CoAEMSP News | September 2024

Requirements for the Associate and Assistant Medical Directors

Associate and Assistant Medical Directors are no longer required to be approved by the CoAEMSP. However, when a program appoints either, the individuals must meet the responsibilities and qualifications outlined in the CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in the Emergency Medical Services Professions. 

Associate Medical Director

The decision to add a qualified individual as an Associate Medical Director is at the program's discretion. A program may elect to identify an individual to support the Medical Director at the local program or the satellite program. The support can include interaction with the students in the educational environment or the clinical arena, review of high-stakes exams, or other duties. The responsibilities and qualifications for the Associate Medical Director are specified in the CoAEMSP Interpretations of the 2023 CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines document at https://coaemsp.org/caahep-standards-and-guidelines. 

Key points to remember include:

• The Associate Medical Director must meet the qualifications in the CAAHEP Standards.
• The program must have a signed and dated job description or contract on file.
• A CV or resumé is maintained on file.
• A copy of the medical license for each state where oversight of students occurs is maintained on file.
• The CoAEMSP Medical Director Responsibilities form is completed. (Resource Library > Medical Directors)
• There must be evidence of communication between the Medical Director and the Associate Medical Director that details the responsibilities delegated to the Associate Medical Director. 
• The Associate Medical Director may monitor student progression and attainment of competencies, including signing Terminal Competency forms if the Medical Director has specifically delegated that responsibility.

Assistant Medical Director



When educational activities, such as clinical, field experience, or capstone field internship, occur in a state different from the program location, a physician must be approved by the program to provide oversight and medical accountability. The program Medical Director is appropriate if licensed in that state; however, if that is not an option, the program must appoint an Assistant Medical Director licensed in the state. The responsibilities and qualifications for the Assistant Medical Director are also specified in the CoAEMSP Interpretations of the 2023 CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines document at https://coaemsp.org/caahep-standards-and-guidelines.

Key points to remember include:

• The Assistant Medical Director must meet the qualifications in the CAAHEP Standards.
• The program must have a signed and dated job description or contract on file.
• A CV or resumé is maintained on file.
• A copy of the medical license for each state where oversight of students occurs is maintained on file.
• The CoAEMSP Medical Director Responsibilities form is completed. (Resource Library > Medical Directors)
• There must be evidence of communication between the Medical Director and the Assistant Medical Director that details the responsibilities delegated to the Assistant Medical Director. 

When a sponsor uses the service of an Associate or Assistant Medical Director, the specified documentation and evidence of delegation and oversight of activities must remain current in the program files. They must be submitted with any self-study report.

Finally, programs must verify that the Associate or Assistant Medical Director meets state regulatory requirements for providing medical oversight to an EMS educational program.

Thursday, October 10, 2024, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Central

NC-SARA Offers Webinar:

Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking – Fall 2024 Update for the SARA Community

In this webinar, representatives from the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) community will provide an update on the U.S. Department of Education 2023-2024 Negotiated Rulemaking, focusing on topics that may have the greatest impact on SARA. We will share information about the timeline and the steps we have been taking to strengthen SARA, preserve educational opportunities across the U.S., and enhance protections for students participating in distance education. 

Please see the NC-SARA website for background and context. Registration is open

Check out the latest webinar recordings here.

CoAEMSP Board Meeting Highlights

The CoAEMSP Board met via Zoom on August 2, 2024.

The CoAEMSP Board provides deliberate communication about its work in official updates via the Board Highlights.

These Board Highlights are shared directly with each of its 11 sponsors’ CEOs following the 30-day moratorium after a Board meeting and posted on our website for review by anyone, including students, graduates, faculty, Paramedic educational program sponsors, administration, hospital/clinic representatives, employers, police and/or fire service members.

Read the Board Meeting Highlights here.

Number of Paramedic Programs

View the list of CoAEMSP-Letter of Review and CAAHEP-Accredited Programs here.

Congratulations on the Milestone!

Clark Imus, MA, EMTP, Program Director of the Paramedic Program sponsored by Kellogg Community College, Battle Creek, Mich., earned the Master of Arts degree conferred on April 28, 2023, by Eastern Michigan University.

Brandon Johnson, MA, NRP, Program Director of the Paramedic Program sponsored by Black River Technical College, Pocahontas, Ark., earned the Master of Arts degree conferred on June 28, 2024, by Arkansas State University Jonesboro.

Steven O'Brady, DPA, EMTP, CIC, Program Director of the Paramedic Program sponsored by Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, earned the Doctor of Public Administration degree conferred on August 31, 2024, by Capella University.

Robert Stanley, PhD, MPH, NRP, Program Director of the Paramedic Program sponsored by the School of EMS, Tyler, Tex., earned the Doctor of Philosophy degree conferred on August 9, 2024, by Amridge University.