At Portage College in Lac La Biche, Canada, Cert in Primary Care Paramedic is offered as a certificate in Health Sciences programme. The programme runs for 40 weeks, delivered in a hybrid format. Tuition is CAD 6,444 per year for local students.
At a glance
Degree:Certificate
Field:Health Sciences
Duration: 40 weeks
Delivery: Hybrid
Local tuition: CAD 6,444 / year
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This certificate program trains students to provide basic life support, medical and trauma care in ambulance, industrial and municipal fire-department settings. Delivered at the Lac La Biche campus in a hybrid format, it combines online coursework with in-person training weeks and clinical and ambulance field placements. Coursework covers paramedic foundations, anatomy and physiology, pharmacotherapy, professional communication, care of special populations such as obstetric, pediatric and geriatric patients, professional practice and defensive driving, building toward supervised placements that apply classroom learning in real emergency-response settings. The program suits students who want to enter emergency medical services and are comfortable with physically demanding, fast-paced work. Graduates are eligible to write the Canadian Organization of Paramedic Regulators examination for provincial registration as a primary care paramedic, and the certificate is a prerequisite for progressing into the college's Advanced Care Paramedic program. The program is competitive-entry and admission is limited to domestic students.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires English Language Arts 30-1 at 60% or English Language Arts 30-2 at 70%, Math 20-2 at 60%, and Biology 30 at 60%, with Chemistry 30 strongly recommended; provincial high-school equivalencies are accepted against the college's equivalency chart. Applicants whose first language is not English must provide IELTS Academic (Listening 7.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 7.0, Speaking 7.0) or TOEFL iBT (Listening 23, Reading 21, Writing 25, Speaking 22), tested within the prior two years. Candidates must be at least 18, hold a current Alberta Class 5 driver's licence, and carry Standard First Aid or an Emergency Medical Responder/Medical First Responder certificate plus Heart & Stroke BLS for Healthcare Providers, both valid within one year of the start date. A Police Information Check and Vulnerable Sector Check within two months of starting, signed immunization and health-status forms, and an iPad or Android tablet for the Comptracker system are also required. Entry is competitive; applicants short of the academic requirements may pursue placement testing through Student Services.
Application Details
Start Date:August
Application Deadline:No fixed deadline: 'open until seats are filled,' competitive-entry selection once admission requirements are met. Starts August 23, 2027. Not open to international applicants and ineligible for post-graduate work permits.
