How hard is it to transfer EMT/paramedic license to another state?

[EMS Solutions]

NYS state does not accept reciprocity from FL. You would have to take a "challenge refresher" class and then take the NYS exam. NY also does not recognize the NREMT cert. Once you have your NYS cert, you then have to get "online" with whatever region you want to work in. Up state NY area offers low pay and various region certifications. NYC you have to take the REMAC exam to work within the 5 boroughs and that includes a written and oral exam. But pay is much better. About 5-7 dollars more per hour than the rural areas.

NJ is even more fun. To work in NJ you can get reciprocity with NREMT certification IF you are sponsored by one of the "ALS Projects" in the state. These are the agencies and organziations that run 911 paramedic units. Once sponsored you fill out some forms and that gets sent to the State and they decide if your training and/or experience meets NJ requirements/standards and if so you get issued a NJ card. If not then your project sponsor works with you to help you meet these requirements. Depending on the project it may be working as an EMT, a 3rd crew member etc. and it may be paid or on the arm until you get the missing parts. Pay can be between $19-27 hour which is usually judged by experience.

There's a lot of ins and outs to both as well as pluses and minuses. If you have a specific question, PM me.

Good luck

[46Young]

Very interesting point. I'd MUCH rather be busy than be answering call after call to senior citizens who thought they had difficulty breathing but are fine by the time we get there. My big concern though - okay, two concerns. 1.) Rent in New York is expensive. I have two teenagers, so I can't go live in a studio apartment somewhere, and I MUST be in a good school district. 2.) I'd need to be in New York for a full year so I could be a resident of New York before I could take the courses at community college and get the New York State resident college price, wouldn't I?

My high school installed metal detectors for my senior year ('94) and with good reason. Many of the city's high schools are stricken with gang members and others of bad influence. If you go out to Long Island, homeowners pay 9-15 grand in property taxes alone just to be in a desireable school district. If you can afford tuition, you can always go with private schools, such as St. Francis Prep or Christ the King, both in Queens.

2 BR for 1200-1500/month, first and last month's rent, along with one month's security due up front, for decent areas such as Middle Village, Ridgewood, Glendale, and some parts of Maspeth/Elmhurst near Grand Ave from 69th street up to Queens Blvd, or 65th place from the LIE up to QB.

[Smurfe]

I am about to take an EMT course, and then probably paramedic course next year. At this college we get national certification as well as Florida (assuming we pass the test!) How hard would it be for me to work in another state once I'm certified? Does this vary by state?

It depends on the state. Most states that accept NREMT reciprocity though simply require an application to be filled out and pay a fee. I took all of my classes in Illinois. I have gained reciprocity in Missouri, Louisiana, Texas. Is Florida a full NREMT state now? Florida is was one state where it was tougher to get reciprocity. Even if you had NREMT they still required you to take the test again which they used for their state test.

[VentMedic]

It depends on the state. Most states that accept NREMT reciprocity though simply require an application to be filled out and pay a fee. I took all of my classes in Illinois. I have gained reciprocity in Missouri, Louisiana, Texas. Is Florida a full NREMT state now? Florida is was one state where it was tougher to get reciprocity. Even if you had NREMT they still required you to take the test again which they used for their state test.

Florida still uses its own Paramedic test because it contains questions that are specific to the state. The passing score on Florida's exam is 80% which is higher than the NR's equivalent by however the NR is scoring its test now or so is the argument.

[Flasurfbum]

So it would be easier to transfer to another state as an EMT then it would as a paramedic (depending on which state?) I'm most likely looking at New York or New Jersey if I were to move.

If you plan on coming to Jersey, bring patience, and lots of it.

You need your NREMTP, and then you need a project to sponsor you. You get that, and since you are coming from Fla, they will place you in the MICU as a 3rd "Medic in Training", despite the face you already have Fla and NREMT-P. You will be doing a minimum of 100 hrs as a MIT, paid, but not to the full Medic level, and higher then EMT pay.

You then wait, and wait and wait for the State to get, process, and send back your paperwork. You then get assigned a "T" or Temp number. You have 6 month "Trial" period where you can work as a 2nd, but not do certain things, like RSI or work with another T#.

If your project wants to keep you, you drop the "T" before your number, and you are then MICP 3###.

The pay and experience are pretty damn good up here (STAY AWAY FROM MONOC UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES!!!!), but unless you work for UMDNJ, you will have crappy retirement and hospital benefits.

