EMS Certification Training

The Mutual Aid- Excela Health Paramedic Program is a 1000-hour certificate course providing classroom, laboratory, clinical, and field experiences to Paramedic Students. The Program’s curriculum meets the National and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s requirements for paramedic training. Graduates of the Paramedic Program are permitted to sit for the National Registry-Paramedic cognitive and psychomotor exams, and are eligible to receive thirty-nine (39) credits to the University of Pittsburgh Emergency Medicine Program.

The goal of the Paramedic Program is “to prepare competent entry-level Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exit points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and/or Emergency Medical Technician, and/or Emergency Medical Responder levels.” The program is designed to meet the constantly changing needs of the paramedic profession, and provide the necessary education and experiences to meet the demands of the student and the communities in which they serve.

Mutual Aid- Excela Health Paramedic Training Program was established in 2022 (formerly the Mutual Aid-UPMC-CEM Paramedic Training Consortium, established in 2013) to meet the requirements of National Accreditation for Paramedic Education. Mutual Aid Ambulance Service, Inc. and Excela Health together display regional, State, and National recognition for pre-Hospital excellence in patient care and education.

Mutual Aid- Excela Health Paramedic Training Program is accredited by the Commission on Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) by the recommendation of The Committee on Accreditation of Educational Program for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP.)

Jonathon serves as the Program Director for the Mutual Aid- Excela Health Paramedic Training Program. Jonathon is responsible for the development, management, and continuous evaluation of the program’s curriculum, students, and instructors. He also oversees all aspects of laboratory, clinical, and field sites of the Paramedic Program, and is accountable for ensuring the Paramedic Program meets and maintains CAAHEP Accreditation Standards. Jonathon has been involved in EMS since 2009, and has been a Pennsylvania and Nationally Registered Paramedic since 2015. Jonathon earned a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh in 2016, and is currently enrolled in the Masters of Science in Emergency Medical Services Graduate Program, at Creighton University. Jonathon has been involved in various aspects of emergency medicine education, including American Heart Association CPR/First Aid training, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). In addition, Jonathon also serves as an instructor of various National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) courses as well as a National Tactical Operators Association (NTOA) Rescue Task Force Instructor. Jonathon serves as the Program Director of the Mutual Aid Ambulance Service Inc., Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Training Program, as well.

Jonathon began his EMS career as a volunteer EMT in 2010. Jonathon has been affiliated with Mutual Aid Ambulance Service, Inc., since 2012. Throughout his decade of service with Mutual Aid, Jonathon has held the ranks of EMT, Paramedic, EMS Education Manager, Quality Improvement Manager, and currently serves as the Education and Training Administrator. Jonathon also formerly served as a Paramedic/Rescue Technician at Baldwin Paramedic Rescue, in Baldwin, Pennsylvania, as well as an EMS Specialist with Excela Health and is a Board Certified Medicolegal Death Investigator, previously affiliated with the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office.

Jonathon serves as a regional examination evaluator with EMS West, as well as an adjunct faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh and Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania, Inc.

Jonathon was appointed as the Program Director of the Mutual Aid- Excela Health Paramedic Training Program in 2021, after serving as faculty member for many years prior. Jonathon strives to promote personal and professional growth and lifelong learning habits in all students of emergency medical care by delivering high quality, evidence supported, initial and continuing education to all levels of providers seeking to advance their knowledge base and skill set in the provision of emergency care.

William A. Jenkins, M.D., FACEP, is the Medical Director for Mutual Aid- Excela Health Paramedic Training Program. Dr. Jenkins is responsible for overseeing all medical aspects of the Program, including curriculum and exam development, classroom and laboratory instruction, as well as student evaluations.

Dr. Jenkins received his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, and was appointed Chief Resident during his Emergency Medicine Residency, also at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Jenkins has experience as a Flight Physician with Stat Medevac Aeromedical Transport Service, as well as an EMS ground Physician for the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety. He has received numerous awards, appointments, and positions for academic and educational excellence throughout his many years of service to the medical community.

Dr. Jenkins is currently the EMS Medical Director for Mutual Aid Ambulance Service, Inc., and is a Tactical EMS Medical Director for the Pennsylvania State Police Special Emergency Response Team. He is also the Medical Director for the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety. Dr. Jenkins is a Diplomat for the American Board of Emergency Medicine, and is a Fellow for the American of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Jenkins is currently the Director for the Department of Emergency Medicine at Excela Frick Hospital, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Westmoreland Emergency Medicine Specialists.

The Mutual Aid Ambulance Service, Inc. Training Institute EMT Training Program is a 160-hour certificate course providing classroom, laboratory, clinical, and field experiences to EMT Students. The Program’s curriculum meets the National and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s requirements for paramedic training. Graduates of the EMT Program are permitted to sit for the National Registry- EMT cognitive and psychomotor exams.

The goal of the EMT Program is “to prepare competent entry-level EMTs in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exit points at the Emergency Medical Responder level.”

Mutual Aid Ambulance Service, Inc. EMT Training Program was established in 1990 to meet the constantly changing needs of the emergency medicine profession and provide the necessary education and experiences to meet the demands of the student and the communities in which they serve.

Mutual Aid- Excela Health Paramedic Training Program is accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of EMS, regional office of EMS West.