<p>COLUMBIA — Columbia State Community College honored 41 graduates during its Fall 2025 EMS Pinning ceremony in the Cherry Theater earlier this year, recognizing 13 emergency medical technicians and 28 advanced emergency medical technicians upon completion of their programs, according to Columbia State.</p><p>The fall 2025 cohort achieved a 100% first-attempt pass rate on the national registry exam for both the standard EMT and accelerated AEMT certificate tracks. EMS Academy program director Greg Johnson said the cohort earned every bit of the milestone, training hard and staying focused to prove they are ready to serve. Dr. Kae Fleming, dean of the Health Sciences Division, called EMS completers vital members of the healthcare team who provide essential pre-hospital care. The accelerated AEMT path — completed in a single semester with 144 hours of clinical rotations — is a demanding academy-style program that prepares students to serve immediately on a pre-hospital EMS team.</p><p>These graduates now join the ranks of first responders serving Maury County and surrounding communities. Their work — answering calls at all hours, in all conditions — is a calling as much as a career, and this community is better protected because of them.</p>