Bridgeport Hospital teams with Shelton, Yale EMS for paramedics
BRIDGEPORT — To help facilitate and standardize paramedic training on a regional basis, and address the ongoing paramedic shortage in the Connecticut, Bridgeport Hospital is partnering with Echo Hose Ambulance and Yale Center of Emergency Medical Services on a new paramedic training program beginning in January 2022.
Bridgeport Hospital had a long history of providing paramedic education before it ended its own training program in 2017 after 23 years of educating paramedics. The new program will combine programs from Bridgeport Hospital, Echo Hose Ambulance Training Center and Yale Center for EMS.
Echo Hose Ambulance established a regional training center and started leading EMS training in 2008.
“Our partnership with Bridgeport Hospital and the Yale Center for EMS Education is an exciting new development for us,” Echo Hose Ambulance Corps Chief Michael Chaffee said.
“For years we have offered a broad portfolio of initial and refresher training to our responders and members of the community,” Chaffee added. “Adding the paramedic training will allow us to offer training to the highest level of pre-hospital EMS care.”
Chaffee said there is a need for paramedics locally and throughout the state.
“We are working to help fill that need by offering another high level training program to those that want to attain their license,” Chaffee said. “Also, this is another opportunity and pathway for our responders and students to advance their education and careers to a new level. This path has been a driving force in our organization for as long as I can remember and we are so thankful to all that have helped make this a reality.”
The program is approved by the Connecticut Office of Emergency Medical Services and accredited by the Commission in Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs through the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services
Profession.
The comprehensive program includes 1,800 hours of didactic, clinical and field training and is designed as an advanced level program that trains EMTs to advance to the paramedic level based on national educational standards.
“The ongoing paramedic shortage in Connecticut continues to increase and this partnership will help provide new paramedics to our local EMS partners in the region,” said Dr. Rockman Ferrigno, Bridgeport Hospital associate chief medical officer and chair of Emergency Medicine.
The 20-month course is an intensive training program providing education in advanced anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, cardiology and trauma care to prepare clinicians to provide emergency medical care to our communities.
Students will have access to an in-classroom ambulance simulator for hands-on training and multiple mock realistic training rooms, including a roadway simulator with vehicles to train in reallife scenarios.
At the conclusion of the program, students are eligible to take a test to become paramedics and will have earned certifications from the American Heart Association and the National Association of EMTs in advanced cardiac life support, pediatric advance life support and other specialized aspects of emergency care.
To be eligible for the paramedic education program, candidates must be at least 18 years old, hold valid EMT certification and possess a high school diploma or equivalent. To obtain a complete list of eligibility requirements, contact Paul Clini, paramedic program coordinator, at paul.clinijr@ynhh.org.
Applications can also be obtained in person at the program office located at 77D Willow St. in New Haven, or by email from the Paramedic Program Coordinator. The completed application and all required documents must be submitted in person or via email.
Upon receipt of a completed application, candidates will be invited to take a brief entrance exam to assess reading comprehension, math, anatomy and physiology and EMT skills, and take part in an interview with the program coordinators.
Monthly payment plans are available for program tuition.