Roane State Community College

Roane State dual enrollment EMR students at Loudon High School practice their skills in a mock scenario.

June 4, 2018

Dual enrollment in an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) course can be the first step by a high school student to a career in the field of emergency medicine, said Roane State associate professor Jennifer Tucker.

Tucker, with the college’s Emergency Medical Services program, is the college’s EMR Dual Enrollment coordinator.

EMR is the entry-level program covering emergency response to both medical and traumatic emergencies. Physical skills such as immobilization, CPR and oxygen administration are taught by the visiting college instructor while high school staff members usually prepare class lectures, instructor Ann Lawson said.

Dual enrollment means that high school students can receive college credit for completion of the semester-long class.

Each year, Roane State hosts between 10 and 14 Dual Enrollment EMR courses in several of the counties served by the community college, Tucker said.

“I have been told over and over that the EMR dual credit class was the one class that they (students) felt really prepared them for their college career,” Lawson said.

She said students successfully completing the class will be eligible to test for certification, which allows them to work with any agency or business that hires EMRs as emergency response staff.

Lawson said that certification is a “positive addition” to a student’s resume or college application.

The course is listed as EMR 1000 in the college catalogue, and those completing it receive three credit hours.​

For more information, contact Tucker at (865) 354-3000 ext. 4767 or tuckerj@roanestate.edu.