All students in the 2025–2026 University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology-McGehee (UAM-CTM) Paramedic cohort passed the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) paramedic exam on their first attempt.
This impressive achievement marks the program’s first 100% first-attempt pass rate since May 2022.
The path to becoming a paramedic is one of the most demanding tracks in healthcare education, requiring hundreds of hours of intense classroom instruction, advanced life support training and challenging clinical and field rotations.
The graduating cohort includes six students.
Bobby Carter, Saber Caston, Billy Moore, Jr. and Kasey Terry are all from Oak Grove, Louisiana, and currently employed by the West Carroll Parish Ambulance Service District in Oak Grove.
Jerry Smith, Jr., from Winnsboro, Louisiana, is currently employed by the East Carroll Parish Hospital Ambulance Service in Lake Providence, Louisiana.
Lauren Twomey, from England, Arkansas, is currently employed by the Emergency Ambulance Service, Inc. in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
“I could not be prouder of these six individuals and what they have accomplished,” said Manda Leftwich-Tharp, emergency medical services (EMS) program director and instructor at UAM-CTM. “Transitioning from the classroom to the paramedic level demands immense personal sacrifice and resilience. Earning a 100% first-attempt pass rate is the direct result of their hard work and deep commitment to their future patients. Watching them earn this success has been incredibly rewarding, and I know they will make a profound impact on the front lines of emergency medicine.”
The graduates will be recognized during a formal pinning ceremony at UAM-CTM’s commencement ceremony on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. The event will be held at Drew Central High School.
The UAM-CTM EMS program has a long-standing history of producing top-tier pre-hospital professionals who serve rural and urban communities across Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
The program is currently accepting applications for the upcoming EMT class. EMT certification is the first step into the world of emergency medicine and opens the door to high-demand careers in EMS. For more information, contact UAM-CTM at 870-222-5360.
Article courtesy of the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
