The primary goal of any Paramedic educational program is to assure that students are competent at the end of the course of study. Therefore, for many years the CoAEMSP has required programs to track and report their minimum competencies for various age groups, complaints, and skills as specified originally in the Student Patient Contact Matrix. This document was frequently referred to as Appendix G since it was entered in the Self-Study Report on the Appendix G tab. The nomenclature of Appendix G has since been retired.

The required reporting elements were updated in 2017 and were effective for cohorts beginning in July 2019. The recommended minimum numbers resulted from an extensive review of the student data and discussion with educators and medical directors. The resulting document, the Student Minimum Competency Matrix, recommended minimum numbers for each competency specified and detailed the recommended progression of learning.

Since the release of the current version in mid-2017, programs and faculty have experienced challenges in implementation and tracking. There was also some confusion regarding what constituted The National Registry Portfolio and the CoAEMSP recommendations. To address these issues and work to simplify competency requirements, in 2020, a working group of CoAEMSP and The National Registry representatives began to examine the existing framework and modify the recommendations. One key goal was to separate the formative assessments from final competency. The result is the 2023 Student Minimum Competency Recommendations (SMC) that still provides guidance on the formative instructional process and identifies the recommendations for ‘competency.’ Meeting the minimum competency requirements established by the program will satisfy reporting for both the CoAEMSP and The National Registry. While the formative assessments are included in the overall document, it is up to the program to determine the sequencing and format of the formative process.

The recommended minimum competencies were again determined by reviewing student data, review by experienced EMS educators, Program Directors and Medical Directors, the NHTSA Scope of Practice Model, and The National Registry’s Practice Analysis. The SMC includes tables of recommendations for ages, conditions, ALS skills, capstone field internship, and BLS skills. However, the only report required for CoAEMSP is the final Summary Tracking worksheet. Programs can choose any method to document the student experience but must report the Summary Tracking for cohorts as formatted in that spreadsheet.

The implementation date for the new SMC applies to all students enrolling in a Paramedic educational program on or after January 1, 2023. The data tracking points are not new. The updated recommendations have been provided to the vendors that offer tracking solutions who will work with clients on tracking and reporting. Programs may also choose to develop their own tracking system or use a commercial technological solution. Programs that wish to be early adopters may implement the new SMC at any time.

Note that the 2023 Student Minimum Competency Recommendations provide recommended numbers. The Program must determine their specific requirements in conjunction with their communities of interest and must be approved by the program Medical Director and endorsed by the program Advisory Committee. The Program can select numbers that are less than the recommended minimums but must be able to demonstrate that graduates are competent through various measures, including certification examination results and graduate and employer surveys. Programs can also specify required minimums that are higher than the recommendations. Whatever minimum competency numbers a program chooses, all students must attain those minimums to successfully complete the program.

Going forward, the SMC will be reviewed by the CoAEMSP and The National Registry every four (4) years, incorporating any potential changes based upon current evidence, including the NHTSA Scope of Practice Model, The National Registry’s Practice Analysis, and other pertinent information.

Staff Contact: Lynn Caruthers, lynn@coaemsp.org

A PVR is a method CoAEMSP utilizes to assure its database records are current with key personnel. CoAEMSP requires a program to notify CoAEMSP within 15 calendar days of a change in any key personnel position [i.e., President, Dean, Program Director, Medical Director, Associate Medical Director, Assistant Medical Director (out-of-state physician monitoring students completing clinical, field experience, or capstone field internship), Lead Instructor].

Failure to follow CoAEMSP policy will result in a $100 fee. Also, failure to fill a vacant position within 30 calendar days violates the CAAHEP Standards, resulting in Administrative Probation or Probation and ultimately leading to the withdrawal of accreditation.

