The EMS Educator

Remediation is a word that can strike fear into the hearts of learners and educators alike — but does it have to? Hear from Drs. Ryan Batenhorst and Heather Davis, two veteran EMS educators, as they unpack what remediation really means and how programs can approach it with more compassion and less stigma. Hosts Hilary Gates and Ginger Locke dive into Ryan's research on paramedic students' post-tra...

What is required from both instructors and students to teach and learn clinical judgment? Our EMS profession is a place where right answers are not always cut and dry and grace might be the most important skill in the room.  In this episode, guest Jeff Anderson, Paramedic Program Director at Bossier Parish Community College joins hosts Maia Dorsett, Hilary Gates and Ginger Locke for an honest, hum...

What if the traits that make someone great at EMS are the same ones that make traditional classrooms feel challenging? In this episode, hosts Rob Lawrence, Hilary Gates, and Maia Dorsett sit down with Nicole Hansen, EdD, EMT-P, Long Island EMS Division Manager for NYU Langone to explore two of her recent publications. Nicole shares findings from her dissertation on mental preparedness in EMS, incl...

Have you ever had a close call falling asleep because you were exhausted from working your EMS shift? While we often acknowledge fatigue in EMS as an issue, we must do more to address and operationalize the education, policy, and system design of this dangerous problem. Hosts Maia Dorsett, Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates are joined by fatigue expert P. Daniel Patterson, PhD, NRP, Associate Professor...

How can cardiac arrest data be used to create quality education for EMS clinicians? In this episode, hosts Maia Dorsett, Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates are joined by quality improvement experts Kerby Johnson, Clinical Quality Research Coordinator for the Office of the Medical Director at Fort Worth Fire Department EMS, and paramedic Kevin Gustina from Perinton EMS to explore how systems can use dat...

Recorded live from the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) 2026 Annual Meeting in Tampa, hosts Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates welcome back leaders from the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) — CEO Bill Seifarth and COO Alan Arguello — for an in-depth conversation on the latest updates shaping EMS education and certification. The group explores NREMT’s new mission statement that is focuse...

Clinical challenges and EMS games are powerful learning tools that blend vulnerability, courage, and joy. In this episode, recorded live at the 2025 New York State Vital Signs conference, Prodigy Medical Director Maia Dorsett and Prodigy Director of Critical Care Shane O'Donnell speak with the organizers behind the NY Vital Signs EMS Games to explore why simulation-based competition matters for le...

How can EMS educators help their learners find resilience in what is sure to be a challenging profession? In this episode, recorded live at the 2025 New York State Vital Signs Conference, Prodigy EMS Medical Director Maia Dorsett sits down with renowned artist, retired paramedic, and counseling therapist Dan Sundahl. Their conversation explores the powerful intersection of creativity, trauma, and...

What if EMS educators placed as much focus on emotional intelligence, empathy, and reflective practice as they do knowledge and skills? Listen in as hosts Maia Dorsett, Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence talk with Liz Harney, quality assurance leader at Baptist Health in Kentucky and former paramedic program director, to explore the often-overlooked affective domain of EMS education.  Liz shares how he...

Discover how collaborative learning, well-designed simulation, and fostering a culture of psychological safety are transforming prehospital airway care. National EMS Quality Alliance’s (NEMSQA) Airway Collaborative organized EMS agencies from across the country to analyze their current practices and explore ways to improve the safety and effectiveness of airway management. Join hosts Maia Dorsett...

EMS Corps is a groundbreaking recruitment and training program that prepares young adults to work in their own community as EMS clinicians. The program helps to remove barriers to joining the EMS profession and focuses on leadership development, mentorship, and job training. Hosts Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates interview Melissa Corney of the Oxnard Fire Department and Captain Janick Lewis of New O...

How well do EMS teams manage critically ill pediatric patients—and how do we know? In this episode of the EMS Educator Podcast, hosts Rob Lawrence and Maia Dorsett speak with Mark Cicero, lead author of a landmark study published in Prehospital Emergency Care. The study used simulation to assess EMS performance in pediatric emergencies. From medication dosing errors to missed fundamentals like cap...

We’re going back to school in this episode of The EMS Educator podcast! Specifically, you’ll hear audio recordings of what EMS students and educators wish they had known when they were in school.  Hosts Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence are joined by EMS educator Ginger Locke to offer commentary on this sage wisdom. There are tips about possessing quiet confidence and kindness, practical study strateg...

