In the United States, the licensing of prehospital emergency medical providers (emergency medical technicians (EMTs)) and oversight of emergency medical services are governed at the state level. Each state is free to add or subtract levels as each state sees fit. Therefore, due to differing needs and system development paths, the levels, education requirements, and scope of practice of prehospital providers varies from state to state. Even though primary management and regulation of prehospital providers is at the state level, the federal government does have a model scope of practice including minimum skills for EMRs, EMTs, Advanced EMTs and Paramedics set through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
While states are able to set their own additional requirements for state certification, a quasi-national certification body exists in the form of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). The NREMT offers a national certification based on the NHTSA National Standard curriculum for the levels of EMR, EMT, Advanced EMT and Paramedic. Individual states are allowed to use NREMT certification as part of their certification process, but are not required to. As of 2011, 38 states use the NREMT examination for EMT certification and 45 states use the NREMT examination for Paramedic certification. These levels are denoted below using an asterisk (*). At present time, use of the NREMT examination for EMT-Intermediate 85 and 99 have not been included in this list.
Any provider between the levels of EMT-Basic and EMT-Paramedic is either a form of EMT-Intermediate or an Advanced EMT. The use of the terms "EMT-Intermediate/85" and "EMT-Intermediate/99" denotes use of the NHTSA EMT-Intermediate 1985 curriculum and the EMT-Intermediate 1999 curriculum respectively. In addition, not all states use the "EMT" prefix for all levels (e.g. Texas uses EMT-Paramedic and Licensed Paramedic). Finally, some states have levels that have partially been phased out. While no new certifications are provided at this level, providers can sometimes be grandfathered in provided they meet recertification requirements. Any level that has been completely phased out (i.e. not used for new or continuing providers) is not listed.
In the list, each state's certification levels are provided from most basic at the top to most advanced at the bottom.
Video Emergency medical responder levels by U.S. state
Alabama
- Emergency Care Provider (ECP)
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
- Paramedic
Maps Emergency medical responder levels by U.S. state
Alaska
- ETT* (Emergency Trauma Technician)-
- EMT-I* (One) (analogous to EMT-Basic)
- EMT-II (Two) (analogous to EMT-Intermediate/85)(50 hours of additional education)
- EMT-III (Three)-(50 hours of additional education)
- AEMT-level established in 2015 (follows and is certified via the NREMT testing process)
- Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic (MICP)
Arizona
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Intermediate. Please note: Arizona is no longer certifying new EMT-Is. However, existing certifications continue to be allowed to practice under this level of certification.
- EMT-Paramedic*
Arkansas
- EMS First Responder (Phased out since 2012)
- Emergency Medical Responder (Since 2012)
- EMT-Basic
- EMT-Ambulance* (analogous to EMT-Basic prior to 2000)
- EMT-Intermediate/99
- EMT-Paramedic*
California
- Emergency Medical Technician* (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician* (AEMT)
- Paramedic*
- Mobile Intensive Care Nurse (MICN)
Colorado
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- EMT*
- EMT- IV (Intravenous Therapy certification)
- EMT-I
- Advanced EMT* (AEMT)
- Paramedic*
- Critical Care Endorsement and other endorsements for Paramedic level*
Colorado EMS Scope of Practice and Education Standard Comparison
Connecticut
- Emergency Medical Responder* (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician* (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician* (AEMT)
- Paramedic* (Paramedics are Licensed professionals in Connecticut, whereas all other levels of EMS providers are certified and must participate in tri-annual recertification programs.)
Delaware
- First Responder*
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Paramedic*
Florida
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Paramedic
Georgia
- EMT
- EMT-Intermediate/85 (no new licenses granted)
- Cardiac Technician (no new licenses granted since 1998, similar to the NREMT-I/99)
- Advanced-EMT
- Paramedic* (at least 504 classroom hours plus 320 clinical hours)
Hawaii
- EMT* (analogue to Advanced EMT)
- Paramedic* (also known as Mobile Intensive Care Technician)
Idaho
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR-2011)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-2011)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician-85 (AEMT-85) (No new licenses granted)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician-2011
- Paramedic-2011
Illinois
- FRD-First Responder Defibrillator*
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Intermediate/99
- EMT-Paramedic*
- Pre-Hospital Registered Nurse (PHRN, analogous to EMT-Paramedic)
Indiana
- Emergency Medical Responder
- EMT
- Advanced EMT
- Paramedic*
Iowa
- First Responder
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Intermediate (analogous to EMT-Intermediate/85)
- EMT-Advanced
- EMT-Paramedic (analogous to EMT-Intermediate/99)
- Paramedic Specialist* (analogous to EMT-Paramedic)
- Critical Care Paramedic Endorsement for Paramedic Specialist Level*
Transition to new levels began January 2011, and finished in March 2015.
