UCLA Center for Prehospital Care — Local services in Los Angeles

I would absolutely recommend the Hybrid EMT Program at UCLA Center for Prehospital Care. It is an exciting, fast paced 8-week course where you are taught by world-class instructors (bonus: they help write questions on the NREMT!!). UCLA’s 97% first-time pass rate is no joke as most other programs in LA have a ~70% pass rate. I took the NREMT 5 days after completing the course and passed after answering only 72 questions! I was initially worried about the amount of information that the course would cover, but the UCLA staff provide study tools and tips to help master the material. If you are worried about the amount of content you will be responsible for memorizing, also take the EMT Prep course. I had no prior knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and was very intimidated by medical terminology. The instructor Lena is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the material. After the prep course I felt like I had a head start on difficult sections like cardiology and pulmonology that my fellow students struggled in. UCLA CPC has found a nice blend of online and on-site instruction. I was able to continue working a 9-5 while tuning into the M/W online lectures and dedicate my entire Sunday to skills. Although we had a large class, I still felt that I received adequate 1:1 instructor time and every week I felt more confident about the material. There is a lot of material that is covered however it does not feel overwhelming. If you keep up with the lectures and reading, you should not have any problems passing any of the unit exams. The unit exams were actually much harder than the NREMT. My fellow students who fell behind on the homework also did not end up completing the class, so ask for help early and make flashcards! I mentioned the instructors at UCLA CPC are world-class, but I neglected to mention how much fun they inject into the classroom. Each instructor has colorful stories they regularly share with the class from their experience as an EMT. These real-world examples of how the demonstrated skill saved a patient’s life helped me realize how critical this information was. In summary, if you ever considered going for your EMT certification, do it with UCLA’s Center for Prehospital Care. It is not an easy course, but you will learn life skills and pass the NREMT on...

The EMT hybrid class is set up to get students through a challenging program with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed - on the national registry exam and then later, as EMS professionals. I had an unique experience of getting to experience the one-in-a-life-time hybrid+ online class ;) During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UCLA CPC instructional staff found a way to make it work - they turned the hybrid online/practical skills prep course into a predominantly online course with online practical skill sessions and labs. Ultimately, we were able to have 3 days on in-person practical skill sessions which were very valuable to our skills development and our knowledge growth as EMT students.

From what I experienced, I could tell that the EMT Hybrid course as they normally run it is a very engaging and well-taught course, this "EMT Hybrid+ for COVID-19 times" was also very engaging and very well taught. I was impressed with the creativity & drive of this instructional team.

The class is challenging because it does an excellent job of preparing you. The instructors hold you to a high standard as well, because they want to do an excellent job of preparing you. I would highly recommend the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care, and in particular the Intro to EMT, EMT Hybrid and BLS CPR courses, to friends and family interested in...

I took the Accelerated course in April, with Taggart Diehl as the instructor. I can’t say enough good things about this course. Yes, it is tough, but prepares you to be an excellent EMT. They have an exceptionally high pass rate for the NREMT (National Exam), with 97% passing on the first attempt. For comparison, the national average is 67% (2020). The UCLA course is very comprehensive with lectures, skill sessions, and more. Literally by day 2, you are taking vitals and actually understanding what you’re doing. The staff at the Center for Prehospital Care are extremely friendly and courteous. Always very responsive and helpful, in or out of classroom hours. Always open to answering questions and helping you learn/understand the material. Lectures are very clean and precise, with breaks given often to let your brain breathe. The location is surrounded by many good restaurants, and a parking garage directly across. I noticed that following the course, during ridealongs, Paramedics in LA could generally tell if a student came from UCLA; because they were so well prepared for the work of an EMT. I can’t recommend...