level.
- Be physically and mentally able to perform all required duties.
- Qualify for Class 4 driver’s license (please check with your provincial Department of Transportation or Motor Vehicles Branch for the jurisdiction where you reside) if you plan on applying for work as a PCP with an ambulance service.
- Be in good health with all appropriate immunizations as verified by a completed immunization record.
- Supply a current copy a driver’s abstract. To obtain a driver’s abstract you must contact the appropriate provincial Department of Transportation or Motor Vehicles Branch for the jurisdiction where you reside.
- Supply an acceptable Criminal Record Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC). This can be obtained from the RCMP, local police detachment or some online agencies such as myBackCheck.com (please ensure you submit for both a CRC AND VSC).
*If English is not your first language you are required to demonstrate English proficiency, regardless of your country of origin or citizenship status.
Applicants may be exempt from language testing if they have successfully completed one of the following:
1. Completed a minimum of Grade 12 at an English high school and has completed a Grade 11 or 12 Academic English course.
2. Studied for a minimum one year at a post-secondary institution in the language of choice.
Medavie HealthEd requires a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 8 for English programming or an Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 8 for French programming. Applicants may provide current testing results from approved testing organizations such as International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test d’évaluation de français (TEF).
Resulting scores will be compared to the CLB/NCLC equivalency charts as prescribed by the Government of Canada (https://www.canada.ca).
For more pathways and detailed information please see our international students page under “language proficiency”.
General Application Process
To complete your application to Medavie HealthEd PCP program you must submit the following (click here for checklist):
- Application form (to be completed and submitted on line)
- Resume (electronic submission through form below)
- Two completed Reference forms
- Send this link (here) to your referee to fill out digitally. They will need your email that you used for your application in order to submit. This will ensure that the document is properly matched with your profile.
- We only accept professional references. A professional reference is someone who has worked with you in a job, internship, sports team (coach) or academic setting and can speak to your skills, work habits, performance, and reliability.
- Driver’s Abstract (electronic submission through form below)
- Official High School Transcript (and college/university if applicable) (You may submit your unofficial transcript for review but please note: The official (original) transcript is required and must be on record.)
- Copy of current Driver’s License (Front & Back) (electronic submission through form below)
- Application fee – $100.00 (non-refundable)
Once you have collected your documents you can submit your unofficial transcripts, driver’s abstract, driver’s license and resume through the form below:
Application Document Submission Form
Once applications close for your cohort; all required documents have been submitted and reviewed, and everything is deemed acceptable, we will contact you to schedule an interview with one of our Admissions Advisors.
Conditional Acceptance
Upon conditional acceptance into the PCP program, students must submit the following:
- An official Criminal Record Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC). The criminal record check must be no more than six months old from the program start date.
- The Medavie HealthEd Medical and Immunization forms. The medical and immunization forms must be no more than six months old from the program start date.
- Certificate of successful completion The Paramedic Candidate – Pre-Enrolment Physicial Abilities Test (PC-PAT) from a qualified institution such as:
- Students are also required to purchase an iPad that has not been “jail broken”. Students must ensure that the iPad is supported by Apple for the duration of their program (According to Apple, iPads are supported for five years from their release date).
For Nova Scotia applicants please refer to the Entry to Practice requirements as prescribed by the Nova Scotia Regulator of Paramedicine (NSRoP) that relates to your licensing abilities following graduation. It is important that you read and understand any limitations that may affect you directly and your ability to license. Entry to Practice Requirements NSRoP
Financial Assistance
For information on financial assistance, rebate programs, potential employment opportunities upon graduating, and other relevant information, please visit our helpful links page by clicking here.
Please click here for a list of scholarships and bursaries!
International Students
For information on how to apply as an international student , please go to our International Student page, here.
