Columbia State Community College recently recognized 16 emergency medical technicians and 19 advanced emergency medical technicians upon completion of their programs during the Fall 2022 EMS Pinning ceremony held in the Webster Athletic Center.

“It is a privilege to prepare our students to enter the best profession in the world, so that they may be a shining light on someone’s worst day,” said McKenzie Leonard, Columbia State instructor of EMS. “I am proud to see these graduates’ hard work pay off as they continue the EMS Academy’s tradition of excellence and pursue their passion in caring for others.”

Fall 2022 EMT completers achieved an 88% first attempt pass rate for the national registry. Students in the integrated certificate received a 100% first attempt pass rate on the EMT national registry and a 95% first attempt pass rate on the Advanced EMT registry. The success of these students is phenomenal when compared to a national average first-attempt pass rate of 59-68% across the same time period.

“McKenzie and our EMS Academy faculty do an incredible job at preparing these students for credentialing exam success,” said Greg Johnson, Columbia State EMS Academy program director. “We are proud of these student cohorts, their commitment to excellence, and the desire to serve their communities.”

An EMT provides basic life support at the site of illnesses and injuries, assisting with transport to the hospital. The Advanced EMT provides basic and advanced life support at sites of illnesses and injuries through transport to the hospital. 

The accelerated AEMT path is an academy-style, technical certificate program designed to educate and train students to serve as vital members of a pre-hospital EMS team in a single semester. Students must complete 144 hours of clinical rotations to earn a technical certificate in AAEMT.

EMT certificate completers also have the option to pursue the General Technology Associate of Applied Science degree by combining coursework from two certificates with general education courses to complete a personalized degree program.

“These students chose Columbia State for EMS with the intent of being credential and workplace ready in 15 weeks,” said Dr. Kae Fleming, Columbia State dean of the Health Sciences Division. “The EMS Education immersive experience requires a progressively more complex application of skills. Completers are, thankfully, ready to immediately take on responsibility for patient care and outcomes.”

The program provides students with the necessary didactic and practical training to perform life-saving skills. Additionally, students learn to work alone, as well as in a squad-based (team) environment. 

For more information about the EMS program, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/EMS  or contact Johnson at 931.540.2792.