Paramedic Program
Paramedic Application is now open!
Program Overview
The College of the Desert Paramedic Program prepares students to become competent, professional paramedics capable of providing advanced life support care in complex and dynamic prehospital environments.
The program combines classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory training, hospital clinical rotations, and supervised field internship experiences with regional emergency medical services agencies.
Paramedic education is rigorous and requires a high level of commitment, discipline, and professional accountability.
At the core of the program is a simple guiding principle:
The Standard is Excellence.
Students entering the program should be prepared to meet high expectations in academic performance, clinical competence, and professional conduct throughout their training.
The Fall 2026 cohort is scheduled to begin September 2, 2026.
Program Start:
College of the Desert is preparing for its second Paramedic cohort, expected to begin in September 2026. Below is the anticipated schedule for the application, pre-course, and program launch phases.
Location:
All EMS courses are held at the:
College of the Desert Public Safety Academy
PSA Building – Room PSA 16
Palm Desert, California
Program Timeline at a Glance:
- Mon March 23, 2026 – Applications Open
- Wed July 1, 2026 – Application Deadline.
- Wed July 8 | Thu July 9 | Fri July 10, 2026 – Applicant Interviews
- Wed July 15, 2026 – Candidate Notifications Issued
Program Preparation Phase:
Online Pre-Course:
Thu July 23 – Tue August 4, 2026
Selected candidates will complete a required online preparatory phase designed to
assess readiness, reinforce foundational knowledge, and introduce program expectations
prior to the start of the full paramedic program.
In-Person Pre-Course:
Wed August 5 | Thu August 6 | Fri August 7 | Wed August 12 | Thu August 13, 2026
The required in-person preparatory phase includes classroom instruction, skills activities,
professional development, assessments, and program orientation components. Successful
completion of the pre-course is required for final program entry.
Program Launch:
Wed September 2, 2026
The College of the Desert Paramedic Program Cohort #2 officially begins.
THE STANDARD IS EXCELLENCE
Contact Information
For questions regarding the paramedic program, please contact:
Alex C. Hernandez, Sr.
Paramedic Program Director
College of the Desert
951-990-0687
ahernandez@collegeofthedesert.edu
