EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (EMT)
Equity Statement:
Our faculty, staff, and students work collaboratively to identify and breakdown systemic educational barriers through an equity focused lens. We recruit students to increase diversity in the field of emergency medical services to better represent the community we serve and provide quality prehospital care. We actively challenge and respond to bias, harassment, and discrimination and value the cultural wealth that our student population brings to the classroom.
Fall 2025 Update:
Fast Track EMT License Now Available!
Southwestern College listens and responds to the needs of our community. We continue to offer a one semester EMT sequence of courses that will qualify students to take the National registry of EMT Examination. This new cohort is designed for students that wish to complete their certification in one semester.
For Fall 2025 Fast Track Cohort register to the following classes and sections:
- EMT 101-308 OR EMT 101-309
- EMT 109-308
- EMT 113-308
- EMT 113L-308, 309, or 310
A Life Saving Job
Welcome to the Southwestern College Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Program. We developed this site to help answer some frequently asked questions and provide resources for students and the EMS community. Use the navigation links below, or the plus (+) sign to find the information you need.
The goal of the Southwestern College EMT Program is “To prepare competent entry-level EMTs in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains with or without exit points at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and/or Emergency Medical Technician, and/or Emergency Medical Responder levels.”
Upon satisfactory completion of the EMT program, the student is eligible for a Southwestern College Certificate of Achievement and eligible to take the National Registry of EMTs certification examination. Students that successfully pass the NREMT exam are eligible for a California EMT certification.
Duties
- Respond to 911 calls for emergency medical assistance, such as
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or bandaging a wound - Assess a patient’s condition and determine a course of treatment
- Follow guidelines that they learned in training and that they receive from
physicians who oversee their work - Safely transfer patients to the emergency department and report their observations and treatment
- Create a patient care report
- Replace used supplies and check or clean equipment after use
EMTs also provide interfacility transportation from one medical facility to another. Some patients may need to be transferred to a hospital that specializes in treating their injury or illness or to a facility that provides long-term care, such as a nursing home.
The specific responsibilities EMTs depend on their level of training and the state and county they work in.
Becoming an EMT
* Two semester option
1ST SEMESTER
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EMT101 | Health care Provider CPR | 1 |
| EMT 109 | Emergency Medical Response | 3 |
| TOTAL UNITS | 4 |
2ND SEMESTER
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EMT 113 | Emergency Medical Technician- Basic | 5 |
| EMT 113L | Emergency Medical Technician Laboratory - basic | 3 |
| TOTAL UNITS | 8 |
* One semester option
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EMT 101 | Health Carre Provider CPR | 1 |
| EMT 109 | Emergency Medical Response | 3 |
| EMT 113 | Emergency Medical Technician-Basic | 3 |
| EMT 113L | Emergency Medical Technician Lab-Basic | 3 |
| TOTAL UNITS | 12 |
* National Registry of EMTs practical skills and written exams.
Earn More. Learn More.
What Can I Do As an EMT?
You'll have so many career options!
EMS Links
EMS/Governing Agencies
- California EMS Authority
- National Registry for EMTs
- National Association of EMTs
- CoSD LEMSIS Licensing Portal
Medical Reference
College Resources
- CPR/ACLS Training at SWC CPR classes (619) 429-1669
- Community CPR & First Aid Program