A CoAEMSP Personnel Verification Report (PVR) is required when a program submits:

•   Letter of Review (LoR) Application

•   Letter of Review Self Study Report (LSSR)

•   Initial Self-Study Report (ISSR)

•   Continuing Self-Study Report (CSSR)

•   Satellite Application

To request a PVR, the program director must email Lynn Caruthers at lynn@coaemsp.org to request a PVR. Lynn will email the program director a separate email to request the program director identify the current individual holding each key personnel position. IF the key personnel identified match the CoAEMSP’s database program record, Lynn issues the PVR.

IF any key personnel individual does not match the CoAEMSP’s record, Lynn will request the applicable personnel documentation to update CoAEMSP records before the PVR is issued.

IF modifications to key positions such as Medical Director, Associate Medical Director, Assistant Medical Director, or Lead Instructor(s) are required, the program must submit all of the required supporting documentation for the position(s), including having an official transcript sent directly to Lynn Caruthers for Lead Instructor(s). CoAEMSP approval is required for these key personnel positions. Dr. Hatch approves Lead Instructor, and Dr. Miller approves any physician (i.e., Medical Director, Associate, or Assistant Medical Director).

Staff Contact: Lynn Caruthers, lynn@coaemsp.org

On the CoAEMSP 2020 Annual Report due May 15, 2022, programs with active satellites must report each satellite cohort separately. Therefore, the 2020 Annual Report will have a separate tab at the bottom of the report titled “Satellites.” Programs utilizing satellites in 2020 will select the “Satellites” tab and report the enrollment data, Written Exam Results data, and Positive Placement data for each satellite cohort on this new tab.

The CoAEMSP Annual Report will automatically pull the Outcomes results from the Satellite tab and automatically post the results in the last cohort column on the MAIN page report for Retention, Written Exam Results, and Positive Placement. Then the CoAEMSP Annual Report will tally the data entered for the primary campus cohorts with the data for the Satellite cohorts for a final Outcomes result in the last column of each table for Retention, Written Exam, and Positive Placement. Therefore, programs will not have to complete any calculations. Programs will only need to enter the data directed for the primary campus cohorts and the Satellite(s) cohorts.

The purpose of this revision to the CoAEMSP Annual Report is to assist programs in better identifying each cohort’s overall performance.

If your program utilized a satellite campus in 2020, plan to attend the CoAEMSP 2020 Annual Report webinar that will occur after the CoAEMSP 2020 Annual Report is released, scheduled for January or early February 2022.

Even if you did not attend the virtual ACCREDITCON, you can still register to access all on-demand sessions now through December 31.

Registration is $350 via PayPal or check.

Plus, you can earn up to 15 CEs for these on-demand sessions.

(Guests who registered to attend the live stream can access the sessions by using the same login as for the live stream. Email jennifer@coaemsp.org if you have misplaced your login.)

The CoAEMSP is pleased to announce ACCREDITCON 2022 will take place June 1-5, 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky.

ACCREDITCON is the collaborative designed to support programs, carry out its mission “to advance the quality of EMS education through accreditation” and respond to the needs of more than 700 Paramedic educational programs.

Not your typical EMS conference, ACCREDITCON is designed to be the comprehensive collaborative that offers every necessary resource for achieving accreditation success!

Listen to experts, interact with CoAEMSP staff and board, plug into best practices, network with peers and colleagues, and get answers to pertinent questions regarding initial and continuing CAAHEP accreditation for Paramedic educational programs.

Watch for updates in your email box!

#ACCREDITCON

For a current list of CoAEMSP LoR and CAAHEP Accredited programs, visit www.caahep.org.

Anthony Conrardy, PhD, MBA, EMTP, CIC, Program Director of the Paramedic Program sponsored by Northwell Health Center for Learning and Innovation-Emergency Medical Institute in Lake Success, NY, earned the Doctor of Philosophy from CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, conferred on June 1, 2021.

Michael Wolfe, MPA, NRP, Program Director of the Paramedic Program sponsored by Hendricks Regional Health in Danville, Ind., earned the Master of Public Administration/Emergency Services Management degree from Columbia Southern University, conferred on September 23, 2021.