EMT Career Pathway Added at FCHS

Students looking for classes that can directly put them on the pathway to a paid career have a new option this year at FCHS. The EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) class is being taught by Stephanie Corbin, who has been an EMT instructor for the last nine years. Corbin’s passion for training and her love for teaching have prepared her for this year-long class that will prepare students for working in the medical field.

Students who successfully pass the class and pass the state licensing exams will be able to apply for a job as a first responder or EMT. They can then move on to getting advanced training as an Advanced EMT or a paramedic. This class will set them up for careers as an EMT when they turn 18, or work in the EMR (Electronic Medical Record) field. An EMR collects general information such as treatment and medical history of patients.

An EMT provides patient care at the scene of an accident or medical emergency, and cares for patients while they are being transported to a hospital. The annual salary for an EMT is around $30,000, although this can vary from state to state and depending how many hours you work.

The EMT class focuses on six major areas:

• Operations: How to be prepared for situations involving hazmat, terrorism, and common scene safety.
• Airways: The anatomy of a patient’s airway and how to assess a situation if someone’s airway is obstructed, damaged, or blocked.
• Trauma: Covers broken bones, different injuries and how to assess them.
• Terms: An overview of medical terms and how to use them in order to properly use medicine and medical equipment.
• OB/Pediatrics: Focuses on obstetrics care (delivering babies), and pediatric care such as diagnosing and/or treating kids with diseases.
• Cardiovascular: Covers information relating to the heart, bloodstream, and organs.

Junior Ayanna Baskfield said she was taking the EMT class because she wants to be in the medical field at some point in her life. Baskfield is also learning more knowledge of the field itself. “Some of the things we learn are boring, but Mrs. Corbin makes them better to learn,” she said.

“This is a really important program. It teaches students responsibility and how to take care of others, and can set them up for a very rewarding career or volunteer experience,” said Corbin. “I really enjoy teaching EMT. It’s really cool to see students take information they learned and put it together. They have this ‘aha’ moment when it comes together and it’s really a great feeling,” Corbin added.