LaGuardia Community College/CUNY Partners with SUNY Orange on 12-Month Paramedic Program
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (September 18, 2025) — LaGuardia Community College/CUNY in partnership with SUNY Orange will be launching a 12-month paramedic training program in November to help address paramedic shortages plaguing Orange County and the Hudson Valley. The program is supported by $500,000 in New York State funding secured by State Senator James Skoufis.
The 12-month program, condensed from the typical 36-month curriculum, is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP). CoAEMSP is the only organization recognized nationally by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) to provide accreditation services for AEMT and paramedic education programs.
“The program sends a message about how LaGuardia plays an important role in not only Paramedic education, but also EMS education in New York State, said Edward Young, Paramedic Program Coordinator at LaGuardia. “The state has a goal of increasing the number of Paramedics by 25% next year. Filling the SUNY Orange cohort, along with our two existing cohorts, would put LaGuardia at graduating 18% of the Paramedics in New York State. LaGuardia is thrilled to collaborate with SUNY Orange on this outstanding program, which will expand opportunities for individuals pursuing a career in the paramedic field.”
The paramedic training program, offered on the SUNY Orange campus, is a rigorous, hands-on curriculum designed for certified EMTs seeking to elevate their skills and advance their careers in emergency medical services. Students will gain in-depth knowledge and experience in life-saving techniques, trauma and medical emergency care, and advanced patient management under the guidance of experienced instructors, physicians, and EMS professionals. The program includes classroom instruction, lab simulations, and more than 500 hours of supervised clinical rotations at hospitals and EMS agencies across the Hudson Valley and beyond.
The program will be an ideal option for certified EMTs ready to advance their careers in advanced clinical prehospital care or seeking leadership and supervisory roles in emergency medical services, and will make the graduate eligible for LaGuardia’s paramedic to RN Bridge and other programs for advanced providers including critical care paramedic, flight paramedic, and community paramedic programs.
Interested students must attend one of two upcoming pre-screening sessions to determine eligibility. Sessions are scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 29 and 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 21. Both will be held on the SUNY Orange Middletown campus. Pre-screening includes:
- Math assessment: basic algebra, ratios, dosage calculations
- Reading comprehension test: healthcare scenarios and terminology
- EMT knowledge exam: assessment of core EMT concepts and protocols
For questions about the 12-month paramedic program, send an email to paramedicprogram@lagcc.cuny.edu.
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LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.
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