El Paso Community College (EPCC) recently held a graduation ceremony for 14 medics from the U.S. Army's MEDCOM program. EPCC's partnership with the Army on this initiative began in April 2023 and has led to this year's fifth cohort completing the Accelerated Paramedic and Advanced EMT courses. In a statement obtained by EPCC News, the college reported that 11 graduates received a Paramedic program certificate, with 41 credit hours, and three earned an Advanced EMT certificate. Breel Naranjo and Austin Jones were recognized as Valedictorian and Outstanding Student, respectively.
Among the graduates, eight have already become certified paramedics after passing the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) Paramedic exams. With a demanding regimen of six days per week, sometimes in 12-hour shifts, the soldiers complete the program in just 171 days. According to EPCC's Rio Grande Dean of Health, Souraya Hajjar, "As active members of the military, you committed yourselves to intensive training in five months and raise to the challenge with excellence," as per EPCC News. The program comprises a mix of classroom learning, clinical hours, and field experience.
During the ceremony's acknowledgment of the support network behind these graduates, EPCC EMSP Director Tony Ayub called for a round of applause for the families, highlighting their crucial role. "A program like this doesn't evolve with the support of many important people, and that's family, so please give yourselves a round of applause," Ayub said, as obtained by EPCC News. The rigorous course is designed not only to certify soldiers as paramedics but also to set them on a path that could lead to an associate degree and potential promotion opportunities within the military.
