Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Program – NS Locations Only
Program Information
The Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) has the basic theoretical and practical training in life-saving and patient assessment skills. As an important member of the health care team the EMR can provide fundamental out-of-hospital care working with other health care provers in a wide variety of settings. The EMR Program will ensure that successful graduates have basic training to provide out of hospital care while working with other healthcare providers. Through synchronous lecture, case studies, self-directed learning, simulation, and practical patient experience the learner will possess sound knowledge and skills, an unwavering commitment to excellence in all that they do, and a deep sense of professionalism and caring. Successful graduates of the EMR Program will be prepared to function as part of the health care team providing safe patient handling and movement, and safe vehicle operation. The EMR Program is an outcomes-based program that will provide a foundation for the entry-to-practice Emergency Medical Responder as described by the Canadian Organization of Paramedic Regulators (COPR) and the Paramedic Association of Canada (PAC). The EMR program meets the outcome requirements of the provincial regulator, the Nova Scotia Regulator of Paramedicine (NSRoP). The program is designed to provide the acquisition of concepts and theories, mastery of professional skills, and the attainment of a professional attitude though recognizing the limited professional experience of the EMR in the out-of-hospital paramedic context of practice, successful integration of the EMR into paramedic practice will include the development of a transition to clinical practice plan.
The Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) program is 12 weeks in length which includes 9 weeks of classroom/simulation education, as well as 3 weeks of practical patient experience. The total cost of the EMR program is approximately $9,000 which includes cost of books and uniforms.
The student will receive a certificate upon successful completion of all program requirements as outlined in policy.
Program Pre-requisites
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.
To apply as a general applicant to the Medavie HealthEd EMR program, a candidate must meet the following prerequisites:
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Successful completion of grade 12 (Diploma or GED)
- Be physically and mentally able to perform all required duties.
- 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).
- Must have permanent residency.
- Be able to obtain a class 4 driver’s license.
- If English is your second language you must show proof of language proficiency.
EMR Admissions Process
Thank you for your interest in the Medavie HealthEd Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Program!
Our admissions process has been designed to ensure applicants have the knowledge, skills, and professionalism required to succeed in the program. The process is completed in two phases, outlined below.
Phase One- Application & Initial Screening
Online Application
To begin your application, please submit the following:
• Complete the online application form.
• Submit the non-refundable application fee of $55.00.
* We’ve reduced the application fee to account for the addition of the Casper test.
Proof of High School Completion
Applicants must provide an official high school transcript (submitted electronically through the document submission form below).
Casper Assessment
All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the 2026/27 admissions cycle. Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test that takes 65-85 minutes to complete.
Casper measures different personal and professional skills that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. It will complement the other tools we use for applicant review and evaluation, and we require Casper as part of our efforts to enhance fairness in our selection process.
CASPer test scores must be completed during the same application cycle in which you are submitting an application. That is, CASPer test scores are valid for one application cycle only. CASPer results from previous application cycles are not eligible for future application cycles.
More details on how to sign-up will be given to you once you submit an application.
Help with Casper
If you have any questions about what to expect you can also review their collection of Frequently Asked Questions.
Resume
Submit an up-to-date resume through the document submission form below.
Driver’s License
Submit a copy of your valid driver’s license through the document submission form below. Please note that in order to be considered for this program you must be eligible to obtain a class 4 license within the first six months of the program start.
English Language Proficiency
If English is your second language. You must meet our English Language proficiency standards to be considered for this program. Please see the “English Language Proficiency” tab for more details.
Submit Your Supporting Documents
Once you have gathered your documents, please upload the following using our Application Document Submission Form:
- Official High School Transcript (Validation if required)
- Resume
- Driver’s License
- Have Casper results sent to us
- English Language Proficiency (If required)
EMR: Application Document Submission Form
Please note- If you are an international learner you must be represented through one of our approved agents in order to apply for this program. Please visit the International Students page for an updated list.
Once all required Phase 1 documents have been received, your application will undergo an initial admissions review. Applicants who meet the admission requirements will be invited to proceed to Phase 2.
Phase Two- Conditional Acceptance
Applicants who receive a Conditional Offer of Admission must submit the following documentation prior to beginning the program:
- Sign your seat confirmation and submit the non-refundable $500.00 seat fee.
- Driver’s Abstract
- Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check (CRC/VSC)
- Certificate of successful completion The Paramedic Candidate – Pre-Enrolment Physicial Abilities Test (PC-PAT) from a qualified institution such as:
- Driver’s Medical Examination
- Class 4 Driver’s Licence Road Test Receipt
- MHE Immunization Form and Immunization Records
- Download the immunization form, click here.
- Completed MHE Medical Form
- Download the medical form, click here
- Learners 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).
Additional information regarding submission deadlines and document requirements will be provided upon conditional acceptance.
We look forward to receiving your application and wish you the very best throughout the admissions process. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our Admissions Team.
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.
English Language Proficiency
If your first language is not English, you may be required to provide proof of English language proficiency. If proof of proficiency is necessary, you must achieve, at least, the minimum scores noted below.
English Competency Testing
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.
- International 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).visit www.canalliance.org for more information on these organizations.
Transcript Validation
If you are submitting an international transcript as proof of meeting the educational prerequisites, your transcript will need to be validated by one of the member organizations of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC).
Please visit www.canalliance.org for more information on these organizations.
