Midland College Teaching Excellence Winner reflects on the highs and lows of an emergency medical services career March 18, 2019

Midland College (MC) instructor Leland Hart is a modern-day superhero. He is an ordained minister, a licensed paramedic, a deployable member of the National Disaster Medical Assistance Team and, of course, he teaches MC’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) classes.

“For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a firefighter,” Hart said. “I got my associate degree here at MC in EMS. I love what I do and I would not change a thing.”

EMS workers like Hart make an immediate and noticeable difference in peoples’ lives.

“I may not remember specific incidences, but I know I helped someone,” Hart said. “I help students everyday at MC as well. I help them master a very specific set of skills to get their licenses. Now, for every life my students save, I feel like I have played a little part in helping their patients, too. It is cool to think there are thousands of people out there, and I had just a little part in their lives.”

Recently MC recognized Hart with a Teaching Excellence Award.

“I was really surprised because there are so many instructors who do such an awesome job,” Hart said. “When I learned I won, I was humbled. It is an honor. I love teaching the workings of the human body. I think it is the most fascinating thing in the world to teach.”

To make his lectures interesting Hart says he lets his love of EMS show.

“To be a good instructor you have to be passionate about what you are teaching,” Hart said. “I stand up to lecture, and if I sit, I find myself jumping out of the chair to run to the board to emphasize something. I enjoy being around people who love to learn. It is amazing to see students get excited about EMS and see their passion develop, take root and grow. I am so privileged to be a part of teaching students at MC.”

Friends and family often ask Hart how he handles the graphic and evil parts of being a paramedic.

“When you are out there, you are working to save someone’s life, you do not notice the gore,” Hart said. “You are so focused on what you need to do, and it doesn’t trigger a shocked reaction in the moment. A rush of adrenaline gets you through, but at some point you might bottom out and cry. Sadness is part of the job, but it is a difficult part. People are human, and the things emergency medical technicians see are sad. I cannot tell you how many times I went on calls involving children, and when I got back, I remember calling my kids just because I wanted to hear their voice.”

Hart is married with three grown children and seven grandchildren. In his spare time, when he is not spending time with family, he likes working outside in the yard. Hart gives up a lot to also be a member of Texas’ elite Disaster Medical Assistance Teams. He is on rotation to be deployed anywhere there is a need for medical assistance or a risk of a need for medical assistance. He has responded to disasters such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, two presidential inaugurations and a Republican National Convention.

Hart can pass lessons from these high-stress situations on to his students at MC. He teaches a hybrid class with the fire department, an evening credit class and a high school EMT class. These high school students are the third group of high school students to start on the path to become a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

“It is great to get high school students working on the ambulance early,” Hart said. “EMS is a lifelong calling. When EMTs hear hear a siren, their ears perk up--does not matter how long you do it. I have been doing it for 38 years, and I still get that rush. I get that same feeling seeing students learn and get certified. When they are successful there is no other feeling like it. I enjoy working at MC. I work with great people, I am excited for the future.”