If you currently hold a state license to practice as an emergency medical professional, you’re likely interested in converting that qualification into full national certification with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). This might be because you’re applying for a promotion or new job, are planning a move to another state, or want more flexibility and options in the future–all of which means that national certification might be more valuable than state-only licensure.
Today, we’ll examine the routes and pathways to gaining National Registry certification at every level, from EMR, EMT, and AEMT to paramedic, to set out exactly what you’ll need to do.
Converting State EMR Licensure Into NREMT Certification
The National Registry offers EMRs something called the ‘state-licensed pathway,’ which means you can secure NREMT certification without needing to complete all of the steps you’d otherwise have to if you didn’t hold a state license.
Here are the requirements, in order:
- Complete eight continuing education credits through a program or course that is either State EMS Office approved or CAPCE accredited. All eight hours need to relate to national content components.
- Pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) cognitive exam.
- Attend a state-approved skills examination, also called a ‘psychomotor test.’
- Submit a copy of your state license along with your certification application.
One of the positive aspects of this route is that, unlike the two-year recertification process that requires sixteen hours of continuing education, you only need to focus on the national content and won’t need to study local and individual content components to convert your state license.
What’s the easiest way to get started? As a CAPCE-accredited provider, The Paramedic Coach has created a 100% online, end-to-end certification course specifically for those switching from state to national certifications. This means you can tick this off your to-do list and move forward with your plans.
Gaining National Registry Certification as a State Licensed EMT
Moving onto EMTs, while the process offers the same deal in terms of passing the exam, completing continued education, and proving you have the state licensure and skills to work in the field, there are contrasts. One is that the continued education requirements go up, with applicants needing to complete twenty hours of recognized study. Again, this should be done through a course or program that is CAPCE-accredited or State EMS Office-approved.
The continuing education requirements remain easier to meet than during recertification because otherwise, you’d be expected to complete the following:
- Sixteen hours to recertify as an EMR
- Forty hours as an EMT
- Fifty hours as an AEMT
- Sixty hours as a Paramedic
The difference exists because if you’re already state-licensed, the National Registry only needs to see that you’ve covered the national content, which you must know in order to hold a national certification.
Becoming an NREMT-Certified AEMT With Current State Licensure
Our next qualification route is for AEMTs, who have the same expectations but, in this case, need to provide evidence of twenty-five hours of national content-only continuing education study. Another variation is that AEMTs converting state licenses to national certifications won’t need a skills check. Still, they need to pass the NREMT exam and share a copy of their current state AEMT license or certification.
How to Convert a State Paramedic License Into National Registry Certification
Finally, paramedics have much the same process to upgrade a state license to NREMT certification. The continuing education requirement drops from sixty hours for those recertifying to just the thirty hours related to national content.
Regardless of your current state licensure level, The Paramedic Coach offers all the resources you need, including easy-to-follow, engaging, and jargon-free video-based guidance, fully accredited courses, and a comprehensive approach to getting started on your journey to NREMT certification.
Tips on Converting an Active State License Into Nationally Recognised NREMT Certification
Before you take action, we’d recommend logging into your NREMT account or checking whether you have one before you begin your national component-only continued education. The easiest option is to email the National Registry, using the contact details on the website, advising that you’re looking to transition from state-licensed to nationally certified.
This is because most state-licensed professionals already have an NREMT registration after completing school, and it’s best to verify whether you have an account to make sure you’re not duplicating your details.
