Emergency Medical Services

The Emergency Medical Services program will prepare students to deliver out-of-hospital emergency care at the scene of an accident or a medical emergency. EMTs and Paramedics typically serve as vital members of the Emergency Medical Services team who can, with competence, use their medical skills to relieve suffering, reduce injury severity, and prevent death.

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Selective/Competitive Entry Disclaimer

• Delivery:
  • Basic: McAllen - Days & Nights; Starr County - Days
  • Advanced: McAllen - Days & Nights
  • Paramedic: McAllen - Days
• Start:
  • Basic & Advanced: Fall, Spring, & Summer
  • Paramedic: Fall
• Locations:
  • Nursing Allied Health Campus - McAllen
  • Starr County Campus - Rio Grande City

Application Requirements

1. Participate in the Prospective Student Information Session.
2. Be admitted to the college as a high school graduate or GED equivalent, except for dual credit students.
3. EMT-Basic Certificate TSI exempt.
4. Advanced EMT Certificate TSI exempt.
5. Paramedic Certificate or AAS Degree Option: Meet TSI College Readiness Standards or meet TSI exemption standards.
6. Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for all courses completed at STC or, if currently a high school student, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale on the high school transcript.
7. Be 18-years of age to be eligible for certification by the Texas Department of State and Health Services or National Registry.
8. Hold a valid Texas Driver’s License or Texas ID.
9. Clinical/Practicum Requirements (Complio)
   Pass a criminal background check, 10-panel drug screen, current CPR status, current accident/health insurance and complete all required immunizations including Hepatitis B series. https://nah.southtexascollege.edu/clinical_affairs.html
10. If you have a criminal record and would like to be evaluated for eligibility, contact the Department of State Health Service - Office of EMS and Trauma Systems Coordination 512-834-6740 for more information. The Petition for EMS Criminal History Pre-Screening form and the Texas Fingerprint Service Code form are available at  www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/formsresources.shtm.
11. Submit a completed program application.
12. Meet the technical standards of the program.

Program Selection Process

Students accepted on a first-come first-serve basis until maximum class size reached. A waiting list for the next available class is established if more applications are received that can be accommodated.

Goals

To prepare Paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession, with exit points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Services (Advanced), and Emergency Medical Technician/Basic and First Responder Levels.

Accreditation

South Texas College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
www.caahep.org

8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312
Rowlett TX 75088
214-703-8445
FAX 214-703-8992
www.coaemsp.org

• Degree Plans

  View Catalog

• Faculty

  Faculty

  Name	E-mail	Phone	Location
  Archer, Joseph	jaarcher	956-872-3032	NAHC 3.326
  Billings, Janelle	billings	956-872-3168	NAHC 3.330
  Cortez, Henry	hcortez	956-872-3172	NAHC 3.334
  Flores, Edgar	eflore	956-872-3169	NAHC 3.318
  Garza, Miriam	mgarza46	956-872-3058	NAHC 3.342
  Lopez, Leo	llopez_6984	956-872-3166	NAHC 3.338
  Miller, Steven	smiller	956-872-3004	NAHC 3.322
  Tello, Carlos	ctello3	956-872-3048	NAHC 3.314

  For faculty not listed, please contact the department.

• Staff

  Staff

  Name	E-mail	Phone	Location
  Heredia, Karina - EMS Licensed Lab Specialist	kheredi1	956-872-3210	NAHC A-3.418
  Lopez, Noah - Guided Pathway Specialist	nlopez32	956-872-3192	NAH A-100
  Rivera, Jennifer - EMS Secretary	jrive127	956-872-3178	NAHC A-3.306
  Villarreal, Cristina A. - EMS Records Technician	cvill119	956-872-3214	NAHC A-3.302

• Prior Learning Assessment
  • Prior Learning Assessment Guidelines
• Career Exploration

  For more information about the paramedic employment, statistics, and technical skills refer to: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2041.00

  Work Environment

  A student graduating with an EMS Certificate or Associate of Applied Science degree will be prepared to fill positions in Emergency Medical Services, Private Ambulance Companies, Air Ambulance Services, Oil Rigs, and Hospitals.

  Potential Job Opportunities

  Employment of EMSs is expected to grow much faster than the average for other occupations. Driving the growth is the expanding population. The number of older people, who are more likely to need emergency services, is increasing rapidly. Additional job openings will occur as more states begin to allow EMS Paramedics to perform primary care on the scene without transporting the patient to a medical facility. Most job openings will occur because of this occupation's substantial replacement needs.

  Salary Data

  Earnings of EMSs depend on the employment setting and geographic location as well as the individual's training and experience.

  • Average Wage: $25,000/year
  • Top Earners: $59,000/year
• Resources

  Handbooks

  • EMS Student Handbook
  • Division Student Handbook

  Book List

  • EMS Course Books

  Helpful Links

  • National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
  • Texas Department of State Health Services