EMT Certification in Pennsylvania

After completing the program, candidates can receive EMT certification in Pennsylvania by qualifying the NREMT exams. The Emergency Medical Technician certificate authorizes the applicants to offer medical help to the public in the emergency situations. The Pennsylvania Board of Emergency Medical Services considers the standards designed by the National Registry of EMTs for providing certificates.

The prospective EMTs at Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) are required to complete program effectively. If you want to know the details of the certification process, requirements, etc., you must go through the below mentioned information.

Criteria for EMT Certification

In every state, the EMS Bureau maintains a set of requirements, which are to be fulfilled by the prospective applicants in order to secure the EMT certificate. Similarly, the state of Pennsylvania has established the following criteria for the applicants:

• For gaining the EMT certificate, the minimum age of the applicant should be 18 years or above.
• The candidates are obligated to finish a state-acknowledged program from a program school.
• For all the candidates, it is necessary to hold a valid driving license.
• In addition to this, candidates also need to complete CPR program and hold its card.
• The applicants will have to show their high school diploma or GED.
• It is compulsory for the applicants to pass a background check effectively.
• The students also need to submit their fingerprints and pass a drug test.
• Students are ought to understand and communicate in English language.
• The applicant should be physically fit to lift and balance 120 pounds.
• It is essential for the applicants to undergo certain immunizations.

 Special Criteria

• The applicants have to clear practical examination organized by the state.
• The application fee and the form is required to be submitted by the candidate.

Process of EMT Certification

It is not an easy task to secure an EMT certification. Every candidate has to follow certain steps to obtain an Emergency Medical Technician certificate and license. In Pennsylvania, the steps involved in obtaining the EMT certification are:

1. EMT Program

The first step in the process of EMT certification is to undergo a program curriculum. Several schools, colleges and universities offer program, but you must ensure that the school you have chosen is certified by the state itself.

2. Submission of the Application for the National Certification

The candidate has to appear in the NREMT exams. To take the exams, applicants are required to go through the below mentioned sequential steps:

• Visit http://www.nremt.org/ to open an account. Just click the option of “Create New Account”.
• After creating an account, the applicants are required to take examinations. For this, they have to click on “Create Initial Entry Application” option.
• The candidates can pay the application charges after completing the application procedure or can pay it later on.
• Now, it is the responsibility of the applicants to check the status of their application. Enter your login id and password, and then hit on “Check Initial Entry Application Status”.
• If the option of “Submitted” is seen next to the option of “Course Completion Verification”, it is the indication that the information provided by you is submitted to the program, but it is not authorized by the director of the education program.
• Similarly, if “Not Submitted” option is visible next to the “Application Payment” option that means the application fees should be paid before you get ‘Authorization to Test’ letter.
• If the verification process is complete, a link of “Print ATT Letter” will be observed. Get a print out of ATT letter and fix the exams.

Note: The practical exams will be organized by the state- accredited EMT program programs.

3. Background Check

Once the candidates have scheduled the examinations, they are required to pass a background check.

4. Licensing Application

Lastly, the students need to apply for a license by submitting an application to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Pennsylvania Department of Health
Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
Address: 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania- 17120
Contact Number: 717-787-8740
Fax: 717-772-0910
Email: paemsoffice@pa.gov

EMT Recertification Process

The candidates, who wish to renew their license and certificate in Pennsylvania, have to fulfil some requirements, which are:

• An applicant must be presently working with the rescue center, or public health center, or fire-fighting agency.
• The applicants need to provide correct and complete information in the application.
• To get the certificate renewed at the responder level, the application must reach before 30th September, and for recertification at the EMT and Paramedic level, the application must be submitted prior to 31st March of the year, in which certificate is going to expire.
• Candidates are also required to go through the continuing education at each level in order to maintain their competency level.

Continuing hours and processing charges (non-refundable) at each level are:

• EMR: The processing charges at responder level are $10.00. Aspirants have to complete 12 hours of EMR refresher course.

• EMT-B: To renew the license at the basic level, the applicants have to go through 24 hours of the refresher course accredited by the state or the Continuing Education Co-ordinating Board, and 48 hours of continuing education. For processing the request, the candidate will need to pay $15.00.

• EMT-P: At the paramedic level, the candidates will require to complete an approved 48-hour refresher course and 24 hours of continuing education. The processing fee is $20.00.