The student must have a current Virginia EMT Certification and a valid CPR card for either the American Heart Association-BLS Provider or the American Red Cross -Professional Rescuer. Applicants to the program must have completed one unit of high school biology and one unit of high school chemistry with a minimum grade of “C” within 7 years of enrollment, or obtain a score of 75% or higher on Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), or minimum score of 50 on College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or completion of ENF2, if required by placement test, or obtain the permission of the EMS program head for a waiver to that requirement. In compliance with the Virginia State Board of Health and Virginia EMS regulations (12 VAC 5-31-1200 and 12 VAC 5-31-1460), students wishing to register for Paramedic courses with an EMS prefix must be at least 18 years of age at the time of enrollment into the program. Students younger than 18 are eligible to enroll in EMS 100, EMS 111 & EMS 120 if not already an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Students may enroll in non-EMS prefix courses. Students must meet with the EMS Program Coordinator for additional advising and enrollment into the Paramedic program. Course enrollment permission is required. To be eligible to attend a Paramedic course in Virginia you must: (1) Be proficient in reading, writing and speaking the English language. (2) Be a minimum of 18 years of age at the beginning date of the certification course. (3) Hold a current certification as an EMT or higher. (4) Hold, at a minimum, a High School or General Equivalency Diploma. (5) Have no physical or mental impairment that would render them unable to perform all practical skills required for that level of certification (6) Not have been convicted of or found guilty of any crime, offense or regulatory violation, or participated in any other prohibited conduct identified in state EMS regulations as follows: (A) Have never been convicted or found guilty of any crime involving sexual misconduct where lack of affirmative consent by the victim is an element of the crime. (B) Have never been convicted of a felony involving the sexual or physical abuse of children, the elderly or the infirm. (C) Have never been convicted or found guilty of any crime (including abuse, neglect, theft from, or financial exploration) of a person entrusted to their care or protection in which the victim is a patient or is a resident of a health care facility. (D) Have never been convicted or found guilty of any crime involving the use, possession, or distribution of illegal drugs except that the person is eligible for affiliation or enrollment five years after the date of final release if no additional crimes of this type have been committed during that time. (E) Have never been convicted or found guilty of any other act that is a felony except that the felon is eligible for affiliation or enrollment five years after the date of final release if no additional felonies have been committed during that time (F) Are not currently under any disciplinary or enforcement action from another state EMS office or other recognized state or national healthcare provider licensing or certifying body. Personnel subject to these disciplinary or enforcement actions may be eligible for certification provided there have been no further disciplinary or enforcement actions for five years prior to application for certification in Virginia (G) Have never been subject to a permanent revocation of license or certification by another state EMS office or recognized state or national healthcare provider licensing or certifying body. (7) All references to criminal acts or convictions under this section refer to substantially similar laws or regulations of any other state or the United States. Convictions include prior adult convictions, juvenile convictions, and adjudications of delinquency based on an offense that would have been, at the time of conviction, a felony conviction if committed by an adult within or outside Virginia. (8) Be clean and neat in appearance. (9) May not be under the influence of any drugs or intoxicating substances that impairs your ability to provide patient care or operate a motor vehicle while in class or clinicals, while on duty or when responding or assisting in the care of a patient.