Emergency Medical Services
EMT Certificate I
Overview
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a branch of medicine known as the "Prehospital Care Providers." Emergency Medical Personnel are trained to administer medical care to the sick and injured in pre-hospital situations.
Program Goal
For more information about EMT employment, statistics, and technical skills refer to link:
EMT: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2042.00
Emergency Medical Technician EMT
The primary focus of the Emergency Medical Technician is to provide basic emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system. This individual possesses the basic knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. Emergency Medical Technicians function as part of a comprehensive EMS response, under medical oversight. Emergency Medical Technicians perform interventions with the basic equipment typically found on an ambulance. The Emergency Medical Technician is a link from the scene to the emergency health care system.
Description of the Profession
The Emergency Medical Technician's scope of practice includes basic skills focused on the acute management and transportation of critical and emergent patients. This may occur at an emergency scene until transportation resources arrive, from an emergency scene to a health care facility, between health care facilities, or in other health care settings.
Emergency Medical Technicians' scope of practice includes basic, non-invasive interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with acute out-of-hospital medical and traumatic emergencies. Emergency care is based on assessment findings.
The Emergency Medical Technician level is the minimum licensure level for personnel transporting patients in ambulances. The scope of practice is limited to basic skills that are effective and can be performed safely in an out-of-hospital setting with medical oversight and limited training.
What are the career opportunities in EMS?
Job Opportunities
Career opportunities are varied from the pre-hospital to hospital settings. Some examples are: Private or city owned ambulance services that transport patients by ground or air, industrial businesses such as offshore drilling facilities that require personnel qualified to treat illnesses or injuries, emergency rooms, operating rooms, cardiac cath labs, and ICU-telemetry units. Licensed Paramedics with AAS are eligible to apply to the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program.
Salary/Benefits
EMT salary ranges from $16 to $17 per hour.
Program Costs
The approximate cost of the program ranges from $2,600 (one semester certificate) to $4,600 (two year degree) for tuition, books, fees, and supplies. Students seeking Financial Aid should contact the financial aid office in Lerma Peña, Room 148. Additional miscellaneous costs such as uniforms and immunizations are approximately $450.
Accreditation
Accreditation Agencies
The EMS Program is accredited by Texas Department of State Health Services.
Texas Department of State Health Services
1100 West 49th Street
Austin, Texas 78756
Phone: (512) 834-6700
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/default.shtm
Licensing Agency
Licensure Exam
National Registry of EMT’s
6610 Busch Blvd.
Columbus, Ohio 43229
(614) 888-4484
Texas Department of State Health Services
1100 West 49th Street
Austin, Texas 78756
Phone: (512) 834-6700
Information
Application and Selection Process
The student seeking admission into the EMS Program must:
- Meet LC admission criteria as set forth in the college catalog.
- Have a minimum degree-specific grade point average of 2.5 and achieve a grade of "C" or better in required academic courses.
- Submit the following to the EMS Program through the online portal.
- A complete Health Sciences Division EMS application. Applicants must fill out the completed online application and submit portal https://webportalapp.com/sp/laredo-ems
Application Deadlines
- Application deadline for EMT is the first Thursday in July for Fall or first Thursday in November for Spring.
Admission into EMS Program is based on:
- G.P.A.: Current (within the last 5 years) grade report or transcript
- Pre-entrance Exam (An examination fee will be charged to the candidate)
Entrance Exam Documents
Are there other items I need to submit?
Prior to the first class day, students accepted into the Emergency Medical Services Program must submit completed:
- Physical Examination Form (within one year). To access Physical Examination form, please click here.
- Functional Position Description Form. To access form, please click here.
- Negative Criminal background check: www.CastleBranch.com
- S. B. No. 62 requires that all college students under the age of 22 must receive the Bacterial Meningitis vaccine. If you are 21 or under, you may request an exemption form in the mail from the Texas Department of State Health Services, please click here for further information.
- Immunizations, including: TB (X-RAY), MMR, Varicella, Tetanus, Flu shot, Hepatitis B, DTaPTd. To access Immunization form, please click here.
- Vaccine Series
- Current American Heart Association BLS CPR Certification
- Negative 10 Panel Drug Screen
What else do I need to know?
Students may be required to undergo random drug screens by the clinical facility. Students will need to submit a criminal background check annually. The National Registry of EMT'S and Texas Department of State Health Services will conduct a federal criminal background check prior to taking their exam.
*Obtaining a grade of C or better on EMS courses does not guarantee a student's eligilibity to sit for the National Registry of EMT's certification exam. The student must obtain the required cut score or better on the EMS Assessment Exam in order to be eligible to sit for the National Registry of EMT's certification exam.
The EMS Program adheres to the Equal Opportunity Policy as listed in the LC Manual of Policy FA (LEGAL), click here to access policy.
EMS Student Handbook 2023-2024
Advanced Placement Policy
The EMS Program currently does not offer advanced placement options.
Plan of Study
| SEMESTER 1 | Semesters Offered | Credit Hours |
| EMSP 1501 1,3 – EMT-Basic | Fall, Spring | 5 |
| EMSP 11602 – Clinical – EMT | Fall, Spring | 1 |
| EMSP 2305 EMS Operations | Fall, Spring | 3 |
| MDCA 1313 – Medical Terminology | Fall, Spring | 3 |
| MDCA 1409 – Anatomy & Physiology for Medical Assistants | Fall, Spring | 4 |
| 16 Hours |
Requirements:
• Complete Assessment Test requirements for placement and/or satisfy the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements for entry into college-level courses.
• LC Pre-requisite, Institutional, and Overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or greater.
• Successfully complete the Pre-Entrance Standardized Exam individual score of 60 or greater.
• Students must earn at least 25% of the credit hours (15 hours) required for graduation through instruction by Laredo College to award the degree.
• Students must complete the courses in the required semester sequence as outlined in the Emergency Medical Services program curriculum plan.
• All courses must be taken concurrently.
NOTE: Information regarding the Emergency Medical Services Program is current at the time of publication and is subject to change without notice. Be sure to consult with your advisor if you are continuing an older plan.
Obtaining a grade of C or better on EMS courses does not guarantee a student’s eligibility to sit for the National Registry of EMT’S certification exam. The student must obtain the required cut score or better on the EMS Assessment Exam and be approved by the EMS Medical Director and EMS Program Director in order to be eligible to sit for the National registry of EMT’s certification exam.