Faculty Spotlight: Tony Amparan Wants EMT Students to be the Best Version of Themselves
“When you have a pediatric patient, it’s important to get down to their eye level because, more than likely, they are scared by the situation at hand,” said EMT Training Program instructor Tony Amparan as he crouched down in front of students seated in the classroom. “If you are a child and I am down at your eye level, it is less intimidating. In order to treat them, you’ll need to calm them down if they are scared. Don’t talk down to them – get down to their level.”
“It goes back to what I’ve been saying since day one: to be a good EMT you have to empathize with what people are going through when you arrive on the call. Whether it’s a child or adult, do whatever you can to help put them at ease in the situation so that you can do your job,” he added.
You won’t find that particular lesson in any of the EMT training materials, but it’s a life lesson that Amparan has learned through his 11 years of experience as an EMT and firefighter. Amparan says his goal is to ensure that students are good EMTs when they finish the program and he has a wealth of experience to share.
Amparan, a West Covina native, joined the U.S. Navy Reserves at age 18 and pursued training as a Medical Corpsman – now in his 13th year of service. He also works full-time as a federal firefighter for the U.S. Department of Defense, stationed at the fire department at Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Barstow. He has been an instructor for the EMT program at the Montclair U.S Colleges Healthcare Career Training Campus since the program launched in 2018.
“Tony is an amazing member of the EMT Program Team here at US Colleges. He takes the position of Instructor to a level beyond simply teaching the curriculum as written,” said EMT Program Director Jack Goodwin. “Every class, he finds new ways to improve the program, tweak the delivery format, and make sure each class is individually addressed in terms of learning style and needs of the students.”
“I have really enjoyed teaching here and do my best to make it a good experience for students,” he said. “EMTs are important to the community and I’ve found it rewarding to be able to help people when they are having their worst day. And in this line of work, no two days are the same. There’s always something to keep you on your toes. Every day you get a call that brings something different. You’ve got to be continually learning and improving your skills.”
“Students like the discipline he brings to the program, from expectations on timeliness, uniform adherence, and emphasis on a team based approach amongst the students, he provides the environment and encouragement they need to be successful in their studies,” Goodwin added. “In addition to bringing his field experiences into the classroom, Amparan says his military training also influences his approach to teaching.”
“For me it’s not just about training them to be good EMTs; it’s also helping mold them into responsible young adults,” he said. “Teaching them leadership, responsibility, and general life skills – the things that my military and firefighter training instilled in me. I want them to be a better version of themselves and a good EMT.”
If you’re interested in becoming an EMT, you should consider enrolling in U.S College’s EMT Training Program. The program is short-term and can therefore be completed in just a few weeks.
