Students in Learn4Life’s EMT program learn to stay calm under pressure

A final test in high school can be stressful, so why would an instructor purposely make it even more nerve-wracking? For the students enrolled in Learn4Life High Schools’ emergency medical technician (EMT) introductory program, the last day of their course was designed to be intense.

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A Learn4Life high school student participates in the final exam for a dual-enrollment EMT introductory course (Photo: Business Wire)

“They’re in the back of an ambulance with a live patient on a gurney to get a sense of what responding to a real emergency is like,” explained Joanne Robinson, their instructor and manager at American Medical Response (AMR) which partners with Learn4Life for the EMT program. “It’s a timed event with nurses, doctors and EMTs watching their every move. They must think on their feet and remember everything they’ve learned – it’s not easy.”

Sierra T., a senior at Learn4Life who just completed the program, agrees. “This entire class was challenging – learning so many new things and remembering them under pressure,” she said. “But I love the hands-on learning. It’s more exciting and helps me retain the information.”

Sierra is planning a career in the medical field and figured she could jump start her education with an introductory EMT course. She came to Learn4Life because she liked their personalized learning model which allows her to progress at her own pace. “I tend to work at a faster pace than some traditional high school classes, so this is ideal for me.”

Robinson said that throughout the EMT class, students are challenged to learn, remember and translate that knowledge into action. “This is when we see their critical thinking skills emerging, which are essential for this type of career,” she explained. “It’s so rewarding to watch them grow and develop new skills in just a few months.”

In conjunction with Chaffey College, Learn4Life students earn three college credits and 10 high school elective credits. AMR actively promotes high school entry-level EMT classes and offers a scholarship and paid internship for students who want to continue their education to pursue a career as a paramedic.

“This is a good steppingstone for a host of careers in healthcare, law enforcement and firefighting,” Robinson said.

According to the newly released Walton Family Foundation-Gallup survey, more than 40 percent of teens are not planning to attend college after graduation¹, so it’s important for high schools to offer career learning pathways to accommodate every student’s personalized plan.

Learn4Life is a network of 80+ public high schools that offers personalized learning on a flexible schedule with life and job skills. Career technical education is a key component of their model, with scores of job training opportunities available for students.

The EMT programs are popular and always fill up – something Robinson is thrilled to see. “These students are our up-and-coming workforce,” she said. “We’re proud to be helping to guide these young people into careers in healthcare and first responders.”

For more information, visit www.Learn4Life.org.

About Learn4Life

Learn4Life is a network of nonprofit public high schools that provide students personalized learning, career training and life skills. Each school is locally controlled, tuition free and gives students the flexibility and one-on-one attention they need to succeed. Serving more than 59,000 students through a year-round program, we help them prepare for a future beyond high school. For more information, please visit www.learn4life.org.

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