Paramedicine Training at NAIT

Your career as a paramedic begins here

When you're ready to help people in their most critical moments

At NAIT, we offer a range of paramedic training programs designed to equip you with the skills and confidence to excel in emergency medical services. Whether you're starting your career as a first responder or progressing through advanced paramedicine certifications, we have the program pathway for you.

Why train at NAIT?

  • Expert Instructors: Learn from instructors with first-hand experience in paramedicine and emergency medical services.
  • Industry Recognition: Our programs are approved and recognized by Alberta College of Paramedics and the Canadian Organization of Paramedic Regulators (COPR), ensuring your qualifications meet provincial and national standards.
  • Pathways to Career Advancement: From Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) to Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP), our programs are designed to support your career growth within pre-hospital care and emergency medical services.
  • State-of-the-art Facilities: Train hands-on in our Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation (CAMS), featuring immersive simulation theatres and advanced equipment.

Paramedic Programs at a Glance

An introductory program, teaching you emergency medical training and preparing you for further certifications to become a paramedic.

Builds on EMR, this certificate program focuses on emergency response training for EMTs or Primary Care Paramedics.

Builds on PCP, the diploma program trains EMTs to specialize and handle complex medical situations.

Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Program

Emergency medical responder student filling a syringe with fluid

Expand your skillset and responsibilities in medical emergencies

Your first move towards becoming a paramedic starts in NAIT's EMR program. Gain essential skills in emergency medical care, patient engagement, and specialized driving operations through practical training and expert instruction. If you want to get into the Paramedic Program, you'll need to complete this essential EMR training first.

Program Highlights

  • Law for Pre-hospital Professionals: foundational knowledge about legislation and the medico-legal aspects pertaining to the emergency medical services professions in Alberta
  • Core Medical Training: medical terminology, initial scene survey, patient stabilization, trauma and medical patient care, pharmacology, automated external defibrillator (AED) administration and oxygen therapy
  • Patient Engagement Techniques: conducting supervised patient assessments, vital sign measurement, gathering and recording patient history, and interpreting findings and histories
  • Alberta Paramedicine Driver Operator Course (APDOC): imperative training for the safe operation of ambulances and patient transport

Career Opportunities

Become a core member of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and a pre-hospital care team as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR).

Advance your career

Having set the foundation for further specialization as a paramedic, the EMR programs provide a seamless progression to the Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) program. The PCP program is the certification you need to become a paramedic.

Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) Program

A primary care paramedic transporting a trauma patient on a gurney with a bag valve mask

Offer expert care in critical moments

Become a Primary Care Paramedic (formerly known as an EMT) with NAIT's Primary Care Paramedic program. Learn advanced medical skills and gain hands-on experience in diverse emergency situations, preparing you to deliver vital care as a frontline responder.

Program Highlights

  • Program Highlights

  • 1-year Certificate Program: expanding on your skills learned in MFR and/or EMR, you'll engage in more comprehensive training in pre-hospital care, including essential life sciences, life support skills, trauma management, pharamcology, pediatric disorders, and childbirth assistance.
  • Practical Experience and Simulation Training: in addition to lectures and lab training, you'll learn from hands-on, immersive training in the Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation to prepare you for real world medical emergencies.
  • Work Integrated Learning (WIL): also known as experiential learning, work experience, a practicum, you'll get a work placement with an ambulance service and spend 1 week in an acute care hospital emergency department to put your training to practice.

Career Opportunities

Career Opportunities

Become a Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) (formerly known as Emergency Medical Technician or EMT) in private of public funded ambulance services, integrated fire and ambulance services, and acute healthcare hospital settings.

Advance your career

After establishing yourself as a Primary Care Paramedic, the next logical step in your career is to enhance your skills as an Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP).

Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) Program

An advanced care paramedic working with a physician on a chest trauma patient in an emergency room

Handle some of the most complex medical emergencies

Hone your expertise in patient care with our Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) program. Designed for experienced paramedics, this intensive 2-year diploma program equips you to handle some of the most challenging and complex emergency medical scenarios with confidence and precision.

Program Highlights

  • 2-year Diploma: expanding on your experience as a paramedic, you'll learn and practice advanced emergency care, including advanced life support and trauma management, childbirth and neonatal care, pediatric patient care, care of specialized populations, and more.
  • Practical Experience and Simulation Training: after cofusing on lectures, labs and clinical simulations in the first year of the program, your second year will prioritize clinical simulation in advanced courses to strengthen your hands-on medical skills.
  • Work Integrated Learning (WIL): in addition to your lectures, labs, and clinical simulations, you'll complete ~1,200 hours of practicum with an Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service, an obstetrical and neonatal intensive care hospital rotation, and a variety of hospital clinical settings under the supervision of nurses, physicians, and respiratory therapists. 

Career Opportunities

Become an Advanced Care Paramedic in private of public funded ambulance services, integrated fire and ambulance services, and acute healthcare hospital settings.

Advance your career

As your career as an Advanced Care Paramedic progresses, leadership and supervision skills open the door to new opportunities in the healthcare system. ACPs often turn to teaching or positions of Leadership in Healthcare.

Train at the Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation (CAMS)

Immersive Learning Environment

Experience state-of-the-art emergency medical simulation at the Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation (CAMS). With innovative technology and immersive simulation experiences, training in CAMS prepares you for the virtually any challenge in emergency medical response.

Facility Highlights:

  • Nine fully-equipped simulation theatres

  • Ambulance and driving simulators

  • 360-degree extended reality theatre
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