THUNDER BAY — If program changes are approved by the province, there's the potential for a "gap year" in which fewer students will graduate from Confederation College's paramedic program.
Shane Strickland, dean of the School of Health, Negahneewin, and Community Services, spoke how extending the busy program would benefit students.
"There's a consortium of colleges across the province. They are looking at moving from a two-year diploma to a three-year degree. We do have a proposal that's in front of the ministry right now," Strickland said.
He noted that all 24 of the publicly funded colleges in Ontario need to follow the same standards set out by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
If changed, students enrolling in the program would have a third year of learning to do and would finish with an applied degree.
"Paramedicine is a growing profession. They've had a lot of new standards that have been provided to them in terms of their responsibilities for competencies in the field."
Strickland added that a third year will take some of the learning pressures off students.
"As more competencies are added to the program, it becomes really difficult to accomplish all those inside of a two-year diploma, and as a result, it makes good sense to expand to a three-year program.
"There's a number of new competencies that have been put into a two-year diploma that make it incredibly challenging for students to complete. By expanding it to three years it gives students the appropriate amount of time that they need to acquire those competencies.
"In doing so, we'll be able to increase the retention of students because there won't be as much pressure to complete it inside of two years."
This would also include the new resiliency training for paramedics that's already been introduced to the program.
"Resiliency training focuses on the coping mechanisms that a new paramedic would need to engage in what is a very challenging profession. This would make sure that they've got the knowledge and skills to be able to do self-care while they're engaged in their profession."
Recently, the college expanded its program by 10 seats and expects to have 30 graduates for next year and another 30 for the year after.
Strickland said the colleges have been in talks with the province for about a year.
He added that, depending on when the province approves any changes, the gap year could happen in 2028.
