A Student Survey: Influence of Emergency Medical Technician Training on Student’s Application, Matriculation, and Transition into Medical School

PURPOSE: Medical education seeks to develop active methods of learning in addition to skills for patient interaction. With this in mind, the University of South Carolina (UofSC) School of Medicine Greenville developed a curriculum with an integrated emergency medical technician (EMT) certification course designed to provide a meaningful clinical experience for students; however, no data exists on whether this type of course influences a student’s decision to apply to or attend a medical school and how such a course affects the transition to the medical school environment. The purpose of this study was to determine if an EMT course, as part of the medical school curriculum, influences students’ decision to apply and attend a particular medical school and if this course influences students’ transition to medical school while providing awareness of patients’ lives and circumstances. METHODS: A voluntary anonymous survey was distributed in Spring 2019 to first-, second-, third-, and fourth- year medical students at the UofSC School of Medicine Greenville. Response rates were 68.5%, 66.3%, 55.2%, and 56.9%, respectively. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of students agreed/strongly agreed that the EMT course at UofSC School of Medicine Greenville factored into their decision to apply while 52% of students agreed/strongly agreed that it factored into their decision to attend. Students agreed/strongly agreed (82%) that the program helped with medical school transition. Ninety-one percent of students reported that EMT experiences increased awareness of patients’ lives and circumstances. CONCLUSION: Students felt an EMT certification course at the beginning of the first year helped with the transition to medical school and increased awareness of patients’ lives and circumstances.