Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is an exciting field where First Responders, EMT-Basics, EMT-Intermediates, and Paramedics work the front lines of community and emergency healthcare. EMS providers can help save lives, reduce suffering, and care for people.
Students of the UNM-Taos EMS program are trained in how to respond to, treat, and transport patients experiencing medical and trauma emergencies. Graduates of our First Responder (EMR), EMT-Basic (EMT), and EMT-Intermediate (AEMT) courses will have completed all the requirements to sit for the National Registry Exam, and to obtain a New Mexico license to practice. Graduates will then be credentialled to work in a variety of jobs and environments including but not limited to: ambulances, clinics, hospitals, fire departments, ski patrol, and wilderness rescue.
Career Pathways
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a growing field across the country. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics the demand for licensed EMS providers will increase 24% by 2024. With moderate to high demand in most of Northern New Mexico. EMS employers in the Taos and Enchanted Circle region are actively hiring.
Academic Pathways
UNM-Taos now offers an associate of science in EMS (AS-EMS) which satisfies the prerequisites for entering a paramedic program as well as nearly all pre-nursing requirements. UNM main campus in Albuquerque offers the bachelor degree at the paramedic level in EMS. This degree has many possible focuses from community paramedicine, to premedical, to education and administration. See the details below. Talk to an advisor about how to get started on an associate degree in EMS.
Courses
What follows is a list and descriptions of our EMS courses. You do not need to be a degree-seeking student to take any of the courses.
EMS 106 First Responder (EMR)
This 80-hour course is ideal for firefighters, ski patrol, law enforcement, park rangers, search and rescue, etc. First Responders are often first on scene for emergencies. These essential healthcare providers initiate life-saving stabilization and care and prepare patients for transport to the hospital.
EMS 113 Emergency Medical Technician Basic (EMT-B). (8 credit hours)
The EMT-Basic course consists of three parts: didactic, lab, and clinical. The curriculum includes didactic and lab instruction, covering the minimum standard DOT curriculum, NM Scope of Practice for EMT-B, and National Registry standard for EMT, as well as additional curricula that prepares an EMT-Basic to stay on the forefront of prehospital field techniques and the advancing knowledge base of prehospital care. The clinical component is at the end of the course, and provides the student with field experience. This course will prepare the student for their National Registry EMT exam and New Mexico certification as an EMT-Basic.
EMS 142 EMT-Basic Lab (2 credit hours)
The EMT lab is integrated within the EMT course. The lab includes hands-on skills training, simulation, and scenarios, among other activities.
EMS 193 EMT Academic Strategies (2 credit hours)
This companion to the EMT-Basic course is designed to reduce didactic and homework and workload while improving exam scores and overall success in the program. It is required for all EMT-Basic students.
EMS 120 Introduction to EMS Systems (3 credit hours)
This course is intended to provide students with fundamental knowledge of Emergency Medical Services, EMS systems, EMS research, and an overview of prehospital emergency medicine. It is also a goal of this course to augment and enhance college and workforce preparedness. Students and the instructors will use a variety of reading, writing, demonstration, lecture, psychomotor interaction, video, and more, to advance learning.
EMS 180 EMT-Intermediate (AEMT) (5 credit hours)
The EMT-Intermediate course builds upon and extends the EMT-Basic knowledge and skills to include more advanced anatomy and physiology, cardiology, and pharmacology. EMT-I students will prepare for a broader scope of practice which includes intravenous access among other crucial patient care skills. The course consists of three parts: didactic, lab, and clinical. The curriculum includes didactic and lab instruction, covering the minimum standard DOT curriculum, NM Scope of Practice for EMT-I, and National Registry standard for AEMT, as well as additional curricula that prepares an EMT-Intermediate to stay on the forefront of prehospital field techniques and the advancing knowledge base of prehospital care. The clinical component is at the end of the course, and provides the student with field experience. This course will prepare the student for their National Registry EMT exam and New Mexico certification as an EMT-Intermediate.
EMS 143 EMT-Intermediate (AEMT) Lab (1 credit hour)
The AEMT lab is integrated within the AEMT class. The lab includes hands-on skills training, simulation, and scenarios, among other activities.
EMS 151 EMT-Intermediate (AEMT) Clinical and Field Experience (2 credit hours)
After the coursework is successfully completed, there will be 120 hours of required clinical internship. This will include both ambulance and hospital experience.
