EPCC Furthers Military Partnership with Accelerated Paramedic

El Paso, Texas, May 18, 2023 – El Paso Community College (EPCC) has partnered with the United States Army in the first of its kind program to train paramedics. The Accelerated Paramedic program will prepare soldiers in just 170 days. The graduates from the program can return to their units as paramedics and assist in back filling needed medical positions.

Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Jennifer Francis attended the group’s first day of class and presented them with their charge. EPCC is the first college in the nation to have the honor of offering this accelerated training. “We are excited about this collaboration with EPCC and the opportunity to develop our Soldiers’ skills in peacetime which will enhance our capabilities in time of war. After three years of study, EPCC’s program showed it worked with our initiative,” CSM Francis said. “EPCC’s criteria and benefits blew other colleges out of the water.”

Soldiers will train six-days a week and complete the program on October 31, 2023. At the conclusion, they will be certified paramedics with 41 college credit hours. With other education and earned credit, they can easily obtain an Associate of Applied Science-Paramedic and earn points to a promotion. “EPCC has partnered with the United States Army for over 15 years in paramedic training,” Tony Ayub, Coordinator of the EPCC Emergency Medical Services Paramedic program said. “This program will increase the number of paramedics at a national level.”

EPCC has served the military and veteran community since its founding in 1969. From workforce training for returning Vietnam veterans to our first permanent campus located in Logan Heights on Fort Bliss, EPCC is and always will be there to assist and train our military to further their careers while on active duty and after. The college’s newest initiative is Credit for Heroes. Trade skills earned in the military can be used to earn college credit accelerating degree obtainment.