Introduction

Starting in 2012, CoAEMSP is implementing a Letter of Review (LoR) process,
which will be the official designation that a Paramedic program is in the
"Becoming Accredited" process.

Accredited Paramedic programs are sponsored by colleges, universities,
hospitals, clinics, medical centers, U.S. armed forces, governmental
educational or medical services, and by consortium.  Programs can vary in
length and must include an appropriate sequence of classroom, laboratory,
hospital, and field internship activities.

In an historic move at the NASEMSO (National Association of State EMS
Officials) 2010 Annual Meeting, NASEMSO membership voted to support
CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs)
as the national EMS programmatic accreditor, as well as to require that all
Paramedic education programs be nationally accredited by January 1, 2013
in order for graduates of these programs to be eligible to take the NREMT
(National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians) Paramedic exam.

The review of programs seeking accreditation is based on the CAAHEP
Standards and Guidelines for Educational Programs in the Emergency
Medical Services Professions.

Programs request accreditation services by filing the CAAHEP Request
for Accreditation Services.  Programs then demonstrate the degree to
which they meet either (1) the "core information" through the Letter of
Review Self Study Report (LSSR) [Track 2] or (2) the Standards through
the Initial-Accreditation Self Study Report (ISSR) [Track 1]. Programs that
submitted an LSSR will submit an ISSR within 6 months of the graduation
of their first class of students. Programs with a satisfactory ISSR are
scheduled for an on-site review.

Upon completion of the ISSR/site visit evaluations, the CoAEMSP formulates
a status of public recognition recommendation that is forwarded to CAAHEP,
which awards the accreditation for Paramedic programs that meet the
Standards.

For additional information or assistance with the new format, contact:

Bill Goding
bill@coaemsp.org
214.703.8445 Ext. 113

See the SAMPLE completed accreditation documents.

Accreditation Workshops for 2012:

June 28-29, 2012 in Pittsburgh - register now!

Webinars:

Letter of Review
February 16, 2012 at 2:00p Eastern/1:00p Central

see Meetings & Events page

Why Become Accredited?

Perspectives of Program Directors

Article: Is Cost a Barrier...?
by Debra Cason RN MS EMT-P in NN2 Connections Fall/Winter 2011

Accreditation Case Study:
Gwinnett County, GA Department
of Fire and EMS

Facts about Paramedic program
accreditation

Frequently Asked Questions

Article: Why accreditation - and why now? by Patricia L Tritt, RN MA and Debra Cason RN MS EMT-P

Article: EMS Needs to be...
by Walt Stoy, PhD, EMTP

Press Release: NASEMSO Supports On-Going Efforts to 1/1/2013

Ready to begin...

Accreditation Process Flowchart

Getting Started: An Action Plan

A Look in the Mirror: Evaluating
Program Strengths & Weaknesses

CAAHEP Request for Accreditation
Services (RAS) form

ISSR

What is a Realistic Deadline to Write and Complete the ISSR?, Michael A. Belcher BS, AAS, NREMT-P

Articulation agreements: college
credit for Paramedic education

eUpdates for new programs

2010:
December 16, December 2,
November 12,
October 25, October 8,
September 23,
August 26, August 12

Webinars
TBD

see Meetings & Events page