EMT course takes WSU student closer to paramedic, ski patrol goal
This fall, Weber State University welcomed nearly 3,700 first-time students. This story is part one of a five-part series exploring who they are, why they chose WSU and what they envision for their future.
Eighteen-year-old Emmy Kepsel describes herself as adventurous with “a tendency to get injured.” Those life experiences could come in handy as she works to become a paramedic this upcoming ski season.
Kepsel works at Nordic Valley as a ski instructor but wants to switch to ski patrol, which requires an EMT certification. Kepsel’s high school teacher told her about Weber State’s one-semester EMT course.
“This was a way to fuse skiing with the medical profession, kind of chasing two dreams at once,” Kepsel said.
She goes to class twice a week with lectures on Tuesdays and labs on Thursdays, each four hours. She’ll also complete two 12-hour shifts at a local fire department.
“Our textbook weighs 10 pounds,” Kepsel said. “We’ve been learning the essentials of medical terminology, human anatomy, medications. We cover everything from broken bones and burns to natural disasters and terrorist attacks.”
After making time for the slopes and serving a religious mission next year, Kepsel is considering coming back to study emergency healthcare. “I love Weber,” she said. “I have a problem where I just love learning.”
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu- Contact:
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu