A formal partnership signing ceremony was held on Tuesday, March 18, at Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg to celebrate the launch of the new Paramedic Program partnership between Central Virginia, New River, and Virginia Western Community Colleges. This collaborative effort aims to address the growing demand for skilled paramedics in the GO Virginia Region 2 by offering comprehensive training and education opportunities.
Paramedics play a critical role in emergency medical services, providing advanced life support, administering medications, and performing life-saving procedures. Employment opportunities for paramedics are expected to grow in the GO Virginia Region 2, with high demand for skilled professionals in various healthcare settings including hospitals, ambulance services, and fire departments.
“Since its founding in 2004, Central Virginia Community College’s Paramedic Program has been a leader in emergency medical education, producing highly skilled professionals who are ready to serve their communities,” said Dr. John Capps, president of Central Virginia Community College. “With dual accreditation and a 92% cumulative pass rate — exceeding both state and national averages — our program stands as a testament to the dedication of our faculty and students. This partnership with New River Community College and Virginia Western Community College continues our mission of expanding access to top-tier paramedic training and strengthening the future of emergency medical services in our region.”
The Paramedic program is ideal for individuals passionate about emergency medical care, including registered nurses (RNs) seeking to transition into paramedic roles. Without selective admission, the program is accessible to a wide range of students committed to making a difference in their communities.
“Distance education partnerships like this provide tremendous value by expanding access to high-quality training for our future healthcare professionals,” said Dr. Robert Brandon, president of New River Community College. “New River Community College is deeply grateful to Central Virginia Community College for leading this program and to the Virginia Community College System for providing the financial support that makes this collaboration possible. This partnership strengthens our ability to meet the growing healthcare needs of the New River Valley, ensuring that well-trained paramedics are ready to serve our communities.”
Students will be able to stay in their community for classes. Paramedic-specific courses will be offered by Central Virginia, while general education courses will be available at each student’s home institution. Lecture-style learning will be delivered virtually by Central Virginia, with lab courses taught at New River and Virginia Western Community Colleges under the oversight of the Regional EMS-Paramedic Program Director.
“Healthcare is the heartbeat of the Roanoke region, and we listen closely to our healthcare partners. They have told us about the urgent need for more frontline paramedics,” said Dr. Robert Sandel, president of Virginia Western Community College. “This Paramedic Program partnership will help fulfill those needs in a coordinated way across GO Virginia Region 2. Training students for health professions is an integral part of Virginia Western, and this new Paramedic Program will enable us to offer 10 AAS programs in healthcare fields, with an additional array of certificate programs and other workforce training.”
Pending program approval by the accrediting body, New River will begin offering the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Paramedic program starting in Fall 2025 while Virginia Western will offer the Introduction to Paramedic Career Studies Certificate (CSC). Following the completion of the necessary renovations, Virginia Western will begin offering the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Paramedic program in Fall 2026.
The Central Virginia Community College Emergency Medical Services – Paramedic program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).
Virginia residents may qualify for tuition assistance.
For more information about the Paramedic Program, contact Joey Greer at greerj@centralvirginia.edu or call (434) 832-7825.
Find more details online:
Central Virginia: centralvirginia.edu
New River: nr.edu
Virginia Western: virginiawestern.edu
Virginia Community College System: vccs.edu
