Transition Course?

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Anyone know what is actually changing in the cirriculum or the specifics on these transition modules? I called the other day and despite my being inactive and simply testing every 2 years (basically a donation to the registry), I was told that to keep my cert I had to sit through a transition course within the next 2 recert cycles.


Anybody else get a different answer?

Originally Posted by JLM

Anybody else get a different answer?

Just recertified by exam and got my new card in the mail today. I got the same answer as you--You must do a "state approved Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic to Paramedic transition course" to be a Paramedic after the transition. Not sure what the logic of that is, exactly, or how the transition course will be any different from a typical refresher course. Comparing the old and new refresher brochures on the NREMT website, the content for the "new" refresher is identical to the old one, as are ALL of the other recertification requirements.

Without the transition course in your file, it looks like they'll give you an "Advanced EMT" card instead of just bouncing you out of the registry.

The direct link to the transition policy on their page is
https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/transition_policy.asp

If they don't end up letting us recert by exam after the transition, I may (finally) let my card lapse next time around. Taking the exam was pretty painless, but I'm not sure I'm going to care enough about my card to sit through a transition course during residency.

It will depend on your state. My state will integrate the transition course into our state approved refresher course. Also, additional requirements may exist based on your level of NREMT credentials. For example, I have been an EMT-I/85 for many years. However, for me to make the transition to AEMT I will have to take both the transition course and the NREMT AEMT exam. If not, I'll be "demoted" to EMT. EMT-I/99's have even more options. They can either transition to AEMT or take a paramedic transition course along with the NREMT paramedic exam to transition to paramedic. It may sound somewhat silly being that I'm both a RN and RRT, but I'm attached to my NREMT credentials, so I'll be taking the refresher and the NREMT exam.

Thought I would do a quick follow up. I made the transition from I/85 to AEMT last week. I completed the state approved transition course and was able to schedule the NREMT cognitive exam after sending the course completion certificate, a current BLS card copy and a copy of my state license to the NREMT. The exam is a 135 question computer based test and you have 135 minutes to complete it. You will not need to complete the NREMT psychomotor exam because the skills should be included in your transition course.

Were you state a intermediate or national? How long was the transition and did you feel like it added to your knowledge in any way?

I have state intermediate credentials and had national registry I/85 credentials. My state is going registry across the board, but current intermediates are grandfathered. However, I decided to transition because I'd loose my national credential (drop to EMT) and more importantly, I wanted to take the exam that my students will be taking.

My transition was different in that I co-taught an entire AEMT course including clinical rotations and the college gave me a state approved transition certificate at the end of the course. However, the standard transition course is a modified 24 hour refresher type class. Each state will likely have a slightly different course however.

It's hard to say if I learned anything new per se. I am also a respiratory therapist and registered nurse but I maintain EMS credentials and do a little EMS on the side so I can be involved in EMS education. I will say the AEMT exam was much more complex than the I/85 exam. I had several questions about the cellular environment during shock states and a few questions where you were given medication lists and had to identify potential issues based on said lists, so the pharmacology was more involved. Also, relatively infrequently used meds such as nitrous oxide and it's various indications and side effects along with contraindications were covered. Additionally, basic haemodynamic concepts were covered such as the effect of nitro on preload.

It didn't do much for me but I think it could be a difficult exam for an entry level AEMT who only has a few hundred hours of training. We are currently considering making at least a semester of college level anatomy and physiology a pre-requisite. The new text book we are using also has chapters on basic pathophysiology and even some rudimentary chemistry and basic pathways (glycolysis, TCA cycle and electron transport ) make it into the book.

Cool, thank you. I dont think this is a bad idea, overall. It is just rather frustrating for those of us who have been paramedics for years and have gone through medical school and residency to be forced to complete a transition course. I dont practice, I just hold my cert for sentimental reasons. I guess I was hoping for special treatment. No such luck.

No problem. You can contact me off line if you want and depending on the state you are in, I may be able to help you out. It's probably a long shot but the medical community has been good to me in my neck of the woods and I am happy to return favours if possible. If not, I can at least try to find out what you need to do in your state. The common theme is to simply include transition material into the state refresher course.