Sampson Community College was the only community college whose students were invited to attend this year’s UNC Trauma Day Paramedic Competition in Durham. Emergency Medical Science students attended the event for the second year straight to learn through other avenues about the discipline.
“This is a great experience for our students,” says Angela Magill, EMS Coordinator at the college and organizer of the trip. “They are able to learn from senior Paramedics on how competition can enhance performance in the field and in the classroom. Our students were also able to tour the state medical assistance warehouse. In times of disaster, North Carolina is equipped with a mobile hospital and other necessary equipment to take care of our hardest hit regions.”
UNC Tar Heel Trauma has sponsored the competition for almost a decade. The Paramedic Skills Competition is a challenging, educational, and fun event where paramedic teams can pit their skills against other teams from across the region and state. Whether seeking education or practicing for larger competitions, this event features state-of-the art simulation equipment and techniques to recreate realistic, complex patient scenarios. SCC students were asked to unofficially grade the competition as a way of teaching them what to look for in certain situations.
“There is nothing more important to the learning process, particularly in this field, than to actually go out there and do it,” adds Magill. “Short of having a real emergency, this type of environment can really give students a hands-on experience that allows them to make mistakes but more importantly, recognize those mistakes and adjust accordingly.”
SCC’s Emergency Medical Science program provides individuals with the knowledge, skills, and attributes to provide advanced emergency medical care as a paramedic for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system and prepares graduates to enter the workforce. Students gain complex knowledge, competency, and experience while employing evidence-based practice under medical oversight and serve as a link from the scene into the healthcare system. For more information about SCC’s EMS program, contact Magill at amagill@sampsoncc.edu or at 910.900.4009.
About Sampson Community College: Sampson Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System, located in Clinton, NC in Sampson County. The college offers many programs to include two-year degrees, college transfer, continuing education and workforce development options and early college education. SCC is committed to the principles of equal educational and employment opportunities for all.
