CCBC Student, Health Professions Pathway
Energetic and determined, Ciara found her perfect career path in CCBC’s EMT program.
“My father worked in a fire house, and other family members have worked in various health care jobs. Growing up, I would always ask, ‘How was your day at work? Can you tell me any of your interesting stories?’” she shares.
Driven by her role models, Ciara launched her own health care career in high school, working as a patient transporter at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center. By graduation, she knew she wanted to continue in health care, but in a role that matched her fast-paced personality. Her co-workers pointed her to CCBC, where she enrolled in the one-semester basic EMT (paramedic) program. The 200-hour course teaches basic life support, offers the chance to earn an EMT license and provides the prerequisites to pursue CCBC’s Emergency Medical Technology (Paramedic) certificate or associate degree.
After getting basic training and a license, Ciara continued at CCBC, earning the EMT (paramedic) certificate and will be applying all 46 credits toward the associate degree. This path has allowed her to get into the workforce while making serious progress toward her degree. She’s found CCBC’s focus on career-readiness to be valuable in helping her to feel prepared on the job.
“We have a lot of lab time, and that’s what I benefit from most,” she says.
“We do a lecture, then the next class is a lab. The learning is integrated, giving perspective into what you'll actually be doing in the field.”
The program’s clinical rotations expose students to a variety of settings, thanks to CCBC’s relationships with local hospitals, as do the class trips. “We got to visit the Maryland Poison Center, learning about what people commonly ingest and how to diagnose and treat these cases,” she says. “That type of information really enriches your learning.”
Through the flexibility of CCBC, Ciara’s been able to balance school, volunteer EMT work and family. She’s found the mirrored classes, identical sections offered at different times, particularly helpful. “CCBC is affordable and convenient. The flexibility makes everything work better, especially as a mother," she says.
The faculty are also supportive. “My instructors are very accommodating," she says. “As long as you’re open and honest about any difficulties you're having, they’ll do their best to work with you to set you up for success."
After graduation, she plans to work at a fire station and may eventually pursue advanced training in critical care or flight medicine. With her training and certificate complete and a degree underway, she’s off to a strong start.
“Paramedics are in high demand,” Ciara says. “Multiple counties have told me that if you have paramedic certification, you're pretty much in. It’s a good job to be in right now.”