What if we began asking patients “what happened to you?” instead of “what’s wrong with you?” This mindset shift exemplifies the principles behind trauma-informed care. DCFEMS Behavioral Health Coordinator Ronit Reguer once again joins hosts Maia Dorsett, Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence for a powerful, practical conversation on trauma-informed care.  They discuss how this approach can improve both pa...

How should we best acquire medical knowledge and skills so that we can easily retrieve and effectively use them in the field? Now that we are past the stressful March 31st recert deadline, hosts Maia Dorsett, Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence delve into the issues surrounding EMS recertification and continuing education. Special guest Ethan Setnik, Chief Technology Officer at Prodigy EMS, offers uniqu...

Does your classroom have a joyful buzz? Jonathan St. George has it figured out--as the founder of the Protected Airway Collaborative (PAC), Jonathan was inspired by a museum visit to create a learning environment like no other. Join us as we dive into his innovative world of airway management education.  Prodigy EMS team members Maia Dorsett and Shane O'Donnell report from the PAC as they experien...

What if the best EMS educators weren’t clinicians, but patients themselves? In this episode, hosts Hilary Gates and Maia Dorsett welcome sudden cardiac arrest survivor Nova McCarthy and medical director Alicia Bond for an insightful discussion on how patient experiences can enhance EMS education. Nova describes her experience as a keynote speaker and explores the power of patient-centered learning...

How do EMS clinicians process the trauma they witness daily—and how can they be better supported? In this episode of The EMS Educator podcast, hosts Rob Lawrence, Hilary Gates and Maia Dorsett explore the critical topic of trauma stewardship with guest Ronit Reguer, the first behavioral health coordinator for DC Fire and EMS. Together, they unpack the challenges of emotional resilience, the import...

Want more advice about how to effectively create EMS credentialing programs for your learners? In the latest episode of the EMS Educator Podcast, join hosts Rob Lawrence, Hilary Gates, and Maia Dorsett for a dynamic conversation with guests Dr. Jeremy Cushman and Shane O’Donnell. They dive into the intricacies of their successful educational program that trains EMS clinicians for specialty care tr...

How should EMS educators expand their reach beyond the classroom? Prodigy's new Associate Medical Director of Pediatrics Sylvia Owusu-Ansah, MD, MPH, FAAP shares her profound dedication to public health education and CPR training in Pittsburgh’s community and beyond. Join hosts Rob Lawrence, Hilary Gates, and Maia Dorsett as they discuss Sylvia's life-saving training of University of Pittsburgh at...

Ginger Locke, newly-minted Prodigy teammate and host of the "Medic Mindset" podcast joins The EMS Educator podcast as co-host. She highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." We then dive into Ginger's EMS origin story and her ideas about the future of EMS education. Alongside Hilary Gates, Rob Lawrence, and Maia Dorsett, Ginger explores key aspects of creating a positive learni...

What is belonging? Why is this critical for learning? In this episode, hosts Rob Lawrence and Dr. Maia Dorsett welcome expert guests, Dan Batsie, Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety for the State of Vermont; Dr. Heather Davis, Director of Assessment, UCLA School of Medicine, also taskforce chair of the IDEA Taskforce; and Ginger Locke, Prodigy’s newest team member (also Associate Professor of EMS...

In this episode, we dive into the intersecting worlds of EMS education and mentorship with guest Jonathan Jenkins, a seasoned EMS educator. As a surprise, we’re also joined by Mike Taigman, a renowned expert in EMS and healthcare improvement and mentor to many. Together, they explore the critical role of mentorship in developing new EMS educators, sharing insights, personal stories, and practical...

Creating and managing realistic patient simulations is not an easy task.  EMS educators have a lot on their plate -- from designing the scenario to training facilitators to choosing the equipment to avoiding training scars.  What are best practices? We asked simulation gurus Brittany Prater, Director of Alabama EMS Region One and Robby May, ALS Education Specialist at Howard County Department of F...

On July 1, 2024, the NREMT will transition from the current psychomotor examinations to the new AEMT Certification Examination and new Paramedic Certification Examination.  According to the NREMT, this will "bring Paramedic and AEMT examinations in line with most other health-based professions, which have made similar updates in recent years, and matches the best research and science that’s curren...