Texas EMS School
Competency-based Training for Obtaining EMS Certifications

Imagine an educational experience free from the shackles of time and place—that’s the gift of flexible learning.

It can provide access to high-quality education for students who might not otherwise have the opportunity. With this approach, students can refer to materials and resources as needed and advance through content at their own pace.

Texas EMS School, a subsidiary of Axon Education, LLC, is a renowned institution offering top-notch emergency medical technician (EMT) and emergency medical services (EMS) training. The company takes a holistic approach, blending online coursework, practical skills lab sessions, along with clinical and field experiences to equip individuals with essential knowledge.

“We provide a competency-based education, allowing individuals to be goal-oriented and use the learning strategies that work best for them,” says KB Massingill, president of Axon Education, LLC.

Texas EMS School offers a range of training programs, including those designed to prepare individuals for certifications in Emergency Medical Services. The most common certifications are for EMT’s and Paramedics.

Top EMS Programs

While Texas EMS School caters to a diverse customer base, it has significant influence and focus on fire departments. Currently, fire fighters find themselves increasingly responding to medically oriented 911 calls.

“While we don’t exclusively target or cater solely to fire departments, it’s crucial to note the shortage of EMS workers. Fire departments, in particular, are increasingly interested in training their firefighters in EMS. It is good for their communities,” says Massingill.

This type of education appeals to various individuals, including recent high school graduates seeking career options and aspirants eyeing firefighting careers.
Emphasis on Being StudentCentric

Texas EMS School initiates the programs by understanding the audience and creating an environment with relatable training sessions. This entails developing relevant content tailored to individuals and incorporating authentic assessment methods. One practical approach is embracing nationally certified examinations throughout the learning process to help students gain a comprehensive understanding of their comparative performance alongside their peers within a broader educational context.

It also employs various strategies to ensure educators possess the knowledge and skills to develop plausible and precise assessments.

Every enrolled student is paired with a preceptor during their clinical and field experiences. In the field, students gain hands-on experience by operating on an ambulance, while in a hospital setting, they practice under their preceptor’s guidance. The preceptor becomes familiar with their strengths and weaknesses and assists them in shaping their learning journeys.

This student-centric approach distinguishes Texas EMS School in the market. The company ensures that every aspect of the policies, decisions, and budget discussions benefits the learners.

Brittany’s Journey from Student to Advocate

Texas EMS School allows EMS instructors to spend multiple hours a day providing complex scenarios to students, who then are required to complete a medical or trauma assessment with a simulated patient. The simulations are complex and easy to fail.

For example, Massingill was conducting medical assessment scenarios just after the COVID-19 shutdown. Everybody had to wear a face mask, including the simulated patients and examiners. It made an already stressful day even more difficult. Most students passed their assessment exams on the first try, but their journey wasn’t necessarily smooth.

He scheduled a medical assessment examination for a young woman named Brittany. During the assessment, Massingill presented the clinical scenario and allowed her a moment to prepare. What particularly caught his attention was Brittany’s approach to the examination. Instead of directing her focus toward the examiner, as is often the case with most students, she immediately devoted her full attention to the simulated patient. This showed her genuine concern for the patient’s well-being, transforming the medical assessment into an authentic dialogue rather than a mere student recitation of a checklist in the presence of an examiner.

Brittany effortlessly passed her examination. Upon its completion, Massingill inquired about her employment status, offering her his business card. Within a few weeks, Brittany secured a position within the organization. This incident was a profound lesson for Massingill, emphasizing the importance of nurturing genuine care and empathy in students toward their patients.

After working for about a year, Brittany left Texas EMS School briefly to use her sociology degree to be a children’s advocate, but she came back. Now, she runs the student support division in the organization. She is pursuing her paramedic credentials and completes a couple of EMS shifts every month.
The Team Leading the Way

Brittany is a testament to Texas EMS School’s skilled and efficient group of individuals. The curriculum directors hold an education doctorate, and other staff members hold master’s degrees in education.

Juddson Smith, vice president of EMS Programs at Texas EMS School, is not only a seasoned Paramedic, he possesses an MBA and is someone who can relate to the entrepreneur’s mindset, prioritizing customer satisfaction and profitability. Several of the school’s administrators hold advanced degrees in Education as well.

The company instills a certain principle in all students that proves highly valuable. This principle is encapsulated in the Latin phrase ‘primum respectum date,’ which translates to ‘first give respect.’ This is particularly important when dealing with individuals who may be struggling with emotional instability, cognitive coherence, or lack of control over their actions. The approach can defuse challenging circumstances or even enable the discovery of innovative solutions.

“We pride ourselves on utilizing the best technology to get valuable data points and information, impacting various aspects of our educational approach,” says Massingill.

For instance, Texas EMS School has implemented Trello.com to organize its team meetings. With some custom programming, it has created a system that allows any team member to add an item to the agenda and use a roundrobin approach of prioritizing them for discussion.

“It has revolutionized the way we keep minutes. If we take good notes during the meeting, we end up with what I would call dynamic minutes,” says Massingill.

Texas EMS School has also recently rolled out a new system for creating, tracking, and using job descriptions. The goal is to use job descriptions at points between the initial hire and annual employee evaluation. These job descriptions include a rubric the employee can use for self-evaluation and the supervisor can use to encourage excellent performance. Its first rubric is related to a competency called Student Centered. Each portion of the rubric provides an example of the type of activity or characteristic that demonstrates a studentcentered attitude. While the rubric could be used to give each employee an overall score, the more important use is for it to be the conversation starter in supervisor or employee meetings.