Emergency Medical Services 
A Fast-Paced, Challenging and Rewarding Career
Pre hospital emergency medical care is a challenging and exciting profession. People’s lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics.
EMS professionals may work at any of four different levels: first responder, EMT–basic, EMT–intermediate,
and paramedic.
Upon successful completion of training, students are eligible for employment in a variety of emergency medical systems nationwide—in fire departments, municipal services, private ambulance services, federal services, industry, hospital emergency departments, and hospital-based ambulance systems.
DACC offers all levels of EMS education, as well as an opportunity to earn an associate of applied science degree at the paramedic level. Successful completion of an EMS program will allow for certification/licensure testing at the state and national level.
The Emergency Medical Services program is nationally accredited by the Committee on Accreditation on Education for the EMS Professions and approved by the New Mexico Office of Health Emergency Management.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Formal training and certification is needed to become an EMT or paramedic. All 50 states have a certification procedure. In most states and the District of Columbia, registration with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians is required at some or all levels of certification.
Other states administer their own certification examination or provide the option of taking the NREMT examination to maintain certification. EMTs and paramedics must re-register, usually every two years. In order to re-register, an individual must be working as an EMT or paramedic and fulfill a continuing-education requirement.