Why, might I ask, are you so set on coming up here?

I completed my Medic in Fla in Sept of 08, moved up here, and didn't even get approved to become a MIT until Dec of 08, and wasn't assigned my T# until Feb of 09.

I am now trying as hard as I can to get a FF/Medic job in Fla.

Look at the Carolinas, or anywhere that has their EMS squared away.

I am not going to even touch the BLS/ALS wars that happen, the idiocy of the furst grade counsil, the lack of MICUs, the restrictions placed on medics..... you get the point.

Do it for a year or two, get the best experince almost anywhere, and run.

Have and questions, feel to PM me, I am still in Hell.

Errr, Jersey.

AJ, NJ MICP #3247

[tjbroussard]

I deal with reciprocity for inbound medics to our company. Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi accept NREMT for training. Application to the state is a form from the state website and a fee, generally $60-$100 or so depending upon your practice level. Basically you are obtaining a state license. There are other requirements, i.e. fingerprints, background investigation, etc. Sometimes this can take time, so plan your move accordingly and start well in advance in you are thinking about that.

Hope this helped.

Terry

EMT/Paramedic Recruiter

Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc.

800-259-3333, ext 1571

[firemed665]

Make sure you go and take your National Registry Exam for EMT and Paramedic and maintain the certifications. If you are National Registry you can pretty much go anywhere in the USA without a problem. There are only a few states that like to screw that up. Good Luck!

[EMT COASTIE CHICK]

I am about to take an EMT course, and then probably paramedic course next year. At this college we get national certification as well as Florida (assuming we pass the test!) How hard would it be for me to work in another state once I'm certified? Does this vary by state?

It is not hard to transfer to another state as long as you are nationally certified. All you do is obtain job in that state and take any state test they may require or it may be as simple as paying a fee.

[Flasurfbum]

It is not hard to transfer to another state as long as you are nationally certified. All you do is obtain job in that state and take any state test they may require or it may be as simple as paying a fee.

No offense, but you obviously have never dealt with Jersey.

[Floridastudent]

Well, it's something to think about if it's going to take me months to be able to start working when I move somewhere. I need to be able to support myself. The reason for wanting to move to NYC is that my daughter wants to go to college there and it will be cheaper if we had residency in New York.

Also, the pay scale in Florida is terrible. However, as has been discussed in other threads on this forum, the higher pay scale in NY may well be eaten up by higher rent and higher taxes and higher everything else. And I do love the weather here.

Ultimately when I graduate, where I move will depend on where I can get a job. I should be done with everything in a year and a half and then I can see where people are hiring.

Well, it's something to think about if it's going to take me months to be able to start working when I move somewhere. I need to be able to support myself. The reason for wanting to move to NYC is that my daughter wants to go to college there and it will be cheaper if we had residency in New York.

Also, the pay scale in Florida is terrible. However, as has been discussed in other threads on this forum, the higher pay scale in NY may well be eaten up by higher rent and higher taxes and higher everything else. And I do love the weather here.

Ultimately when I graduate, where I move will depend on where I can get a job. I should be done with everything in a year and a half and then I can see where people are hiring.

Well, it's something to think about if it's going to take me months to be able to start working when I move somewhere. I need to be able to support myself. The reason for wanting to move to NYC is that my daughter wants to go to college there and it will be cheaper if we had residency in New York.

Also, the pay scale in Florida is terrible. However, as has been discussed in other threads on this forum, the higher pay scale in NY may well be eaten up by higher rent and higher taxes and higher everything else. And I do love the weather here.

Ultimately when I graduate, where I move will depend on where I can get a job. I should be done with everything in a year and a half and then I can see where people are hiring.

I deal with reciprocity for inbound medics to our company. Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi accept NREMT for training. Application to the state is a form from the state website and a fee, generally $60-$100 or so depending upon your practice level. Basically you are obtaining a state license. There are other requirements, i.e. fingerprints, background investigation, etc. Sometimes this can take time, so plan your move accordingly and start well in advance in you are thinking about that.

Hope this helped.

Terry

EMT/Paramedic Recruiter

Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc.

800-259-3333, ext 1571

That is helpful! I guess I'd want to apply first and get hired - if that's possible - before relocating to another state. I do have a CNA license, I could work as a CNA while waiting - oh wait, I'd have to get that certification transfered too.