- Emergency Medical Responder* (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician* (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician* (AEMT)
- Paramedic*
- Critical Care Paramedic Endorsement for Paramedic Level*
Kansas
- Emergency Medical Responder
- Emergency Medical Technician* (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician* (AEMT)
- Paramedic* (EMT-P)
Kentucky
- First Responder
- Emergency Medical Technician* (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician* (AEMT)
- Paramedic*
- Critical Care Paramedic Endorsement
Louisiana
- EMR-Emergency Medical Responder*
- EMT-Emergency Medical Technician*
- AEMT-Advanced EMT*
- Paramedic (formerly EMT-P)*
Maine
- Emergency Medical Responder*
- Ambulance Attendant (no new licenses granted since 1996)
- EMT*
- Advanced AEMT*
- EMT-Critical Care (no new licenses after 1998)
- Paramedic
Maryland
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Cardiac Rescue Technician-Intermediate* (CRT-I) (analogous to EMT - Intermediate/99)
- Paramedic
Massachusetts
- First Responder (Emergency Medical Responder)
- EMT-Basic
- EMT-Advanced
- EMT-Paramedic
Michigan
- EMR- Emergency Medical Responder (Also Medical First Responder)
- EMT- Emergency Medical Technician (formerly EMT - Basic)
- AEMT- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (analogous to EMT-Intermediate/85)
- Paramedic (formerly EMT-Paramedic*)
Minnesota
- Emergency Medical Responder*
- EMT-Basic
- AEMT
- EMT-Paramedic*
- Community Paramedic
- Registered Nurse-EMT
- Registered Physician Assistant-EMT
Mississippi
- Medical First Responder
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Intermediate/99 (no new licenses granted at this level since 2002, however previous holders can continue to renew theirs)
- EMT-Paramedic*
Missouri
- First Responder
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Paramedic*
Montana
(Endorsements are listed below each level, are optional and can be achieved in any order and combination.)
- EMR
- Monitoring
- EMT
- Airway
- IV and IO administration
- IV and IO maintenance
- Medication
- Advanced EMT
- Paramedic
- Critical Care Transport
Nebraska
- First Responder
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Intermediate
- EMT-Paramedic*
Nevada
- First Responder
- EMT
- Advanced EMT
- Paramedic
- EMS-RN
New Hampshire
- First Responder
- EMT
- Advanced EMT
- EMT-Paramedic*
New Jersey
Current System Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic (MICP)
- Mobile Intensive Care Nurse (MICN)
New Mexico
- EMS First Responder
- EMT-Basic
- EMT-Intermediate
- EMT-Paramedic*
New York
- Certified First Responder
- EMT-Basic
- AEMT-Intermediate (No new licenses granted, will now be replaced with AEMT)
- AEMT-Critical Care
- AEMT-Paramedic
North Carolina
- Medical Responder
- EMT
- AEMT
- Paramedic
- Advanced Practice Paramedic (currently a pilot program in Wake County)
North Dakota
- First Responder
- Advanced First Aid Ambulance (no new licenses)
- EMT (analogous to EMT-Basic; only used for providers under the age of 18 and providers requesting reciprocity from another state)
- EMT-Basic*
- AEMT-Advanced EMT
- EMT-Paramedic*
Ohio
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Advanced EMT (AEMT)
- Paramedic*
Oklahoma
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Intermediate/85
- EMT-Paramedic*
Oregon
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)(National Curriculum)*
- EMT (National Curriculum)*
- Advanced EMT (National Curriculum)*
- Paramedic (National Curriculum)* (requires a college degree)
Pennsylvania
BLS
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
ALS
- Advanced EMT (AEMT)
- Paramedic
- Prehospital Registered Nurse (PHRN)
- Prehospital Physician Extender (PHPE)
- Prehospital Physician (PHP)
Puerto Rico
- EMT-Provisional License (Student)
- EMT-Basic
- EMT-Paramedic
Rhode Island
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)*
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)*
- EMT-Cardiac (State Specific)*
- Paramedic*
South Carolina
- Emergency Medical Responder
- EMT-Basic*
- EMT-Intermediate/85
- EMT-Paramedic*
South Dakota
- EMT-Responder (pending state recognition)
- EMT
- EMT-Intermediate/85
- AEMT
- EMT-Intermediate/99
- Paramedic*
Tennessee
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- EMT-Basic
- EMT-IV (Phasing out)
- EMT-Advanced (New)
- Paramedic
- Critical Care Paramedic* (now officially endorsed by the state)
Texas
- Emergency Care Attendant
- EMT-Basic
- Advanced EMT (formerly EMT-Intermediate)
- EMT-Paramedic
- Licensed Paramedic (paramedic with a college degree)
Utah
- Emergency Medical Responder* (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician* (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician* (AEMT)
- Paramedic*
Now have been phased out of the state of Utah:
- EMT-Intermediate (state specific, phased out by Sept. 30, 2013 )
- EMT-Intermediate Advanced (analogous to EMT-Intermediate/99, phased out by Sept. 30, 2013 )
Vermont
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician(AEMT)
- Paramedic
- Advanced Paramedic (replaces state sponsored Critical Care Paramedic endorsement)
Virginia
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Emergency Medical Technician Enhanced (EMT-E) (Transition from EMT-E to AEMT begins 2013 providers have up to 3 recertification cycles to transition to AEMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
- EMT-Intermediate (state-supported, will continue to use NREMT I-99 exam)
- Paramedic
Washington
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
- EMT
- AEMT (advanced EMT)
- Paramedic
West Virginia
- Emergency Medical Responder
- EMT-Mining (specialty certification)
- EMT-Basic
- Advanced Care Technician
- EMT-Paramedic
- Mobile Critical Care Paramedic
- Mobile Critical Care Nurse
Wisconsin
- Medical First Responder
- EMT-Basic
- EMT-Intermediate Technician (analogous to EMT-Intermediate/85)
- EMT-Intermediate/99
- EMT-Paramedic
- Critical Care Paramedic Endorsement
Wyoming
- EMR
- EMT
- AEMT
- IEMT
- Paramedic
Wyoming has adopted the National Registry model with an addition of IEMT. The IEMT has all of the skills of an AEMT with the addition of additional medications, endotracheal intubation, cardiac drugs and skills (manual defibrillator, epi 1:10000, etc.) chest darts and pain management. National Registry is NOT required, and not accepted for licensing in Wyoming.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia