Emergency Medical Responder Course
Spring 2025 Course Information:
Spring Break off |
Future Course Information (tentative):
| Semester | Course Dates | Registration Open Date |
|---|---|---|
| Summer C 2025 | May 20 - July 17 (Juneteenth off) | Wednesday, May 14 at 10am |
| Fall 2025 | September 9 - November 6 | Wednesday, September 3 at 10am |
| Spring 2026 | February - April (Spring Break off) | Late January |
Meeting Times:
| Days | Class Type | Times |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Lecture | 5-7pm |
| Wednesday | Lecture | 5-7pm |
| Thursday | Lab | 5-9pm |
We offer a course each Spring, Summer C, and Fall semesters. Dates and times are subject to change at any time.
Classes are held on the Tampa campus, historically in the Social Sciences (SOC) building. Specific building and classroom assignments will be released to registered students prior to the start of class.
What is an Emergency Medical Responder?
An Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) is the new terminology for Medical First Responder. EMRs are specially trained persons who provide basic first aid life support, including airway, breathing, and circulation management techniques, in medical and traumatic emergencies. They serve as an entry-level position to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) field, working along side Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and Paramedics.
Course Description
This 9-week course offers didactic and practical hands-on skills for patient assessment, basic airway and breathing management, first aid treatment of medical and traumatic emergencies, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of automated external defibrillators (AED).
Each week consists of two days of lecture and one day of a hands-on lab. The course concludes with a written final exam, skills tests, and two practical scenarios that demonstrates the students ability to put their knowledge into action. Students will also complete an ambulance ride-along on their own time.
All course content (e.g. lecture material, skill sheets, quizzes) is provided through USF’s Canvas program. For those potential students who do not have access to Canvas, the course material will be provided through another medium. The course textbook is optional.
Attendance is required to all class meetings. The certification requires a minimum number of classroom hours. Also, lecture and lab meetings provide additional information that is not covered in the PowerPoints or available on Canvas. As such, a student can only miss 4 hours of excused class instruction. Jobs or other university classes are not considered an excused absence or permitted reason for leaving early or late arrivals.
This is not an EMT course. UEMSA and USF do not offer an EMT course. EMR is not required before becoming an EMT. EMT is required to become a Florida firefighter or paramedic.
This EMR course is not a USF for-credit course and does not count towards your GPA or any degree or elective requirements for any USF college or program.
Certification
Upon completion of this course and ride-along, students will be certified as an Emergency Medical Responder by the Emergency Care and Safety Institute (ECSI).
The CPR certification is “BLS Providers” through the American Heart Association (AHA). This is the preferred CPR certification for persons working in the healthcare field.
Both certifications are valid for two years.
These certifications can be used to work and gain volunteer and patient care hours in many areas of the healthcare system, including EMS. EMRs can work side-by-side with EMTs and Paramedics responding to emergency 911 and other medical calls with local ambulance companies or right here on campus with UEMSA’s Medical Stand-by services and the Medical Response Unit (MRU)! It is also possible to be health support staff in clinics and other similar healthcare environments- including the Student Health & Wellness Center on the Tampa campus!
Requirements
Age: 17 years of age or older by the start of the course. (You must be at least 18 years of age to volunteer for the MRU and Health Support Staff).
Student status: The course is open to everyone; you do not need to be a USF student. (You must be an active student to volunteer for the MRU and Health Support Staff).
Uniform: The lab portion of the course and the ride-along requires a uniform. The uniform items to be purchased by the student are: Black pants or BDUs, all-black close-toed shoes or sneakers (boots preferred; no cloth or canvas), black belt, and a watch with “seconds” hand or display. Items will be discussed more on the first day and are due by the third week of class.
Physical: By this course’s very nature, and the nature of the EMS field, students must meet certain fitness, ability, and cognitive standards. Students must have the ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs. Student must be able to see, hear, talk, balance, sit, stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, walk, use hands, and reach with hands and arms.
Willingness to learn: The course’s workload is about a capstone level or 4-credit hour, 4000 level course with lab. Practice of skills and assessments is required outside of the Thursday lab classes.
Tuition and Payment
Cost: $450; includes the uniform polo shirt, stethoscope, lab supplies, and the CPR and EMR completion cards.
Payment methods: Credit/debit card (via PayPal), money order, or certified/cashier’s check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. The course cannot be paid with financial aid or any similar program.
Payment plans: 2 payments of $225 or 4 payments of $112.50
Due dates: At least a quarter-payment is due by the end of the first week and full payment is due by the fourth week
Registration Information
Registration will take place on Eventbrite.com. This is not a USF course; there is no CRN and registration is not performed through Student Self-Service (Oasis). Eventbrite account creation is not required.
A link to the Eventbrite registration page will be posted here about one week prior to the registration start date.
A $50 Seat Deposit is also required for registration, payable via PayPal. Account creation is not required. PayPal accepts PayPal Balance, credit and debit cards, or digital wallet payments (on compatible devices). The deposit will count towards your total course fee. Seat Deposits are non-refundable.
Registration is first-come first-served. There is no early registration. Once main registration is full, a Wait List will open.
More details will be provided once the registration link is posted (about one week prior to the registration start date).
Still have questions? Contact Us!