Purpose: Medical schools look for ways to provide clinical experiences and skill development in connection with knowledge. One method used is to provide emergency medical technician (EMT) training to medical students; however, limited data are available concerning EMT training in medical education. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review student feedback about the EMT curriculum through multiple iterations of the curriculum. Methods: Students completed a voluntary school administered survey upon completion of their first year of medical school. Student responses to statements related to the EMT course and program were analyzed for classes matriculating in academic years 2012-2017. A one-way ANOVAwith post hoc Tukey Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) was performed across all years for each survey statement. Results: Mean response scores to statements related to the EMT course were higher when the EMT course was a standalone course and lower when integrated with biomedical science coursework. Students "strongly agreed" or "agreed" with most statements related to experiences and clinical skill development provided by the EMT program. Response rates ranged between 46-52 (88-100%) for 2012, 40-46 (74-85%) for 2013, 72-79 (88-96%) for 2014, 73-86 (71-83%) for 2015, 47-65 (46-63%) for 2016, 62-82 (59-78%) for 2017. Conclusion: Our data show that first year medical students liked the course design best when the EMTcourse was a standalone course at the start of the M.D. program while students liked experiences and clinical skill development provided by the EMT program regardless of course design.

A 40-year-old male who prefers to speak Spanish presents to the emergency room with 12 days of fever, myalgias, generalized weakness, progressive shortness of breath, and nonproductive cough. His medical history is notable for obesity, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, and hypertension, and he currently takes no medications. His oxygen saturation on room air is 82% with a respiratory rate of 34/min. He is placed on 5 Liters nasal cannula and subsequently escalated to heated-high flow nasal cannula. He is diagnosed with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 pneumonia. He has not received the COVID vaccine, citing limited transportation and his work schedule as significant barriers. Numerous sick contacts include his wife and two teenage daughters, who are all unvaccinated, and his coworkers, with whom he carpools to job sites. Phone interpretation has been the only communication option throughout the hospitalization. Pending discharge, physical therapy recommends post-acute rehabilitation but when case management inquires about his need for rehabilitation the patient discloses that he is ineligible for insurance due to his immigration status.His last primary care visit at the free clinic was more than 1 year ago.