By Michael Miller, EdD, RN, NRP
No matter where you look, it’s hard to escape the fact that our nation is in a health care workforce crisis. This is particularly true for EMS professionals. First responders have always been vulnerable to workforce pressures for a host of reasons, and those were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, a number of recent studies provide hope that small changes could yield big results, particularly in the field of paramedic education.
The first place we see positive trendlines is the number of individuals seeking to become paramedics at Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), accredited paramedic education programs and Committee on Accreditation of Educational Program for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP) Letter of Review programs.
Between 2018 and 2022, those programs saw a 9.4% increase in enrollment and an 11.2% increase in graduation rates. In that same 5-year period, paramedic education programs had an impressive 79% retention rate.
That means that not only more people are taking steps to enter the profession, but more of them are graduating.
Completing paramedic education is the first step. Then students must pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) examination. And here again, there is much in the way of good news.
Of the 14,624 individuals who took the Registry or a state paramedic examination in 2022, 88.6% passed the test, including 73% on the first attempt. When students pass the examination, it is an indication that they have mastered key education standards and are entry-level competent to join the paramedic profession.
There are more than 60,000 graduates of paramedic education programs since 2018. Positive placement is a robust 93%, defined as joining the workforce or continuing their education. [Note: placement data is incomplete as paramedic education programs are not able to track and locate every graduate of their program.]
The progress made over the last 5 years is extraordinary, but it is not enough. Unfortunately, nearly equal numbers of paramedics are leaving the workforce at the same time new ones are entering. There is little in the way of net gain, and this impact will likely only worsen as the U.S. population continues to grow.
Clearly, we need more qualified paramedics entering the field. And we need to ensure the conditions are right for them to stay in the workforce.
Achieving those goals will require comprehensive and multidimensional solutions. Every piece of the puzzle has a role to play. And CoAEMSP knows that we can make a difference when it comes to increasing the number of qualified paramedics in the workforce.
For starters, we are actively sharing information with our programs on best practices to generate student success. We know from research that several factors drive student attrition (i.e., students leaving the program), including:
- Open enrollment policies
- Smaller programs (less than 12 students)
- Program length (greater than 12 months)
- Resource challenges (e.g., lack of medical director engagement, inadequate facilities and finances)
And we know from other studies of successful programs that several factors promote student retention, including:
- Administration of pre-admission interview and medical knowledge exam
- Programs meeting 80% or more of the CAAHEP Resource Assessment Matrix (RAM) requirements
- Adequate availability of program resources (e.g., tutoring, counseling, career planning, etc.)
In addition to these quantitative factors, there are a number of qualitative opportunities for innovation, and CoAEMSP actively encourages programs to create flexibility in their program delivery.
For example, our programs operate nearly 300 satellite or alternative teaching locations. Some are exploring mobile teaching facilities to reach underserved areas. Others are investigating quality apprenticeship programs to generate necessary, practical knowledge.
We know that every facet of the healthcare system will need to innovate to solve the workforce crisis. CoAEMSP is committed to maximizing existing strategies and identifying new ones to grow the paramedic workforce while also continuing to maintain quality and accountability in education through accreditation.
Together with others in EMS, we can turn the tide and ensure that the future is one with ample numbers of qualified and satisfied EMS professionals caring for our families, our communities and our nation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Miller, EdD, RN, NRP, is assistant director of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP).
For questions, contact: mike@coaemsp.org