Paramedic and EMT Program Performance on Certification Examinations Varies by Program Size and Geographic Location.

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medical Services Education
• Health Professions Education
• Public Health

Background:

• The quality of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and paramedic training programs may impact candidate success on the National Registry Cognitive Examination.
• Previous evaluations have not assessed program pass rates in relation to geographic location.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of EMT and paramedic programs across the United States.
• To analyze pass rates on the National Registry Cognitive Examinations.
• To determine the relationship between program performance and geographic location.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study evaluated 2015 pass rates for EMT and paramedic programs on the National Registry Cognitive Examination.
• Included were civilian programs with over five graduates testing for certification.
• Descriptive statistics analyzed program pass rates, graduate numbers, and regional variations (National Association of State EMS Officials regions).

Main Results:

• EMT programs with more graduates had higher first (65.7% vs. 61.9%) and third attempt (79.1% vs. 72.7%) pass rates (p<0.001).
• Paramedic programs also showed higher pass rates with more graduates on first (77.3% vs. 62.5%) and third attempts (91.9% vs. 76.9%) (p<0.001).
• Pass rates varied significantly by National Association of State EMS Officials region for both EMT and paramedic programs, with the West region often showing the highest rates.

Conclusions:

• Program performance for EMT and paramedic training varies based on the total number of graduates and geographic location.
• Graduates from larger programs demonstrate superior pass rates on certification exams.
• Regional disparities in program pass rates necessitate further investigation to understand performance variations in the United States.