EMT-IV in Tennessee vs NREMT

Hello. I will be getting out the Army in about 8 months. I just completed my NREMT basic certification. I am considering moving to TN. I would like to get hired on with a fire department but understand that that can be a difficult job to obtain in any state. I took the course for 2 reasons. I figured it couldn't hurt in the application process and might even give an edge. Also, I really enjoy the medical side of things. If I couldn't get hired on with a fire department, I could get a job as an EMT and work my way up to eventually being a Paramedic. This leads to my questions. I want the ability to be hired on as an EMT when I get to TN in case I can't get hired on as a firefighter or if it just takes a while. I know their minimum requirement is EMT-IV. Is there a short bridge course that I could take or does my NREMT certification mean nothing? If there is, how long would it be? Are EMT-IV jobs easy to come by? I was hoping to apply prior to getting out so that I could move directly into a job. If I have to spend much time training, then the training time plus the application time is time that I'm not being paid with a wife and two kids. Just trying to decide if I need to pick another state. Thanks in advance for your help.

Blake

The first thing you'll want to do is get a license to practice as an EMT in the state of Tennessee. In most if not every state, you won't be able to work unless you have a state license.

Visit their Department of Health website, get your documentation together, then submit your information for licensure.
http://health.state.tn.us/EMS/personnellicensure.htm

It takes a little time for state licensing authorities to process applications.

As for EMT-IV bridge courses, the first step I would take if I were you is, look up community colleges and training institutions in the area that you plan on settling in and see what they have available.

I can't answer any questions specifically about the job market in TN, but there's an employment forum here that you can check out, and there might be some people who can give you some insight on that front.

Thanks for the info. I'm still under the impression that I couldn't get a license to practice as an EMT unless I'm an EMT-IV. I've found a couple bridge courses and it looks like they are around 40 hours of instruction. What I can't find is whether that 40 hours is, for example, in one week or 20 weeks.

I'm not sure if this is a viable option but another option for me is to take an AEMT course prior to moving. Does anyone on here know how that would translate to licensure in TN? Would I at least be able to be licensed as an EMT-IV?

SBlakeS said:

Thanks for the info. I'm still under the impression that I couldn't get a license to practice as an EMT unless I'm an EMT-IV. I've found a couple bridge courses and it looks like they are around 40 hours of instruction. What I can't find is whether that 40 hours is, for example, in one week or 20 weeks.

I'm not sure if this is a viable option but another option for me is to take an AEMT course prior to moving. Does anyone on here know how that would translate to licensure in TN? Would I at least be able to be licensed as an EMT-IV?

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That's interesting. Based on the Tennessee Dept of Health website, it looks like they have licensing levels at EMR, EMT-B, AEMT (EMT-IV), Paramedic, and Critical Care Paramedic. Are you sure it's not just the fire services you're looking into that require the intermediate license specifically? Hoping that's the case, so that you could at least do some BLS work while doing your up-training.

EMT-IV is no longer going to be recognized on Dec 31, 2016. TN had been using only EMT-IV and EMT-P, with no basic cert option and are now going to have 2 levels of care for EMTs (EMT and AEMT). I am pretty certain there aren't even any EMT-IV courses available as all the schools have switched to the AEMT program already. The EMT-IV to AEMT bridge course is 8 hours in-class and 6 online modules, which I have been told only take a couple hours total. If you have not completed the bridge course by Dec 2016 you are downgraded to an EMT-B.

Awesome. Thanks for the info, Wolfe.