WNC graduates first paramedic students at Saturday ceremony in Carson City
The Western Nevada College Paramedicine program celebrated the graduation of 11 paramedics at a ceremony in Carson City on Saturday.
The graduates are now eligible to sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician National Certification Test, according to WNC’s Emergency Medical Services and Paramedic Program Coordinator Terry Mendez.
WNC expanded its EMS classes of Emergency Medical Technician and Advanced EMT so students could further their training to become paramedics. Whether they are focused on becoming an EMT or paramedic, students will gain the knowledge and skills to respond to health emergencies and help people in times of distress. They learn how to care for people in a pre-hospital setting and will be prepared to sit for national and state testing for EMT and Advanced EMT.
The students completed nearly 600 hours of didactic and lab coursework, over 200 hours of hospital clinical time and almost 500 hours of field internship time, all during the largest pandemic since 1918, Mendez said.
In the first photo, Western Nevada College President Dr. Vincent Solis, left, speaks at the graduation ceremony for the college’s first paramedic students on Saturday.
In the second photo, graduate Jerry Sanchez watches a video presentation during a small ceremony as the Western Nevada College paramedic program graduates its first cohort of 11 students.
In the third photo, Western Nevada College Paramedic Instructor Terry Mendez, left, congratulates Joshua Adams during a graduation ceremony for the first cohort of the paramedic program.