Laurie Watt
July 10, 2011

The Barrie Advance

 BARRIE - CTS Canada Career College’s primary care paramedic program has received the Canadian Medical Association’s seal of approval.

“CMA accreditation gives our graduates the ability to move across Canada. The CMA recognizes their qualifications all over Canada,” said CTS dean of academics Kelly Herbst.

Accreditation took several years of curriculum writing, followed by site inspections and interviews with students, teachers and paramedics who are mentoring students.

“We set out several years ago to go for it – accreditation through the CMA. It included complete curriculum development and standardization. We have three campuses with the program, and each campus must offer the same curriculum at the same time,” said Herbst.

Classes in the one-year program in Barrie, Sudbury and North Bay are each capped at 24 students. The program includes academics, as well as clinical experience.

“We’re one of six CMA-accredited program in Ontario, and we’re the first private college to be accredited,” Herbst added.

She added the focus on quality continues as CTS works to upgrade its two-year accreditation to six years.

Barrie is CTS’s newest campus. With its headquarters in North Bay, the college is registered with the private career college branch of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Its Barrie campus is located at 546 Bryne Dr.