Mesa Community College in December awarded associate in applied science in paramedicine degrees to 17 students.

Paramedicine students are prepared to pass the national certification exam to achieve the highest certification level of a pre-hospital care provider in the U.S., according to a release.

“MCC paramedicine graduates are emergency medical service professionals who are well prepared to provide our community with pre-hospital, advanced medical and trauma care,” Sean Newton, MCC paramedicine program director, said in the release. “Most graduates will deliver emergency on-scene treatment, crisis intervention, life-saving stabilization and, when appropriate, transport ill or injured patients to emergency medical and surgical treatment facilities, such as hospitals and trauma centers.”

The MCC paramedicine program is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Applied Health Education Programs. The program features knowledgeable practicing instructors, specialized content experts, hands-on learning, state-of-the-art augmented and virtual reality simulation, and a well-balanced curriculum, the release states.

“Mesa Community College is ranked as one of the top programs in Arizona and boasts that 100 percent of MCC paramedic graduates pass the National Registered Paramedics exam, according to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians,” Newton said in the release.

EMSI Career Coach data projects the demand for emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Maricopa County will grow steadily over the next decade.

To enter the MCC paramedicine program, individuals must first earn an EMT certification. Learn more about the MCC emergency medical services programs at mesacc.edu/departments/allied-health/ems.

Mesa Community College is nationally recognized as an Aspen Prize Top 150 U.S. Community College and is known for service learning, career and technical programs, civic engagement and innovative approaches to education. For more than 50 years, the college has served as a resource for career readiness, transfer education, workforce development and lifelong learning. Go to mesacc.edu.