From combat medic to physician: Meet the 2026 NAEMT Paramedic of the Year

In this episode of EMS One-Stop, host Rob Lawrence sits down with Oscar Monterrosa, the 2026 NAEMT Paramedic of the Year, whose career has taken him from Army combat medic to street paramedic, medical student and now an emergency medicine-internal medicine resident at Hennepin County Medical Center. Yet despite the white coat and demands of residency, Monterrosa continues to work on the ambulance, including in rural Minnesota, and remains closely connected to the profession that shaped his approach to medicine. The conversation also returns to one of the defining moments of Monterrosa’s career: the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting in Las Vegas. Working an overtime special-event shift, Monterrosa was already inside the medical tent when gunfire began and casualties started arriving. He describes slipping into “work mode,” drawing on his experience as an Army combat medic in Iraq as he and others triaged and treated patients while the shooting was still underway. Beyond that extraordinary night, the discussion explores rural EMS, critical care and ECMO, education, mentorship and the long road from paramedic to physician. Monterrosa’s message to other EMS clinicians considering further education is straightforward: the road may be difficult and it may take longer than expected, but it is possible. Key quotes from Oscar Monterrosa “We have that critical call or whatever, somebody that's crashing right in front of you and you just kind of get into work mode.” “Even though there's still gunfire going on, you try to be as safe as you can and take cover, but ultimately all that is really out of your control.” “A lot of these experiences in the cornfields has been very rewarding, just seeing this different culture, like meeting a lot of different people.” “It just takes hard work and just not giving up.” “I was an undergrad for 9 years because I was working full time on the streets.” Additional resources National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) NAEMT National EMS Awards of Excellence Hennepin Healthcare Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department: October 1 / Las Vegas mass shooting – After-Action Report Episode timeline 00:52 – Rob introduces the 2026 NAEMT Paramedic of the Year 01:34 – Oscar 101: paramedic and emergency medicine-internal medicine resident 02:05 – Oscar hears what his colleagues wrote about him in his award nomination 04:04 – His reaction to being named National Paramedic of the Year 05:00 – The journey into EMS, military medicine and becoming a paramedic 07:20 – From the desert Southwest to rural Minnesota EMS 09:00 – The realities of rural 911 response and long interfacility transports 10:15 – Critical access hospitals and managing high-acuity patients 12:30 – The conversation turns to October 1, 2017, in Las Vegas 13:17 – What began as a routine special-event EMS shift 13:55 – Reports of gunfire and the first shooting victims reaching the medical tent 14:24 – What happens mentally when a mass-casualty incident suddenly unfolds 15:00 – Combat medic training, triage and functioning while gunfire continues 17:00 – Reflections on the Las Vegas response and its lasting impact 18:00 – From paramedic to physician: why Oscar continued his education 19:30 – Rural critical care, cardiac arrest and mobile ECMO 21:00 – Remaining connected to EMS while completing medical residency 23:00 – Advice for paramedics considering college or medical school 23:42 – Nine years as an undergraduate while working full time on the streets 24:00 – Perseverance, education and why the path is still achievable Closing – Looking ahead, mentorship and what being NAEMT Paramedic of the Year means to Oscar Enjoying the show? Email editor@ems1.com to share feedback.