Spring cohort includes paramedics and critical care specialists
Prescott, Arizona – Nineteen Yavapai College graduates – healthcare professionals and first-responders – earned or advanced their Emergency Medical Service (EMS) credentials at the Critical Care and Paramedic Program Completion Ceremony held on Friday, May 1, 2026.
The EMS graduates—three from Yavapai College’s new Critical Care program and 16 new paramedics—celebrated their accomplishment in a small but joyous ceremony buoyed by the esteem of teachers and colleagues and the enthusiasm of family members and loved ones.
“To the family, and friends, thank you. Your support helped get these graduates through sleepless nights, difficult calls, and the rigorous emotional rollercoaster that is an Emergency Medical Services education,” said Dr. Lisa Rhine, Yavapai College President. “Graduates, you’ve chosen a career where you meet people on what might be the worst day of their life—and you bring calm, care, and competence. You are the steady hands, the reassuring voice, the ones who don’t run away from emergencies, but toward them. You don’t just save lives—you show up, over and over again, for strangers who desperately need someone to care. Congratulations, graduates. God bless and Godspeed.”
The Critical Care and Paramedic Program Completion Ceremony featured remarks by EMS Director Taylor Oest and program Medical Director Dr. Chris Lampe, as well as Dr. Rhine, followed by a presentation of certificates from Clinical Education Coordinator Jared Fyfe.
“People will look to you during some of the most challenging moments of their lives,” Oest said. “Our paramedic graduates are entering a profession that asks a great deal from those who choose it. You will enter homes, highways and communities during times of chaos. In those moments, people will seek your guidance, leadership and care. Your voice, confidence and compassion will often be the first sense of reassurance a patient or family has during a difficult moment. That is the responsibility – and the privilege – of being a paramedic.”
Oest described the critical care program as “one of the most demanding roles in pre-hospital medicine.” Critical Care transport takes caregivers into emergency situations where patients cannot wait for hospital arrival. The program is brand new; its students are a mix of experienced Registered Nurses and paramedics completing critical care certification.
The graduates will now bring their energy and newly honed skills out to fire departments, medical agencies and ambulance companies across Yavapai County. Oest offered the graduates a three-point guide in her closing remarks:
“Empathy is the foundation of your work. Medications, monitors, protocols – all of those matter. But nothing matters more than truly seeing your patients and being there with them in their most vulnerable moments. Second, always be humble. Be willing to ask questions and to listen. And finally, never stop learning. Keep growing. Stay curious. Be the provider your patients deserve. Congratulations on what you have accomplished. We are proud of you, and we look forward to seeing the difference you will make in the years to come.”
Critical Care Graduates, Cohort 01
Paramedic Graduates and Representing Agency, Cohort 19
Yavapai College operates seven campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, six baccalaureate degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities. To learn more about Yavapai College, visit www.yc.edu.