Emergency Medical Technician Technical Certificate

For more information, contact the Health Sciences division at 615-230-3330.

The one-semester Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Technical Certificate program is the required course of studies designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as professional medical care providers in a pre-hospital setting.  These are prerequisite courses required by the State of Tennessee EMS rules and regulations for persons considering entry into the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Technical Certificate program. EMT duties include the recognition, assessment, and management of medical, trauma, and environmental emergencies under the direction of the medical control physician or medical director. The courses follow the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards.  Students who successfully complete the course work and clinical components of the program are eligible for the Tennessee EMT Licensing Examination. The program is open to all students meeting admission requirements for the College based on the admission or readmission status the applicant is seeking.  To be admitted to the program students MUST be 18 years old and submit an acceptable background check, a “passing” drug screen, and acceptable placement scores or completion of all Learning Support competencies in Reading. Students should be physically able to perform heavy lifting or strenuous activity for extended periods of time and must demonstrate the ability to perform these tasks during classroom and clinical periods.

Courses are offered at several off-campus locations that may include Nashville, Springfield and Clarksville. Up to twelve students are accepted into each section of the course each semester offered. Students enrolled MUST successfully complete all didactic and clinical components of the program to be eligible to take professional licensing examinations.

The Emergency Medical Technician Technical Certificate is embedded within the Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science and within the Associate of Arts and the Associate of Science, General Studies areas of emphasis.  Courses in this certificate may be used to award these degrees.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the graduate will have developed the skills, knowledge and abilities to accomplish the following:

  1. The student will utilize appropriate techniques to perform a patient assessment of an injured person of multi-system trauma and formulate a treatment plan for all conditions and injuries discovered.

  2. The student will utilize the appropriate techniques to obtain and document a medical history from a patient.

  3. The student will initiate basic interventions based on assessment findings.

  4. The student will demonstrate professional behavior including but not limited to integrity, empathy, self-motivation, appearance/personal hygiene, self-confidence, communication, time management, teamwork, diplomacy, respect, patient advocacy, and careful delivery of service. 

  5. The student will apply fundamental knowledge relative to the multiple determinants of professional roles and responsibilities of the emergency medical services system as well as emergency medical services system operations as a pre-hospital emergency care provider. 

  6. The student will identify the operational roles and responsibilities to ensure patient, public, and personnel safety in performing emergency care and operational aspects as a prehospital care provider.

  7. The student will be able to serve as an EMS team member on an emergency call with more trained personnel in the lead role.

CIP Code: (31) 51.0904.02     SOC Code: 29-2041

Certificate Requirements - Credits (16)


Degree Works, along with the correct catalog, should be utilized by students for all of their educational planning.  Students can monitor their progress toward a degree or certificate and view missing requirements with the Degree Works audit, which is accessible through My Volstate.

Total Certificate Requirements - Credits (16)