Curriculum

Pitt's undergraduate program in Emergency Medicine is truly one-of-a-kind. Students enjoy curriculum themes and courses in:

Paramedic training including:
- Adult and pediatric medical emergencies
- Cardiology
- Patient assessment
- Pharmacology
Critical care
Legal and professional issues in health care
Senior year internship experiences in health care

Students enter the EM Program after earning 60 prerequisite and general education credits and are afforded the opportunity to develop clinical skills during the junior year at facilities external to the University.

Currently certified paramedics or US SOCOM Advanced Tactical Paramedics may enter the EM program as Emergency Medicine Degree Completion students (Senior Transfers), provided they have earned 51 prerequisite and general education credits. These students must complete 30 core credits within the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences to earn an undergraduate degree. EM Degree Completion is offered in two formats: traditional in-person or asynchronous online.

Emergency Medicine Program

The EM Program junior year curricula consists of required courses that are offered only once during the academic year. Any deviation from completing the courses in the planned sequence will result in the delay of progressing through the curriculum and the year of graduation.

SHRS requires a minimum of 120 credits to graduate, 30 of which must be completed through the School. During the senior year, six (6) credits are required for each term. Elective credits must be approved by your advisor and the Program.

Fall Term - Junior Year

The EM Program junior year curricula consists of required courses which are offered only once during the academic year. Any deviation from completing the courses in the planned sequence will result in the delay of progressing through the curriculum and the year of graduation.

EM 1111 - FOUNDATIONS OF EMERGENCY CARE
EM 1112 - PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
EM 1114 - MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION (LAB)
EM 1115 - INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
EM 1116 - PHYSICAL EXAM LAB
EM 1122 - CARDIOLOGY AND RESPIRATORY
EM 1131 - CLINICAL 1

Spring Term - Junior Year

EM 1113 - PHARMACOLOGY
EM 1117 - EMS OPERATIONS
EM 1123 - CARDIOLOGY LAB
EM 1124 - ADULT MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
EM 1125 - OB/GYN, NEWBORN, AND PEDIATRIC CARE
EM 1126 - ASSESSMENT-BASED MANAGEMENT (LAB)
EM 1132 - CLINICAL 2

Fall Term - Senior Year

EM 1155 - LEGAL ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE
EM 1166 - SENIOR INTERNSHIP
EM 1170 - CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE 1
SENIOR YEAR ELECTIVES - 6 credits (must be taken from EM elective list)

Spring Term - Senior Year

EM 1160 - PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
EM 1171 - CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE 2
SENIOR YEAR ELECTIVES - 6 credits (must be taken from EM elective list)

EM Degree Completion (Senior Transfers)

Applicants who have completed the 51 college credits including prerequisite and general education courses and are currently certified as paramedics (by a state EMS agency or the National Registry of EMTs or US SOCOM Advanced Tactical Paramedics), may be awarded advanced standing and admitted into the Program as an Emergency Medicine Degree Completion student (Senior Transfer). During the senior year, these students will be required to complete 30 core credits within the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences to be eligible for graduation. These students have the option of attending in a traditional in-person format or an online asynchronous format.

EM Degree Completion: In-Person Format

Fall Term

EM 1155 - LEGAL ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE
EM 1166 - SENIOR INTERNSHIP
EM 1170 - CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE 1
SENIOR YEAR ELECTIVES - 9 credits* (must be taken from EM elective list)

Spring Term

EM 1160 - PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
EM 1171 - CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE 2
SENIOR YEAR ELECTIVES - 9 credits* (must be taken from EM elective list)

In-Person Format - Elective Courses

Electives outside of the EM program shall be reviewed by your advisor and approved by the Program.

EM 1135 - CRITICAL CARE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE I
EM 1152 - ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE
EM 1153 - ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE EDUCATION
EM 1154 - HEALTH CARE RESEARCH
EM 1158 - FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING FOR HEALTH CARE
EM 1164 - EMS SPECIAL RESPONSE SITUATIONS
EM 1168 - LEADERSHIP IN HEALTH CARE
EM 1177 - SENIOR SEMINAR
EM 1180 - HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT
EM 1185 - BEYOND THE BODY - WEB
EM 1186 - CERTIFIED AMBULANCE CODER - WEB
EM 1187 - ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY - WEB
EM 1199 - INDEPENDENT STUDY
EM 1250 - INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY HEALTH
EM 1251 - MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE
EM 1260 - COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY OF DECISION MAKING
NUR 0012 - HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 1 with Lab NUR 0002 *
NUR 0013 - HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2 with Lab NUR 0003 *
REHSCI 1301 - ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I WITH LABORATORY
REHSCI 1200-HUMAN ANATOMY
REHSCI 1205 - HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY with Lab
*Nursing Anatomy and Physiology courses are not available to Senior Transfer Student