Admission Requirements

• Hepatitis B series: All students are required to have a positive Hep B titer before entry or after completing the three-shot series. Student must have started the first of three shots. The second shot is required 30 days after the first, and the third is due 6 months afterwards. Students must turn in immunization updates as they are received. If your titer is negative, you must begin the Hep B series again.
• Varicella Zoster: Varicella Zoster is the immunization for Chicken Pox. You must show proof of the Varicella Zoster vaccine or a positive titer. Varicella Zoster titers are accepted regardless of the date.
• MMR: MMR record is required. MMR is usually a childhood immunization. If you do not have your childhood record of MMR you must have a titer drawn. If your titer is negative you must get an MMR booster.
• Polio: Polio record is required. Polio is usually a childhood immunization.
• Meningitis: Meningitis shot that is less than 5 years old.
• Tetanus, TDAP or  DPT: Must have a Tetanus shot that is less than 10 years old.
• Current FLU/H1N1: Must have a FLU shot that is less than 1 year old. Flu shots are required yearly while in our program. Keep in mind that FLU shots are only available during certain months. If your FLU shot will expire and you will be taking courses in semesters which are not during FLU season you must get the FLU shot while available in order to take courses for the remainder of the year. If you are a new incoming student to our department without a current FLU shot and it is not FLU season, please notify the EMS Student Records Secretary.  The Student Health Department on campus, as well as Mobile Walgreen’s locations, is working with our department to keep FLU shots for our students year round.
• Negative TWO-STEP TB skin test: Two-step TB Skin test is administered then read 48-72 hours later. You must then have another reading 7 days later. If you know you are prone to false positive TB tests, please bring documentation of a clear Chest XRAY. Two-step TB skin test are required yearly in our program.

Current I. D. is required at all times. If your driver's license expires you must turn in a new copy.

You must maintain health insurance throughout the duration of our program. We must have a copy on file. If your insurance changes you must submit a new card at that time. If your health coverage status changes for any reason, you must immediately notify the EMS Student Records Secretary. Student Health Insurance is available for purchase each semester at USA's Student Health Department.

You must currently have or obtain at this time CPR certification via American Heart Association’s CPR for Healthcare Providers or Red Cross CPR PRO. No other CPR certifications are accepted by our program. You must maintain active CPR certification throughout the duration of our program. If your card is expiring, you must renew and turn in a new certification card. AHA CPR for Healthcare Providers is offered in our department on the first Monday of each month for a $40.00 fee. You must register and pay in advance to reserve your place in the class. Classes are usually from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  Please contact our office at (251) 461-1832 to register.

Students are strongly encouraged to schedule an advising appointment at least two weeks prior to the start of class.  Contact Kristen McKenna to schedule an advising appointment.

Drug and background screening are done through CastleBranch using Code NV61.

• Go to CastleBranch.
• Enter program code NV61.
• Complete and submit background portion of screening.
• Within 24-48 hours you will receive an email from CastleBranch authorizing you to go for your drug screening. Print the letter attached to the email and take it to the lab listed for testing.
• All results are automatically forwarded to our department.
• The cost for the drug screening, background screening, insurance verification, and medical record documentation is currently an initial fee of $105.00. Additional fees may be required based on residency history.

In addition to your classroom hours, EMT students will complete Clinical Internship hours (rotations). Each student will complete two shifts of eight hours each in the Emergency Room at a USA affiliated hospital and two shifts of twelve hours each with an ambulance service. If you are enrolling in the Advanced or Paramedic program your clinical internship hours will be different. These will be discussed with you by your advisor.

At the completion of each course, students who are successful in passing all of the course requirements are eligible to schedule and take the National Registry Cognitive Exam.  The cost for taking the exam for each discipline are:

• National Registry EMT Cognitive Exam Fee - $104.00
• National Registry AEMT Cognitive Exam Fee - $144.00
• National Registry Paramedic Cognitive Exam Fee - $160.00

After successful completion of the National Registry Cognitive Exam, the student can apply for their Alabama state license.  The cost of the Alabama license is:

• Initial License - $40.00
• Reclassification - $12.00

Students entering the Advanced EMT program must possess a current National Registry EMT certification and a State of Alabama EMT license.  Students entering the Paramedic program must possess a current EMT or AEMT National Registry certification and a State of Alabama license at the same level.  If a student is entering the paramedic program and only possesses National Registry EMT certification and State of Alabama EMT license, the student must present an AEMT course completion certificate from a State approved course.

If you are an out-of-state EMS license holder or transferring from a non-National Registry state, please contact William Montalban for Alabama EMS licensure requirements.

International students must submit a TOEFL score of 80 or above before entry to the EMS program will be approved.  The IELTS exam will not be used as an admission requirement to the Department of EMS Education.