EMT Program Gains National Accreditation

EAST PEORIA — Illinois Central College’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) – Paramedic Program has received national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

According to Mike Dant, program director, only students who come from a nationally accredited program can take the National Licensing Exam to be recognized as a nationally qualified paramedic.

“It gives our students huge mobility when going from state to state,” said Dant.

ICC has one of only six paramedic programs in the state of Illinois and is the only college or university with an accredited program.

In order to become accredited, a program must meet a very high standard of academic excellence while preparing students, said Dant.

Justin Siekmann, 19, of Dunlap, who went through the ICC’s EMT program is currently completing his paramedic internship, testified to the program’s excellence when he said, “The program, while tough, is fair and is hands down one of the best programs available to prepare an individual for a career. Their relationship with top-notch agencies, area hospitals and EMS systems is outstanding. Their hands on training is excellent, and their didactic teaching far surpasses base minimums.”

There are 200 students currently enrolled in ICC’s Emergency Medical Technician Basic and Intermediate level programs, making it the largest program in central Illinois. It prepares students to work on an ambulance or hospital as a technician.

While ICC has taught basic EMT training since the ‘70s, it wasn’t until 2005 that the most advanced portion of the EMT paramedic program was established. It currently enrolls only 20 students.

“Back in the early ‘80s when I went to school to be a paramedic,” said Dant, “you couldn’t get a degree in paramedics, so none of my training counted for anything except for being a paramedic. When I came here in ‘94 one of the things I wanted to establish was a degree so that people could have a career path.”

To enter the program, students start at the basic level and must be 18 or older, a high school graduate or equivalent and pass basic drug screening.

For more information on the EMT program at Illinois Central College, contact Mike Dant at (309) 999-4667 or email mdant@icc.edu .