First students graduate from SCC's EMS program

SYLVA - On Graduation Day, some Southwestern Community College students are ready for jobs where they will conduct business at the speed of light using computers.

Others are planning to make cars run like new, and still more will earn their keep by serving up succulent dishes or by enhancing the beauty of their clients.

On May 11, these candidates for graduation walked right alongside nine students who may one day save their lives, if ever a catastrophe should strike. These nine students have been training to serve people in times of critical medical emergencies, and they are the first-ever to earn degrees through SCC’s Emergency Medical Science program.

“These students are well-rounded and are capable of saving lives and making a difference in someone’s life one day,” said Tonya Clark, the program’s director. “We prepare them to take care of someone’s life in the back of an ambulance, where their patients will depend solely on them. That takes a lot of confidence and strength from within, and these students have that inner-strength.”

Besides self-confidence, all these graduates also seem to share a deep love for adrenaline.

“I’m an adrenaline junkie. I love trauma. When people are needing help, I love being the one to help them,” said Brandy Sullivan, a 32-year old graduate who has worked with the Glenville Rescue squad for several years. “I love bringing somebody back. I already participated in one situation where we brought someone back using CPR and other techniques, and I can’t wait for the chance to do that again.”

According to EMS instructor Eric Hester, who still works part-time in the field for WestCare, there are plenty of opportunities for excitement and adrenaline rushes. The key, he said, is to be able to think on your feet in situations where a few seconds can make the difference between whether a patient lives or dies.

“To be effective, you’ve got to be versatile and handle multiple events simultaneously,” said Hester. “A lot of EMS involves good problem-solving skills along with patience, compassion and dependability.”

The EMS degree program at SCC originated in the fall of 1999, and it offers students the ability to move quickly up the administrative ladder at EMS agencies. By earning an Associate of Applied Science degree, students can become directors, supervisors and training officers while continuing to practice in the pre-hospital setting.

That ability to build a solid career is one of the primary factors that attracted Monica Dills of Waynesville to the program. At age 29, she said she feels fortunate to get a second-chance to fulfill her dreams and complete a college education.

“After high school, I had lived in Sarasota (Fla.) for five years, and I worked in health care down there,” said Dills, who has been working part-time with WestCare for a year and now has a full-time job lined up beginning next month. “I worked with a podiatrist and assisted with surgery. But I wanted something a little more interesting. That’s why I chose this career. I wanted to get the degree and not just a certification.”

But credentials alone were not all that drew her to Southwestern’s EMS program. She’s also psyched about the adrenaline charge that comes with the territory.

“Emergency situations give me a rush; I like the thought of helping people,” she said. “It takes someone who doesn’t mind blood and guts, and that doesn’t bother me at all. It’s a high-stress job, and I do well with stress.”