Out of state EMT-P into CA

[hellofirstresponders]

I've emailed a couple out of state paramedic programs and never received a response. I was wondering if anyone happens to know if I can go take a paramedic program in Texas or Florida, and eventually be certified in California. I know the NREMT serves as a foundation (duh), but I was wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge. Positive feedback is much appreciated. Anyone take their program at techproservices.net?

 

[kguy18]

Yep reciprocity is available in California, just visit the link below to get the appropriate forms. You will need National Registry, and then the forms, then you will be licensed in California, but you need to obtain your county cert in order to practice as a paramedic and that all depends on where you want to work... hope that helps!

http://www.emsa.ca.gov/paramedic/forms.asp

 

[VentMedic]

From the CA EMSA link posted above:

Provide documentation of training hours that meet California requirements which includes: Didactic 320 hours,
Clinical 160 hours, and Field Internship 480 hours which includes 40 Advanced Life Support (ALS) field contacts. If
training hours do not meet California requirements, provide evidence that the training program meets or exceeds the
U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) paramedic curriculum.(Not needed if you went to paramedic school in CA)​

California requires 1070 hours of training and all of their Paramedic programs are accredited.​

Florida's minimum is 700 hours and most of the medic mills are not accredited. I don't know how closely CA will look at that fact. Florida does not use the National Registry for its Paramedic exam and you may have to travel outside of the state to find the NR exam.​

Texas requires a minimum of 634 hours.​

If you do go to a school in one of those states, you should make sure it meets or exceeds the number of hours required for CA and it should be accredited just to be on the safe side.​

How I hate the "hours of training" stuff!!​

 

[reaper]

You just have to provide proof that the program is set to DOT guidelines. Where are you from and why are you wanting to go to an out of state program?

 

[VentMedic]

There might be some problems with the online programs and some of the unaccredited medic mills especially if they are over 400 hours less than the minimum for CA.

More info.
http://www.emsa.ca.gov/paramedic/faq.asp

I like what CA did with their website. One can easily navigate through it now.

It now also clearly explains how an RN can get a Paramedic license if they so desire which isn't really necessary unless they want to work solely as a Paramedic for a FD.

 

[reaper]

Provide documentation of training hours that meet California requirements which includes: Didactic 320 hours,
Clinical 160 hours, and Field Internship 480 hours which includes 40 Advanced Life Support (ALS) field contacts. If
training hours do not meet California requirements, provide evidence that the training program meets or exceeds the
U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) paramedic curriculum.(Not needed if you went to paramedic school in CA)

According to what you posted, all that is needed is proof that the program meets DOT standards?

Most states that I hold certs in have the same requirements. I never had a problem, since I went to a college course. Do not know about the mills, but according to that, they just have to meet DOT standards!

 

[VentMedic]

That was just one paragraph I grapped from the application. The link I just posted provides more info. there is a reason why CA examines applications, especially those from unaccredited schools. CA at least has all of their Paramedic programs accredited.

• provide documentation of training hours that meet California requirements which include: Didactic - 450 hours, Clinical - 160 hours, and Field Internship - 480 hours which includes at least 40 ALS field contacts. If training hours do not meet California requirements, provide evidence that your training program meets or exceeds the U. S. Dept. of Transportation’s (US DOT) EMT-Paramedic National Standard Curriculum requirements which can be accessed at www.ems.gov/index.html then click on Education;

• provide documentation that 40 ALS patient contacts in a field setting were included as part of initial training or you may submit a letter from an employer, training program or medical director verifying that you have successfully performed 40 ALS field contacts through employment or other training. An ALS contact is the performance of one or more ALS skills, except cardiac monitoring and basic CPR, on a patient.

provide documentation of current or prior state paramedic licensure or certification (not mandatory for California State Licensure, however, many training programs do not meet California requirements, and if you haven’t worked as a paramedic you may need additional training hours in a field internship);

 

[VentMedic]

The one flaw still in CA is their ALS contacts. Florida specifies in the statutes and is finally enforcing that the ALS contracts must be on an ALS ambulance that transports and NOT an ALS engine.

 

[hellofirstresponders]

You just have to provide proof that the program is set to DOT guidelines. Where are you from and why are you wanting to go to an out of state program?

I'm from the Bay area. Paramedic school is quite expensive out here, and I've been trying to get into the community college program that's offered very close to my home for two years but there's still a long wait list. I wouldn't mind leaving my area, and study to be a medic at another state, where I know its cheaper, and I have relatives that can give me shelter while I study either in Texas or Florida.

 

[hellofirstresponders]

To top it off my cousin just graduated from paramedic school is Florida. I'll be going out there for his graduation soon, so I just wanted to see ahead of time if I could sign up out there, and if the program would be transferable.

 

[VentMedic]

I'm from the Bay area. Paramedic school is quite expensive out here, and I've been trying to get into the community college program that's offered very close to my home for two years but there's still a long wait list. I wouldn't mind leaving my area, and study to be a medic at another state, where I know its cheaper, and I have relatives that can give me shelter while I study either in Texas or Florida.

Continue to try to get into a community college program in CA. If you have your name on the wait list and it has been two years, you may get in soon. The tuition is approx $20/credit hour which at 40 credit hours that is a bargain.

Here's an idea; why not take some science classes at the CC toward a degree in EMS while you are waiting?

Medic mills, unaccredited, in Florida are very expensive ranging from $12K to $20K for an average of 6 - 9 months of training. At the community colleges, the out of state tuition may cost you over $100 dollars per credit hour. Many of the programs cater to the FD since almost all FFs are required to be a Paramedic so there may be no guarantee you'll get into a Florida program quickly either.

What seems like a quick fix may end up costing you big in the long run.

 

[Markhk]

Ventmedic,
It turns out that at least half (20) of ALS contacts in CA for the field internship requirement does need to involve transport. Quite a few medic schools forget this requirement but it's written into law (Title 22).

"For at least half of the ALS patient contacts specified in Section 100158(b), the paramedic student shall be required to provide the full continuum of care of the patient beginning with the initial contact with the patient upon arrival at the scene through release of the patient to a receiving hospital or medical care facility."

I kind of wonder though...if I run a full arrest as an intern, and pronounce on scene, technically the language of the law says it's not a full contact because I didn't release to a hospital or medical care facility? Pronouncing death seems like the ultimate, final part of the "full continuum of care".

 

[VentMedic]

Ventmedic,

I kind of wonder though...if I run a full arrest as an intern, and pronounce on scene, technically the language of the law says it's not a full contact because I didn't release to a hospital or medical care facility? Pronouncing death seems like the ultimate, final part of the "full continuum of care".

Since you will probably be contacting the hospital physician or medical control when you pronounce, that may be considered "release to a physician" for the final documentation. that is provided you did work the cardiac arrest and didn't just call it upon arrival.

We ran into situations in Florida where the engine with 4 Paramedics and one student was running with the transport ALS ambulance which also had one or two Paramedics and a student on board. Yeah, Florida has a lot of Paramedics.

In CA, I believe Southern CA has the most controversial issues since they are largely FD based EMS. At least in the SF Bay area, there are some services that perform 911 EMS without being part of the FD or as in SFFD, EMS is sorta the same but very separate.