In House versus Outside CMEs

[Richard B the EMT]

New York State recently decided to go for CME (Continuing Medical Education) training, extending the 3 year EMT certification to 5 year. As I write this, there is a great deal of "flux", as everyone tries to figure out what the devil it is, that we are doing, on a statewide basis.

As most here know, I am in the FDNYs EMS Command. We have our own Academy, where, under the 3 year "cert", I would sit for some 45 hours of class time every 2 .5 years, to get my refresher training.

I get paid to sit in these classes, by the way.

Now, under the 5 year plan (my wording, not an official one), we have to sit for periodic "Core Training" one day every couple of months, for several lectures, and a bit of practical skills practice, at the EMS Academy, and one 1 hour lecture (sometimes with practical skills during that hour) every month, taught by a department supervisor at the member's assigned stations.

Most of these supervisors, ranging from Lieutenants to Deputy Chiefs, don't have any EMS Academy teaching time, as far as I know (over my time in the department from June 1985). They do, however, have to sign my training session attendance/completion log.

Most of you also know, I got my start in a community based volunteer ambulance corps, from 1973 to 1996. The VAC was a member-squad of the New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association, of which I was a delegate from my VAC, and am still an individual member.

With my membership in the NYSVARA, I attend their annual Convention, Educational Conference, and Trade Show, for some CME classes, and seeing some of the stuff that might be in my ambulance next year, as well as meeting up with a bunch of nice people I only see at these gatherings.

I do this at my own expense, and file the expenses for tax purposes as a "Cost Of Doing Business."

Some of the instructors, whose lecture sessions I attend, are either past or present instructors, or Instructor-Coordinators, from the FDNY EMS Academy. All of the lectures are supposed to be accepted as authorized CME hours by the NY State Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services.

Indeed, one of the lecturers is Mr. Ed Wronsky, who is the New York State DoH "authorized signature" on my EMT card.

Does anyone else feel it unusual, that the State DoH accepts the CME credits from the NYSVARA Convention lectures, but the FDNY EMS does NOT?

One more thing: FDNY EMS Command requires members, as an employment requirement, to maintain their EMT or Paramedic certifications, even if one is working one of the assignments that doesn't have you doing "patient contact", such as working in the Bureau of Investigations and Trials. If you are not doing a "patient contact" assignment, you are supposed to not be eligible for the 5 year "cert", just the 3 year "cert".

There is discussion going on at the FDNY EMS EMD, as the EMTs and Paramedics who work taking the calls from the 9-1-1 system, and entering the calls into the Computer Assisted Dispatch system, are considered to be doing "patient contact", but the EMTs and Paramedics, who work as dispatchers, directing the ambulance crews to go where needed, are not. We hope to come to some kind of conclusion on this topic, hopefully with all EMS personnel getting the 5 year "certs".

I do not know if the Fire Fighters in the FDNY have a 3 or 5 year recertification for their Certified First Responder-Defibrillator training, so if I address that, it will be in another string.

Within, or between, your City/County/State/Provence/Country's DoH agencies, and your EMS agency, do you have such problems?

[AZCEP]

After reading your post Richard, I'm glad I don't work in that system. :?

3 years with less frequent CME, or 5 year with more frequent? I think I'd support the five-year setup, but it sounds like one size will not fit all.

[Richard B the EMT]

The 3 year "certs" were, and probably will continue to be, without the option of the CMEs, strictly the full "Refresher" class.