Alaska Prehospital Education Consortium (APEC) launches AK Advanced EMT (AK EMT) training focused on Rural Workforce Development
February 6, 2023- Wasilla, AK
Under a grant from the State of Alaska Department of Health Director’s Office, Health & Equitable Communities and in partnership with the Interior Region EMS Council (IREMSC), the Alaska Prehospital Education Consortium (APEC), an Alaska non-profit corporation, is launching a new training program targeting rural Alaskan Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s). The program is designed to deliver a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) curriculum coupled with the State of Alaska Advanced Emergency Medical Technician requirements (AKAEMT) to EMT 2’s in the most rural sections of the state.
“This grant funding means that rural EMT 2’s in Alaska now have an opportunity to participate in an online Alaska-based AEMT program supported by virtual instructor-led training and in- person skills training sessions held across the state,” said Dane Wallace, President of APEC. “We’re excited to partner with the State of Alaska and IREMSC to launch the program and we look forward to years of partnership on the AEMT program,” Wallace said.
The $150,000 grant is for the training and education of 20 students. The students should be “rural” and must have either completed the EMT-2 training or be a currently certified State of Alaska EMT-2. APEC plans to offer a 16-week suggested course of study online in an asynchronous format so that students can complete the coursework anytime or anywhere with access to the internet. To support students further, APEC plans to offer weekly Virtual Instructor-Led Sessions with presentations from experienced Paramedics and Physicians as well as game-based learning and exam reviews and special topics via Zoom video- conferencing. Student travel to in-person skills sessions held across the state are also covered by the grant funding.
According to the program’s Medical Director, Dr. BJ Coopes, “The Advanced EMT curriculum is designed to expand the knowledge and skills proficiency of EMT’s in our state. The program emphasizes critical-thinking to improve patient-safety and patient outcomes. It represents the most up-to-date evidenced-based training we can offer.”
Students enrolling in the APEC AKAEMT program should plan to complete the program coursework, attend a final skills session, and take the National Registry of EMT’s psychomotor exam before June 30, 2023 to be eligible for the grant-based scholarship.
Course enrollment begins March 1, 2023.
Students interested in participating in the program can pre-register on the APEC website at www.akmeded.org or email instructor@akmeded.org for more information.
About APEC: The Alaska Prehospital Education Consortium is a non-profit managed by a board of experienced Physicians and Paramedics with a strong desire to provide high-quality training across the state. APEC students will become the next generation of highly-skilled healthcare workers serving Alaska. Visit our website at www.akmeded.org for more information.
For press inquiries contact: Dane Wallace at dnwallace@akmeded.org
