Chesapeake College this fall launches a new Letter of Recognition program in Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with some of the most advanced training equipment in the state.
The new program, designed for students who work or have other daytime obligations, will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Once a month, the class will meet for “SIM Saturday” sessions in Chesapeake’s state-of-the-art simulation labs. Students will complete the program in one semester.
Each cohort will also be required to gain clinical experience by shadowing nurses in area emergency rooms, and EMTs and paramedics out in the field.
Assistant Professor Jon Longest, director of Emergency Medical Services programs at Chesapeake, said the new credential is a direct response to community need.
“The schedule is intense and the content is rigorous, but this is what everyone in the EMS community has been asking us to develop,” Longest said. “EMS needs on the Shore are expanding, and so is the demand for EMT training.”
As part of the program, EMT students will be required to take a practical exam and the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician written exam. Once they finish, graduates of the program will be eligible for volunteer EMT work or paid EMT positions throughout Maryland.
The EMT Letter of Recognition is the latest addition to Chesapeake’s Health Professions offerings which includes Nursing, Paramedic, Surgical Technology, Radiologic Sciences, and Certified Nursing Assistant.
Longest said that EMT training is offers career preparation and can be a building block in future career training. EMT training is a national requirement for paramedic certification, he said. The EMT training is also a ladder that allow students entry into the field, and serves as a first step on a progressive career path.
“There are several components that are unique to EMT training, but they are foundational for paramedic training,” Longest said. “EMT opens doors to several medical careers. I know perspective students who have Certified Nursing Assistant training and are interested in the EMT program to gain urgent care experience. I just spoke to a bachelor’s degree student at a four-year institution who will be coming to our program to get the patient care experience he needs to apply for a Physician Assistant program.”
Classes begin in August, and Longest said the plan is to offer the program year-round. To enroll, students must take the Accuplacer assessments and be 18 years old by the time the program is completed.
For more information about the EMT Letter of Recognition, click here http://info.chesapeake.edu/alliedhealth/ahrequest.asp?prog=emt