The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the indispensable role of emergency responders in the healthcare system—and the pressing need to bolster that workforce.
Since 2020, shortages of healthcare workers, including first responders, have become especially acute. A 2024 study by Mercer projected that the U.S. will see a total deficit of 100,000 critical healthcare workers by 2028 if current trends continue. It is crucial that we act now to address this issue, including by ensuring future healthcare workers are both skilled and resilient.
Since 1969, Saint Michael’s College (St. Mike’s) in Vermont has trained students as fire and rescue first responders, making it one of the first U.S. colleges to do so through an affiliated program. Saint Michael’s College Fire and Rescue is staffed 24/7 by student and alumni volunteers and responds to more than 3,500 emergency calls annually. Unlike many other college-affiliated fire and rescue services, SMCFR responds to calls in surrounding communities alongside professional first responders, not just to emergencies on campus.
In 1989, I joined St. Mike’s Rescue at age 19. That summer, I helped respond to a minivan crash on the nearby interstate, which injured both parents and multiple young children. Over the next 30 minutes, I worked alongside other police, fire, and EMS professionals who responded to the scene from around the county to treat and transport the injured to the hospital. I relied on both my EMT training and my St. Mike’s educational experience to do my part – communicating clearly, problem-solving, and ensuring that everyone involved received the care they needed.
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As the last ambulance left the scene, I stood on the interstate with other first responders, finally allowing what had transpired to sink in. That experience, among many others, helped solidify my passion for helping others and shaped my path during and after college.
While still an undergraduate student, I served as the training officer for the rescue unit, a role that ultimately led to my career as an EMS educator and critical care nurse. Like many other former members, service became my lifelong vocation, joining hundreds who have gone on to successful careers as firefighters, EMS providers, nurses, physicians, and others.
The values behind SMCFR have a direct link to those of the College’s founders, the Society of Saint Edmund. The Catholic order of priests’ core values of service to others, access to education, and inclusion of all people are reflected clearly in the department’s mission to this day, as well as in the academics and campus life of St. Mike’s.
While SMCFR students respond to calls outside of class, they are also exploring the human condition, cultures, and experiences in classes offered as part of St. Mike’s liberal arts curriculum. Each student takes the Philosophy course “Ethics” in addition to other liberal arts requirements, including classes in literature and the arts, history and society, science, mathematics, and religious studies, as well as proficiency in a second language. Each major has been designed with several learning objectives in mind: ethical decision-making, information literacy, oral communication, and written communication.
The students of Fire & Rescue apply the lessons of their liberal arts education as they assist community members from a variety of cultures during times of crisis. The exploration of everything from philosophy and history to science and technology ultimately makes us more creative, empathetic, and compassionate emergency and healthcare professionals. While first responders eventually began training on topics like cultural competency in the 2000s, St. Mike’s has provided a holistic education to SMCFR from the start.
Now, St. Mike’s is expanding on SMCFR’s success with a new EMS minor. This for-credit program is fully grounded in the liberal arts. Here’s why that matters.
Students learn to think critically. The liberal arts are about exploring different points of view and working to answer complex questions, while also acquiring the practical skills necessary for the physical or technical aspects of a job. The minor itself weaves the liberal arts into its required classes. For example, a sociology class called “Social Drivers of Health” describes the many factors that contribute to a patient’s health status, helping produce well-rounded healthcare workers.
Additionally, the EMS minor is interdisciplinary and complements multiple areas of study, including Health Sciences, Public Health, Biology, and Psychology. Electives within the minor enable students to explore areas of interest, including the economics of healthcare, health policy, and cultural anthropology. Students in this program will be able to enter a wide range of professions.
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Students acquire professional skills essential for future careers, including active listening, collaboration, and cross-cultural awareness and communication. These are critical skills in emergency response situations when time is of the essence. Our future healthcare workers learn to prioritize humanity and empathy while still delivering effective care.
With the new EMS minor, students will have even more opportunities to obtain nationally recognized certifications that represent core skill sets for future careers. EMS courses are also open to the wider community, providing high-quality education to the EMS workforce in northwestern Vermont.
At its core, the EMS program isn’t just about producing more EMTs.
It’s about preparing resilient individuals who respond to emergencies with calm, confidence, and compassion when they’re needed most. And when every second counts, leading with humanity, kindness, and empathy could make all the difference.
Image: “Aerial shot of Saint Michael’s College” by MikeDKnight on Wikimedia Commons
