Wharton County Junior College Emergency Medical Services Program students practice lifesaving skills on a mannequin in the back of a mock ambulance. The program will begin offering classes in Bay City in January of 2018.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Zina L. Carter
979.532.6417
WHARTON, TEXAS – Wharton County Junior College’s Emergency Medical Services Program will expand to Bay City in January of 2018.
Renovations recently completed at the college’s Bay City campus will allow the program to offer entry-level Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) classes for the Spring 2018 semester. Classes begin on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
“We have received several inquiries over the past three years from the Bay City area to conduct the class,” said EMS Program Director Gary Bonewald. “Several students attended our program over the past few years from this area and we are trying to make it more convenient and closer to home and work for them.”
The initial classes will include EMSP 1501 (a lecture and lab) and EMSP 1160, an EMT clinical. The classes will be available from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Students who complete the courses will qualify to sit for the National Registry of EMT’s examination and be eligible for state certification.
Bonewald anticipates 15 to 20 students the first semester.
“We plan on offering the classes at least twice a year with start dates in January and August,” he said. “We will also work with providers that are in need of EMS services to offer courses that meet their specific needs.”
In addition to classroom and lab work, students will obtain critical hands-on skills during field rotations at Matagorda Regional Medical Center and with Matagorda County EMS.
Program graduates who pass state certification find employment with EMS agencies, transport companies and industrial locations.
“EMS is one of the fastest growing professions,” Bonewald said. “There are many employment opportunities for graduates.”
Bonewald stressed that the program requires a high level of dedication and self-discipline.
“We hold our students to a very high standard,” he said. “When they complete the program they will be able to provide care to me and my family.”
Registration for the Spring 2018 semester runs through Monday, Jan. 15, 2018. For more information on the EMS program and registration, visit the college’s website: www.wcjc.edu
