Emergency Medical Technology Program

The Emergency Medical Technology program will prepare students to deliver out-of-hospital emergency care at the scene of an accident or a medical emergency. A student graduating with an EMT Certificate or Associate of Applied Science degree will be prepared to fill positions of EMT Basic, EMT Intermediate, and EMT Paramedic. Emergency Medical Technicians typically serve as vital members of the Emergency Medical Services Team who can, with competence, use their medical skills, relieve suffering, and reduce injury severity, and death.

EMT Basic Certificate: Instruction at the basic level will serve as a foundation for the other two advanced levels, as well as concentrate on learning general anatomy and physiology and general patient assessment. Students will learn and practice lifesaving procedures such as oxygen administration, spinal motion restriction, bandaging, splinting, and administration of certain medications.

EMT Intermediate Certificate: At the intermediate level students will continue to use the foundation they learned as an EMT Basic.  They will study in depth the areas of patient assessment, anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system and the respiratory system.  They will then practice and perform advanced invasive lifesaving procedures such as intravenous (IV) administration and endotracheal intubation.

EMT Paramedic Certificate: The highest level that an EMT can achieve is the level of paramedic where the student will concentrate on a more comprehensive patient assessment and learn advanced medical skills such as electrocardiogram interpretation and treatment. The student will also learn and will be able to administer the most current trends in pharmacological treatments, as well as learning the latest care administered in Advance Cardiac Life Support. Students are prepared for both the written and practical National Registry exam at each level or Licensure at the Paramedic level only. These exams measure proficiency and competency in the standards set by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Completion of the EMT courses will allow the student to be eligible for Texas Department of State Health Services Certification, thus making the student employable in many settings such as Hospital Emergency Rooms, Industrial Sites, Air Ambulances, Private EMS Providers, Public EMS Providers, City Fire Departments, and Special Rescue Groups.

EMT Associate of Applied Science: Students may complete the certificate in two and four semesters. Courses taken for the certificate program may be applied toward completion of the two year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Emergency Medical Technology. Upon completion of the degree, the student is eligible to apply to the state of Texas as a Licensed Paramedic.

Program Entry Requirements

A. All applicants must meet general admission requirements to South Texas College .
B. High School graduation or GED equivalent.
C. Be 18-years of age for clinical/practicum experience.
D. Complete college placement test with minimum scores or complete developmental classes with a grade of "C" or better or course placement as follows:
    Completion of READ 0080 or equivalent.
    Completion of ENGL 0081 or equivalent.
    Completion of MATH 0085 or equivalent .
E. Hold a valid Texas Driver's License.
F. Satisfy program specific requirements for clinical practice.
G. Submit a completed EMT program application.
H. Participate in mandatory EMT Program advisement prior to registration
I. Attend Mandatory Hospital Orientation.
 

Selection Process

Students accepted on a first-come first-serve basis until maximum class size is reached. A waiting list is established for next available class if more applications are received than can be accommodated.  Program applications are available from EMT faculty and will be discussed and completed during advisement prior to registration.  Please contact the EMT Program office at (956) 872-3178 for additional information.

NOTE: Please see program WEB page for up-to-date information regarding admission requirements, curriculum changes, selection criteria and procedures, and application revisions at www.southtexascollege.edu/nah.

Graduation Requirements

To earn the Emergency Medical Technology Certificate or Associate of Applied Science Degree, a student must meet all college graduation requirements and complete all coursework as prescribed in the degree plan with a minimum grade of “C”.