Columbia State Community College recently recognized 10 emergency medical technicians and 37 advanced emergency medical technicians upon completion of their programs during the Spring 2022 EMS Pinning ceremony held in Cherry Theater.

Columbia State offered Advanced EMT at Dickson Fire in Spring 2022 in response to specific industry needs. This allowed students to complete a significant portion of the certificate requirements closer to home. Fifteen of the Advanced EMT graduates participated in an Integrated AEMT program at Dickson Fire. These students attended the lecture portion of the program at Dickson Fire, and attended the skills portion of the course at the Columbia Campus. The clinical portion of the course was conducted as normal with area agencies/hospitals.

“I am extremely proud of the spring 2022 cohort for the hard work each put into their coursework,” said Greg Johnson, Columbia State EMS Academy program director. “Their dedication to, and passion for, clinical excellence is easily seen in their academic success this semester. Each graduate will be a tremendous asset to the communities in which they will serve.”

These graduates are the fourth group of EMT graduates in the past year to achieve a 100% first-attempt credentialing exam pass rate for the national 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.

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 advanced emergency medical technician 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.

“With completers consistently achieving the highest success rates in Tennessee, Columbia State’s EMS offerings are the example other programs strive to emulate,” said Dr. Kae Fleming, Columbia State dean of the Health Sciences Division. “Emergency medical personnel are in high demand, secure in-field employment instantly, and have excellent opportunities for continued growth and advancement.”

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.