Aiken Technical College alumnus Austen Heider has the opportunity to travel and provide paramedicine at various locations nationwide.
“EMS is my passion. It’s not a career aimed at wealth or recognition but one motivated by the desire to serve others and the community,” Heider said. “I believe it is crucial for individuals in EMS to approach this profession with seriousness and ensure they are well-educated, as our work directly saves lives.”
Heider is also acting as an adjunct EMT instructor at college.
“As an instructor, I aim to encourage and mentor aspiring professionals, helping them build successful careers in EMS,” he said.
Heider said he attended Aiken Tech because it was an excellent academic fit, and the paramedicine program offered “top tier” resources, equipment and unmatched clinical opportunities.
After speaking with EMT professor Jonathan Jones and witnessing his “deep knowledge, passion and expertise in the field,” Heider realized Aiken Tech was exactly where he needed to be.
Heider said the faculty at Aiken Tech played a large role in keeping him motivated.
“My motivation primarily came from my professor, Jon Jones, and Program Medical Director, Aaron High,” he said. “Their mentorship, leadership, and compassionate teaching style were instrumental in my success. They were consistently encouraging and genuinely invested in the welfare of their students, dedicating time to ensure we grasped the material.”
While studying and earning his EMT license, Heider also balanced school and a full-time job in an ambulance with his academic and clinical duties.
After graduating from Aiken Tech in 2022 with an Associate of Applied Science in paramedicine and working as an adjunct instructor, his current career as an AEMT allows him to travel all over the country.
“I obtained my AEMT license and became a Nationally Registered Paramedic. Within four months of graduating, I was supervising a specific county and quickly progressed to a Lieutenant position,” Heider said. “Currently, I have the opportunity to travel and provide paramedicine at various locations across the country.”
However, his ultimate goal is to become a flight paramedic and one day hold a position overseeing EMS at the county, state or even national level.
“My experience [at Aiken Tech] has opened numerous doors and enabled me to make a difference in ways I never anticipated,” he said. “Beyond learning to be a paramedic, I gained invaluable life lessons that will stay with me forever.”
