Blinn Paramedic Program recognizes 22 graduates with pinning ceremony
State-of-the-art simulation training prepares students to save lives
August 6, 2018
The Blinn College District Paramedic Program welcomed 22 new graduates to the profession Saturday, Aug. 4, during a pinning ceremony held on the Blinn-Bryan Campus.
Each graduate completed 45 credit hours to earn their paramedic technology certificate or Emergency Medical Services Associate in Applied Science degree, which qualifies them for entry-level paramedic positions and can be applied toward a bachelor’s degree.
Blinn’s Paramedic Program courses include basic and clinical emergency medical technician, clinical emergency medical services, trauma management, cardiology, medical emergencies, and EMS operations. Students also must complete the Paramedic Academy, a three-semester program that prepares students for certification or licensure by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) and the Texas Department of State Health Services.
“In addition to the hands-on training students receive in our high-fidelity simulation lab, they get to train alongside a team of highly experienced professionals,” said Zack Varner, Program Director. “These graduates are leaving Blinn prepared to save lives.”
Members of this year’s graduating class include: Mark Atkins (Crandall), Edward Bass (San Diego), Carl Wyatt Bishop (College Station), Garrett Bynum (Friendswood), Jennica Childers (Bellville), Jennifer Harvey (Humble), Schuyler Holcomb (Wimberley), Shelby Kimble (Aruba), Charla Leopold (Thorndale), Adam Lopez (Houston), Kristin Newsom (College Station), Dustin Palmore (Wellborn), Caleb Reed (Mansfield), Valarie Renter (Wellborn), Doady Rogers (Waldeck), Natasha Rondao (Austin), Jacqueline Schaefer (Houston), Crystal Smith (Corpus Christi), Jake Taylor (Abilene), Danielle Vacek (Katy), Justin Ward (Humble), and Kyle White (Marion).
Holcomb, a firefighter with the Bryan Fire Department, attributes the success of his graduating class to the program’s seasoned instructors and rigorous, hands-on coursework.
“My favorite aspect of the program is the instructors,” Holcomb said. “They have such a passion for teaching and ensuring we understand the instruction. EMS is not just a simple diagnosis and treatment. This program teaches us to care for patients as though they were our family.”
Paramedics are highly recruited in the region, with employment projected to grow 26.1 percent between 2014 and 2024, according to Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley. Paramedic salaries can range from $34,000 to $50,000. Graduates who pass their certification and licensure exams are eligible to work in the ambulance service industry, local governments, outpatient care centers, and hospitals.
Blinn’s Paramedic Program is part of the Emergency Medical Services Program, which offers emergency medical technician and paramedic training. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/ems.
