THE NEXT CHAPTER - Volume 1 Newsletter Articles

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: The Next Chapter

By Dane Wallace

APEC is entering an important new phase.

The launch of AEMT 3.0 reflects more than a course update. It represents a broader commitment to improving how we deliver EMS education across Alaska—making it more accessible, consistent, engaging, and responsive to the realities faced by students and communities throughout the state.

That work has required us to reconsider how we use technology, how we support instructors, and how we help students build lasting competence. We are developing stronger online learning resources, expanding live instructional support, producing professional skills videos, improving student tracking, and creating more opportunities for guided practice and simulation.

At the same time, our purpose remains unchanged. APEC exists to improve the health of all Alaskans through high-quality, accessible, and consistent EMS education. Every new system, partnership, and educational tool must support that mission.

The Next Chapter is intended to share this work more openly. Future issues will highlight program developments, educational innovation, clinical insights, partnerships, and the people who make APEC’s work possible. It will also provide a place to discuss where EMS education is headed and how we can continue strengthening Alaska’s emergency care workforce together.

This is not the work of one person or one program. It is the result of instructors, clinicians, board members, staff, partners, and students working toward a common purpose.

One Team. One Mission.

EMT PROGRAM UPDATE: Strong Foundations. New Opportunities.

By Jenn Walsh

Since its inception in 2024, the APEC EMT Hybrid-Online program has continued to provide the educational foundation for EMS professionals across Alaska. Staying true to our mission, our Hybrid-Online program offers accessibility to students in the most remote areas of Alaska. Our Virtual Skills Sessions provide students with opportunities for interactive and experiential education through demonstration, hands-on practice, and case-based learning. The in-person Final Practical Assessments utilize high-fidelity simulations with structured debriefing to apply theoretical knowledge in context, bridging the gap between online learning and skills practice and field application.

The APEC EMT program had a 91% first-time pass rate for the 2025 calendar year. Updates to our curriculum, improved student tracking, and enhanced instructional resources are helping students succeed both online and during hands-on skills training.

Through a partnership with Seed Media, we are also continuing to develop professional skills videos that reinforce classroom instruction and allow students to review critical procedures whenever they need additional practice.

As we move forward, students can expect continued improvements, including enhanced Moodle resources, updated educational materials, expanded simulation opportunities, and greater consistency across every EMT course we deliver.

Our commitment remains unchanged: preparing competent, confident EMS professionals ready to serve their communities.

HYBRID-ONLINE AEMT: Flexible Learning. High Standards.

By Natalie George

At APEC, we know that not every student has the ability to attend a traditional classroom program. Many of our students are balancing work and family responsibilities or living in communities where traveling for training isn't always practical. That's why we developed our Hybrid-Online AEMT pathway—to provide flexibility without sacrificing the quality of education our students deserve.

The Hybrid-Online program allows students to complete professionally developed online coursework at their own pace while staying actively connected with our instructional team.

Throughout the course, students participate in scheduled Virtual Skills Sessions, mentor-guided practice, peer practice, and a comprehensive Final Practical Assessment designed to ensure they're prepared for real-world patient care.

While online learning offers convenience, we believe the instructor's role is just as important as ever. Our instructors closely monitor student progress, provide individualized coaching, answer questions, and help students build confidence as they develop the knowledge, psychomotor skills, and clinical judgment expected of an Advanced EMT.

Our goal isn't simply to help students complete a course—it's to prepare competent, confident providers who are ready to serve their communities.

Whether you're pursuing EMS as a new career, advancing your current certification, or accessing training from a rural community, the Hybrid-Online AEMT pathway provides the flexibility to fit your life while maintaining the high educational standards that APEC is known for.

INSTRUCTOR-LED AEMT: Learning Together. Growing Together.

By Angela Macias

Some students thrive when learning alongside a cohort of classmates.

APEC’s Instructor-Led AEMT pathway combines the flexibility of modern educational technology with regularly scheduled live instruction. Students meet with faculty twice each week to review key concepts, discuss challenging topics, practice clinical decision-making, and prepare for upcoming skills sessions and assessments.

This format encourages collaboration, accountability, and meaningful discussion while maintaining a consistent pace throughout the course. Students benefit from direct interaction with experienced instructors as well as from the shared experiences of their classmates.

The Instructor-Led pathway also gives faculty frequent opportunities to identify learning needs, reinforce difficult material, and provide timely feedback. That ongoing connection can help students remain engaged, build confidence, and apply new knowledge more effectively.

Although APEC’s two AEMT pathways differ in delivery, they share the same curriculum, educational standards, and expectations. Every student is prepared to demonstrate competence through repeated practice, instructor feedback, and successful completion of the Final Practical Assessment.

CLINICAL CORNER: What Competence Really Means in EMS Education

By BJ Coopes

Competence in EMS extends well beyond successfully performing an individual skill.
An experienced clinician understands when a procedure is appropriate, recognizes when it is not, adapts to changing patient conditions, communicates effectively with the healthcare team, and continues reassessing throughout patient care. These habits are developed through repeated exposure, deliberate practice, thoughtful feedback, and reflection—not by watching a single demonstration or completing a single checklist.

This philosophy guides the design of APEC’s educational programs.

Instructional videos introduce and reinforce proper technique, but they represent only one part of the learning process. Students continue developing competence through Virtual Skills Sessions, peer practice, mentor-guided practice, scenario-based learning, and, ultimately, demonstration of mastery during the Final Practical Assessment.

Competence is built through repetition, thoughtful coaching, and experience. Our goal is not simply to teach skills. It is to prepare clinicians who can consistently provide safe, effective care when their communities need them most.