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Santa Clara University
Student Health, Counseling, and Well-Being

SCU Emergency Medical Services

Call (408) 554-4444 for any medical emergencies
on campus from 5pm-8am
Visit scuems.com for more information!

Any student can request medical attention from SCU EMS by calling the Campus Safety emergency phone number at (408) 554-4444
EMTs are on duty 5pm-8am every night excluding finals, academic breaks, and holidays

Santa Clara University Emergency Medical Services is a student run and operated medical care organization. We are operated by a volunteer staff of around 30 nationally certified and state licensed EMT-Basics. Our program operates under the guidance and licenses of several medical professionals from the Cowell Health Center who function as our Medical Directors. Our shifts are run by three to four EMT-Bs.


How We Operate

We are dispatched to any emergencies on campus that require medical professionals. We have a response time of about three minutes to any location on campus, and respond with one to two Campus Safety officers.

We can:

  • Respond to any medical emergency that occurs on university property
  • Provide stabilizing medical care and Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Coordinate ambulances for any patient in need of immediate hospital care
  • Provide important information pertaining to many injuries and conditions

We cannot: 

  • Respond to events or emergencies which occur off campus (call 911!)
  • Provide Advanced Life Support (ALS) or perform invasive procedures
  • Transport patients to hospitals independent of local EMS/Fire agencies
  • Diagnose conditions or prescribe/provide medications 

No, the EMTs do not "write up" people for any policy violations. EMTs simply provide medical attention and have no role in the disciplinary process. 

It is always better to call EMTs during an emergency. SCU EMS follows these on-campus policies: 

Medical Amnesty: The reduction of disciplinary consequences for students requiring medical attention due to alcohol intoxication and/or alcohol poisoning. 

Good Samaritan: The elimination of disciplinary consequences for up to two students who may be under the influence of alcohol who make a good-faith call for medical help on the behalf of a fellow student.

SCU EMS adheres to the privacy regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). It is prohibited for SCU EMS or any SCU EMS EMT to disclose any identifiable information about our patients to anyone other than hospital personnel.

SCU EMS responds to a variety of calls including sports injury/physical trauma, intoxication, medical issues, difficulty breathing, bleeding, mental health crises, etc.

The EMTs have two golf carts to transport themselves and their medical gear to the scene of each incident.

There are roughly 30 EMTs per academic year. The squad holds interviews every fall and winter quarter.

SCU EMS holds interviews in the fall and spring of each academic year. In order to apply, you must complete an accredited EMT class, pass the NREMT, and obtain your California state license, see here. 

On Campus EMT-B Course: 

Mission College offers a class during the academic year at Santa Clara University. More information about the class can be found here, along with information on how to register. 

Off-Campus Options: 

Many local agencies exist which offer EMT-B certification courses. A list of local agencies which offer certification courses and regulate practice in the state of California can be found here. 

On-Campus Application Process: 

  1. A traditional personal interview: expect to answer personal questions related to skills, strengths, weaknesses, values, leadership, and personality.
  2. A mock call: come prepared to run a simulated emergency medical call response to demonstrate the skills you have acquired and the quality of care you are capable of providing.

If you have any additional questions regarding interviews, applications, and certifications please email ems.pr@scu.edu  

All SCU EMTs are required to attend multiple training sessions each quarter to maintain and improve their skills as well as keep their certifications current. These training sessions are put on by the SCU EMS training officers and the Santa Clara City Fire Department.

EMS Training

Each year during spring quarter, SCU EMS hosts a large-scale MCI training event. This "Mass Casualty Incident" gives SCU EMS the opportunity to test our ability to respond to a large-scale medical emergency. It also gives the students an opportunity to meet the squad, see how it functions, and participate in an interesting and educational activity. The MCI is performed in coordination with university officials and Santa Clara Fire Department personnel. Volunteers are always needed to serve as patients for the MCI event!

SCU EMS has an office in Casa Italiana Residence Hall where they sleep overnight. In between running calls, we train, get dinner, work on homework, etc.

SCU EMS is a fully volunteer organization, so none of the EMTs get paid.

Yes, if SCU EMS is contacted ahead of the event, then a team of EMTs will cover an on-campus event such as a concert, sporting event, alumni event, etc. SCU EMS asks for a $100 donation to cover the cost of the equipment used on a typical shift. See our website for the standby form (scuems.com).

If you want to help support our student run volunteer organization, you may reach out to our donation contact via email at ems.operations@scu.edu. We are also participating in SCU's Day of Giving. Any donations are greatly appreciated!