Postnominal EMS Provider Credential Usage

An EMS provider's postnominal (listed after the name) credentials usually follow his or her name in this order:

  • Highest earned academic degree in or related to medicine (e.g. "DO")
  • Highest licensure or certification (e.g. "NREMT-P")
  • Further certifications (e.g. "CCEMT-P")

Generally credentials are listed from most to least permanent. A degree, once earned, cannot be taken away. National certification, state licensure, or state certification is only revoked for serious professional misconduct. Licensure and certifications generally must be periodically renewed by examination or the completion of a prescribed number of continuing education units (CEUs).

EMS providers may also hold non-EMS credentials including academic degrees. These are usually omitted unless they are related to the provider's job. For instance, a paramedic would likely not list an MBA, but a supervisor might choose to do so.

The providers credentials are separated from the person's name (and from each other) with commas. There are usually no periods within the credentials. (e.g. "EMT" not "E.M.T.")

Listing of EMS Provider and Related Credentials


Emergency Medical Technicians

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First Responder

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The U.S. Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) recognized a gap between the typical eight hours training required for providing advanced first aid (as taught by the Red Cross) and the 180 hours typical of an EMT-Basic program. The First Responder training program began in 1979 as an outgrowth of the "Crash Injury Management" course.

In 1995 the D.O.T. issued a manual for an intermediate level of training called "First Responder." This training can be completed in forty to sixty hours. Importantly, this training can be conducted by an EMT-Basic with some field experience—which is a resource available "in-house" for many volunteer fire departments who do not have the resources for full EMT training. The first responder training is intended to fill the gap between First Aid and EMT-Basic.

First Responders in the US can support Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics, provide basic first aid for soft tissue and bone injuries and assist in childbirth. They are also trained in packaging, moving and transporting patients.

Examples of First Responder levels:


Examples of Emergency Medical Technician levels:

EMT-I

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Paramedic

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Wilderness Medicine

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Advanced Classes

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American Heart Association

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National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians[1]

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International Trauma Life Support[2]

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  • ITLS-Basic -
  • ITLS-Advanced -
  • ITLS-Pediatric - An 8 hour course that builds upon ITLS-Basic and ITLS-Advanced to further train responders to deal with trauma in children.
  • ITLS-Military - Contains
  • ITLS-Access - An 8 hour course to give EMS crews and first responders the training they need to reach, stabilize and extricate patients trapped in vehicles.