Virginia Beach EMS EMT Academy
EMT Academy Course information
EMT Academy meets in person once a week, based on a 4-hour set evening of the week schedule, which may be a Monday – Thursday (about 26 weeks), or an 8-hour accelerated Saturday EMT academy (about 15 weeks).
Our program is built to provide all the information, resources, and skills to take a new student with no medical care background, through all material and training needed to set a solid foundation as a new patient care provider that centers on the NEMSES for Virginia EMT Certification knowledge and skills.
Academy in-person classroom sessions and workshop labs include Introduction/demonstration to equipment, skills and assessment, peer to peer equipment and competency check off & hands on time, use of patient assessment scenarios in practice and testing formats.
Our practical scenarios incorporate use of skills, competencies, and assessments together with appropriate patient care and treatments being provided to the extent possible.
Additionally, mini lectures, skill review, open practice and exam review provide additional time to educate and prepare students for success, including preparation for the National Registry of EMT’s online cognitive Examination. Each in-person EMT academy session or workshop lab is a 4-hour block.
Students have up to 3, 12-hour EMT field clinical shifts (36 hours), which will take place with Virginia Beach EMS/VB Rescue.
This provides our students the optimal experience of actually being on the ambulance in a high call volume EMS System to obtain their patient contacts, in the setting they will be working in once certified.
EMT Academy sessions meet at The Bruce W. Edwards Virginia Beach EMS Headquarters and Training Center, 4160 Virginia Beach Blvd.
Our VBEMS EMT Academy course is accredited by the Virginia Office of EMS.
This program exceeds the Virginia Office of EMS educational standards for NEMSES (National EMS Standards EMT for Virginia) certification.
All students will be required to successfully complete the course with a minimum grade of 75%, additionally passing their final exam with a 75% or higher and have successful completion of all course requirements before being eligible for the final practical exam.
Once all EMT Course testing is successfully completed, the student will be eligible to schedule and test for National Registry EMT certification.
Our Accredited EMT program is a technology focused EMT course. It is strongly recommended to have a laptop or tablet with internet access in order to complete assignments, quizzes, and tests. Additionally, the student will need a functional email address.
A significant portion of the academy will require independent study online using the Jones & Bartlett/PSG Learning Navigate platform with the AAOS (American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons) EMT Digital textbook: Emergency Care and Transport of the Sick & Injured – Premiere student bundle. We also use the Platinum EMS testing platform to administer exams.
Initial Student Requirements: Completion of online FEMA ICS 100 and 200, IS 700 and 800 and Haz-Mat AWR-160 certificates through our VB Rescue online Vector platform (directions are provided).
Additional requirements include a recognized current cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course for providers and completion of our VBEMS initial OSHA online course.
These courses are required to be completed within a certain number of days from the start of our EMT Academies, except for the CPR certification course, which is generally completed prior to starting an EMT course.
Once admitted to the program, students must obtain all required vaccinations prior to the start of student field shifts.
Tuition is $2,195 and covers various costs of the EMT course, including learning materials, academy exams other academy workshop logistics. VB Rescue members enter into an educational contract that offsets the cost of the course. The contract will require the student to successfully:
Complete the EMT Course.
Pass the online National Registry EMT exam (this will provide dual EMT certification with Virginia).
Complete our VBEMS BLS Intern process, which will earn the EMT release status.
Volunteer actively with our VB Rescue system for a period of one year. Once the EMT student contract requirements have been successfully fulfilled, the student’s contract will be absolved.
It is recommended but not required, that students invest in their own stethoscope. Additionally, students should purchase Navy blue EMT pants, and black closed-toe boots or shoes. Students will be issued EMT Academy uniforms and system student IDs that match what portion of our EMS education process they are in.
EMT Academy Prerequisites
Complete an online application to VB Rescue. View membership requirements and disqualifiers.
Have a valid driver’s license and complete a driving (DMV) background check.
View Commonwealth of Virginia, Office of *EMS Prerequisites for EMS Training, criminal history, and standards of conduct. (Includes EMT courses in Virginia.)
Virginia Beach EMS (VBEMS Training) has incorporated select high school seniors, (CHC) who meet specific criteria for eligibility into our EMT Academy program. (Limited availability and specific requirements apply.)