Brownwood News – Since its reinstatement in the fall of 2016, Texas State Technical College’s Emergency Medical Technician basic program is seeing record high enrollment numbers on the Brownwood campus.

IN THE PHOTO – TSTC emergency medical technician students practice bag valve mask (BVM) breathing.

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“Right now we have 26 students registered in the EMT degree program. The program is two semesters long: one semester face to face and one online. We have 19 students in the face-to-face portion, and we try to keep that number at about 20 total because we want to maintain a 10-1 student-instructor ratio,” Ronnie Pitts, TSTC statewide department chair for Emergency Medical Services, said.

Pitts said he is proud of the growth the program is seeing and looks forward to continued success as the need for EMTs continues to rise.

According to https://www.onetonline.org, the national employment rate for EMTs and paramedics is projected to grow 15 percent through 2026.

Students, faculty and staff attribute the success of the program to its dedication to patient care, real-world environment and community support.

“The standard of education that you get through this program prepares you to step into the field and operate as a strong EMT from day one. We strive for our students to be compassionate and have not only the technical skills, but also to put patient care above all else,” Stephen Sharp, instructor, said.

For first-semester student veteran Faith Miller, TSTC was the only credible option.

“In the military they teach you basic lifesaving skills, and I really enjoyed learning those skills. I like helping people, so I decided to pursue this career field as a civilian,” Miller said.

Miller served on active duty in the Army for four years and plans to continue on to the paramedic program with TSTC.

The city of Brownwood and Brownwood Municipal Development District provided $50,000 for an ambulance simulator in 2018 that Associate Provost Raquel Mata attributes to TSTC’s ability to provide real-world scenarios.

“I think it’s amazing how far this program has come. With the generous support of the community and the dedication of the instructors to go above and beyond, we’re seeing real growth as we work to fill a need in the community,” Mata said.

Mata and Sharp encourage anyone interested in the program to visit or attend an information session for the program hosted every Tuesday at 2 p.m.

For more information about TSTC, go online at tstc.edu.