Burlington, Vt. – A Paramedic Training Program serving organizations and communities across the University of Vermont Health Network — and supported by state and federal funding — is addressing a longstanding rural health care challenge by expanding access to paramedic and EMT education, while ensuring reliable advanced first responder care throughout Vermont and northern New York.

The system-wide Paramedic Training Program, an expansion of efforts launched in 2018 at UVM Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital, fills a critical gap in paramedic education in Vermont. Prior to its launch, the state had only one paramedic training pipeline. Expanding access to high-quality, affordable training is essential as health care organizations confront a national crisis of paramedic and EMS shortages, especially in rural communities.

“In many cases, people can be stabilized and transported to the emergency room without high-level interventions or complex medications,” said Sarah Lamb, lead instructor for the Burlington-based classroom. “But sometimes patients don’t have that time — and it’s not a quick, ten-minute drive to the hospital. By intervening quickly, we can improve outcomes.”

The curriculum includes immersive lab sessions, cadaver labs, and one-on-one clinical time with EMS-trained physicians — experiences Lamb calls “game changers” for students. “Training on mannequins just doesn’t prepare you,” she said. “Getting one-on-one time with physicians on patient assessments and handoffs — that’s truly unique.”

The program currently enrolls 28 students and boasts a 100% placement rate for graduates within a 45-minute drive of their home. In May, it completed the final stage of a multi-year accreditation process, meeting benchmarks for retention, quality, and performance.

“Our goal is to have paramedic-level care available for everyone in our region,” said Joshua LaDuke, program director. “Without that option, people in an emergency get only life-stabilization care. A paramedic can begin advanced treatment en route and get patients to the right level of care — and that makes the difference.”

Instructor of the Year

Lamb, a paramedic with more than a decade of experience in regional EMS agencies, began her career as a college student volunteering as an EMT. After initially planning to pursue graduate school in GIS mapping, she instead enrolled in paramedic school at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.

She went on to work in both urban and rural EMS agencies before returning to Vermont as training officer at Richmond Rescue, where she now serves full time while leading UVM Health Network’s paramedic training efforts. Lamb has also volunteered with Essex Rescue and other local EMS organizations, helped train new volunteers, and served as an instructor at Vermont State University’s paramedic program.

Earlier this year, she was honored as EMS Educator of the Year by the Vermont Department of Health, which praised her “immeasurable impact on EMS education, both as a teacher and a leader.” Lamb called the award an unexpected but deeply meaningful recognition. “Medicine and education were two fields I never imagined pursuing until I found paramedicine,” she said. “I love sharing what I’ve learned — including the mistakes I’ve made — with people who are just as dedicated to giving back to our community.”

Longstanding Efforts

Work to address the chronic shortage of paramedics and EMTs in the region began well before the COVID-19 pandemic. In late 2018, Elizabethtown Community Hospital launched a Paramedic Training Program accredited by the New York State Department of Health. It was the first of its kind in the region, providing advanced medical training in academic, clinical, and field settings.

The 18-month program — developed in partnership with dozens of health care organizations and EMS agencies in New York and Vermont — offers hands-on clinical training at 15 regional health care facilities and 30 EMS agencies. Graduates receive Advanced Life Support (ALS) certification and are eligible for the New York State Paramedic Certification exam.

“Paramedics are critical to pre-hospital emergency care, especially in rural areas where the nearest hospital may be an hour away,” said Bruce Barry, the program’s director. “Skilled providers are needed now more than ever. By ‘growing our own,’ we ensure communities have access to safe, high-quality, life-saving emergency medical care.”

When the program launched, just 113 certified paramedics served a five-county region of more than 300,000 year-round residents across 6,500 square miles. Since 2018, the program has graduated 39 certified paramedics, all now serving in emergency response agencies across the region.