Student Success Story: Dave Williams
 Austin firefighter/paramedic Dave Williams has never doubted his switch from working in restaurants to saving lives: “Becoming a paramedic forever changed the way I looked at the world and my fellow man and has added great meaning to my life,” he says.
Dave had spent more than a decade in the restaurant business, but he wanted a career that could benefit people and one he and his family could be proud of. He heard about the Paramedic certificate program offered by El Centro College in cooperation with UT Southwestern Medical Center.
“I took every opportunity to chat with folks already in the field, and it quickly became apparent that the El Centro/UT Southwestern program was among the best in the country. I was blown away by the clinical contact I would receive during my education, not to mention the diverse strengths and backgrounds of the faculty. Unlike some of the smaller schools I had looked at, I would have access to Parkland Hospital, Children’s Medical Center and a fast-paced, high-volume rotation with Dallas Fire-Rescue.”
As an Austin firefighter, he works as part of a tiered EMS system to provide emergency care to the ill and injured, working on a team to stabilize and prepare patients for transport by Austin-Travis County EMS. He also has volunteered as a paramedic in clinics in Mexico, Central America and South America.
“Attaining my certificate through the program at El Centro/UT Southwestern advanced my early career through instilling competence and an appreciation for the profession in a way few of the other institutions could.”
Could you be the next success story?
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