Rural Programs

New Mexico is rural, and the sixth most sparsely populated state in the US. Access to health care remains a serious issue. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services considers all of New Mexico’s counties, except Los Alamos, to be Health Professional Shortage Areas, meaning that there are shortages of all levels and specialties of health care providers throughout the state.

As the lead EMS training agency for the state of New Mexico, EMSA is committed to providing prehospital education throughout the state. Since its inception in 1972, EMSA has taught courses in rural and frontier firehouses, EMS garages and schoolhouses, serving a population of 1.9 million people, across an area of over 121,000 square miles. We provide affordable EMS education to mostly volunteer EMTs across New Mexico.

We are currently the state's largest provider of prehospital education, with over 150 instructors throughout the state. We have trained more prehospital providers than any other institution in New Mexico.

EMSA instructors teach First Responder, EMT basic and EMT intermediate courses around the state. Didactic and training materials are delivered from the EMS Academy in Albuquerque using a dedicated fleet of trucks and trailers.

EMSA also serves as a resource center for paramedic satellite programs across the state. We currently partner with three community colleges across New Mexico to provide paramedic education.

Here is a list of courses offered outside of Albuquerque.

• First Responder
• EMT-Basic
• EMT-Intermediate
• Refresher courses- all levels
• Continuing Education

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