Curriculum expanded in response to B.C. Health Ministry’s changes to paramedic scope of practice
When Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) graduate Charlotte Muth began working as a primary care paramedic (PCP) in 2018, helping patients with severe shortness of breath was often frustrating because PCPs had limited treatment options.
PCPs could use all the tools they were given and still such patients “remained distressed – working hard to breathe – and anxious throughout transport, which was difficult for both the patient and the paramedic,” recalled Muth, now a JIBC regional training coordinator.
Today, paramedics have an expanded toolbox to work from.
JIBC’s paramedicine students now graduate better equipped to deliver emergency medical care at all levels, thanks to updated training programs reflecting the B.C. government’s expansion of the range of services paramedics are permitted to provide, which were announced in 2022 to improve patient care. JIBC fully implemented the updates in 2025 for its three levels of training – emergency medical responder (EMR), primary care paramedic and advanced care paramedic (ACP).
“Graduates will enter paramedic practice with enhanced clinical readiness and improved decision-making skills,” said Michael Kennedy, JIBC’s Director, Health Sciences Division. “These changes represent the largest scope expansion in B.C. paramedicine history, positioning JIBC graduates at the forefront of emergency care innovation.”
Kennedy noted that JIBC is the only nationally accredited post-secondary training institution for paramedicine in B.C. The changes mean B.C.’s paramedicine scope of practice now aligns closely with national standards, allowing JIBC grads to work across Canada and pursue roles in paramedicine, industrial safety, and interfacility transport.
Programs extended to accommodate additional content
The expanded scope of practice allows paramedics to administer a wider list of medications and perform critical interventions such as administering epinephrine for severe allergic reactions (new for EMRs) or chest decompression (new for PCPs). These additions can help prevent delays in care, especially in rural and remote areas, said Kennedy.
They can also perform additional diagnostics to help identify the appropriate hospital more quickly, said Muth. “Patients become visibly calmer as their symptoms begin to improve, and paramedics feel more confident that meaningful care is being delivered before reaching the hospital.”
To incorporate the additional material, JIBC redesigned and expanded both its EMR and PCP programs – EMR went from three weeks to five weeks, and PCP was extended from eight months to a year. For the ACP program, the additional content was integrated into the existing program structure and length.
Students benefit from more time to absorb content
Muth, now a regional training coordinator at JIBC’s Chilliwack campus, has experienced the evolution of the curriculum as a student, a paramedic, an instructor, and now as a program lead.
“Students graduating from the expanded program today are significantly better set up for success,” Muth said. “When I completed the program, the pace felt like ‘drinking from a fire hose.’ The extended length of the program gives them more time to absorb and retain information.”
JIBC students report heavier workloads, but also say they feel more confident and job-ready, as the expanded training better prepares them for their practicum and employment, said Muth.
“The expanded scope allows PCPs to provide timely, effective care and interventions on scene, potentially improving patient outcomes – especially in time-sensitive emergencies and in rural and remote areas of B.C. where transport times are longer, and early interventions can make a substantial difference.”
Applications are now being accepted for the September 2026 intake of the Primary Care Paramedicine program. For more details, visit here.
For more on all the paramedic programs offered by JIBC, click here.
- EMR is offered at New Westminster, Maple Ridge, Chilliwack, Vancouver Island and Okanagan campuses.
- PCP is offered at four campuses: New Westminster, Chilliwack, Vancouver Island and Okanagan.
- Advanced Care Paramedicine is offered at our New Westminster campus.
JIBC’s new Okanagan campus is located in space at the Vernon campus of Okanagan College, where student housing is available to JIBC students. For more information visit “Campus Housing” here.