Instructor Certification

Bureau of EMS Policy Statement
Policy Statement # 08-05
Date 07/31/2008
Subject Instructor Certification
Supercedes/Updates 05-06

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to describe the New York State (NYS) Department of Health (DOH) Bureau of EMS:

  • entry requirements,
  • certification requirements,
  • processing, and
  • recertification requirements

for Certified Lab Instructors (CLI) and Certified Instructor Coordinators(CIC).

Definitions

The following definitions are found in Chapter VI Title 10 Part 800.3 of the New York State Official Compilation of Codes Rules and Regulations:

  • A Certified Laboratory Instructor means a person certified pursuant to these regulations to instruct, in psychomotor skills, candidates in courses leading to certification as an emergency medical technician or certified first responder.
  • A Certified Instructor Coordinator means a person certified pursuant to these regulations to serve as the lead instructor for courses leading to certification as an emergency medical technician or certified first responder.

Policy

The Certified Lab Instructor Entry Requirements are as follows:

  1. Complete an Application for Instructor Certification (DOH-2260).
  2. Hold current certification as a NYS EMT or Advanced EMT.
  3. Must have taken a NYS EMT/AEMT written certification examination within the past three years and scored at least 85%. Candidates who wish to teach advanced skills must also score at least 85% on the advanced portion of the AEMT exam. The Certified Lab Instructor candidate must be certified at or above the desired teaching level.
  4. Those who have recertified through the Pilot EMS Recertification Program must contact the Bureau of EMS Central Office at 1-800-628-0193 to take a NYS EMS written examination for an "instructor score," if the candidate has not done so in the past three years. The "instructor score" will not affect the candidate's EMT/AEMT certification expiration date.
  5. Must be actively providing on-going, direct, hands-on, pre-hospital patient care with an EMS agency and have a minimum of one year of clinical experience within the last three years.
  6. Submit a letter of recommendation from the Course Sponsor that will be providing the instructor internship.
  7. Successfully complete the pre-screening examination.

The Certified Lab Instructor Certification Requirements are as follows:

  1. Attend and successfully complete all modules of the Certified Lab Instructor course.
  2. Serve an instructor internship under the supervision of a Certified Instructor Coordinator in either an EMT or Advanced EMT course. The internship must meet the objectives outlined in Bureau of EMS Policy Statement 04-04.
    1. Deliver a minimum of 33 hours of lab sessions, from various modules, as part of a NYS EMS certification course.
  3. Submit the following items to the Bureau of EMS Regional Office Representative within 18 months of Certified Lab Instructor course completion:
    1. The Certified Lab Instructor Internship Completion Report (DOH-3378) completed by the supervising Certified Instructor Coordinator.
    2. The completed and signed Certified Lab Instructor Internship Tracking Worksheet.
    3. A favorable Lab Instruction Audit Report (DOH-2423) conducted by the supervising Certified Instructor Coordinator.
    4. A favorable Lab Instruction Audit Report (DOH-2423) conducted by a Certified Lab Instructor or another Certified Instructor Coordinator. This audit must be from someone other than the supervising Certified Instructor Coordinator. Note: Audits must be completed by a currently certified Certified Lab Instructor/Certified Instructor Coordinator. Note: Individuals with whom the Certified Lab Instructor candidate has a close interpersonal relationship (real or perceived) may not serve as the candidate's supervising Certified Instructor Coordinator and/or auditor during the instructor internship. Clarifications concerning this exclusion may be directed to the Bureau of EMS, prior to the start of the instructor certification process. Violations of this requirement may result in denial of instructor certification and/or revocation of the supervising and/or auditor's instructor certification.
    5. A letter of recommendation from the Regional EMS Council (REMSCO) Training Committee, if one exists.
  4. Continue to meet Certified Lab Instructor Entry Requirements.
  5. As a practicing Certified Lab Instructor, comply with:
    1. NYS Public Health Law;
    2. Chapter VI Title X Part 800 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations, and;
    3. Policies as issued by the Bureau of EMS.
    4. Violations of 5a, 5b, or 5c of this section may result in denial of instructor certification or suspension or revocation of current instructor certification based upon a review by the Bureau of EMS.

The Certified Instructor Coordinator Entry Requirements are as follows:

  1. Complete an Application for Instructor Certification (DOH-2260).
  2. Hold current certification as a NYS EMT or Advanced EMT.
  3. Hold current certification as a NYS Certified Lab Instructor.
  4. Must have taken a NYS EMT/AEMT written certification examination within the past three years and scored at least 85%. Candidates who wish to teach advanced courses must also score at least 85% on the advanced portion of the AEMT exam. The Certified Instructor Coordinator candidate must be certified at or above the desired teaching level.
  5. Those who have recertified through the Pilot EMS Recertification Program must contact the Bureau of EMS Central Office at 1-800-628-0193 to take a NYS EMS written examination for an "instructor score," if the candidate has not done so in the past three years. The "instructor score" will not affect the candidate's EMT/AEMT certification expiration date.
  6. Must be actively providing on-going, direct, hands-on, pre-hospital patient care with an EMS agency and have a minimum of two years of clinical experience (two of the last three years).
  7. Submit a letter recommendation from the Course Sponsor that will be providing the instructor internship.

The Certified Instructor Coordinator Certification Requirements are as follows:

  1. Attend and successfully complete all modules of the Certified Instructor Coordinator course.
  2. Successfully complete an instructor internship under the supervision of a current Certified Instructor Coordinator in either an EMT or Advanced EMT course. The candidate must:
    1. prepare and deliver 50 hours of didactic material, from various modules, as part of a NYS EMS certification course, and
    2. directly coordinate and supervise a minimum of 9 hours of lab sessions in a NYS EMS certification course. The Candidate must plan, coordinate and implement lab sessions, observe Certified Lab Instructor performance, and debrief staff with the supervising Certified Instructor Coordinator. In addition, the internship must meet the objectives outlined in the Certified Instructor Coordinator curriculum and Bureau of EMS Policy Statement 04-04.
  3. Submit the following items to the Bureau of EMS Regional Office within 18 months of Certified Instructor Coordinator course completion:
    1. The Certified Instructor Coordinator Internship Completion Report (DOH-3377) completed by the supervising Certified Instructor Coordinator.
    2. The completed and signed Certified Instructor Coordinator Internship Tracking Worksheet.
    3. A favorable Didactic Presentation Audit Report (DOH-2424) conducted by the supervising Certified Instructor Coordinator.
    4. A favorable Didactic Presentation Audit Report (DOH-2424) conducted by a Regional Faculty member or the Bureau of EMS Regional Office Representative. Note: Audits must be completed by a currently certified Certified Lab Instructor/Certified Instructor Coordinator. Note: Individuals with whom the Certified Instructor Coordinator candidate has a close interpersonal relationship (real or perceived) may not serve as the candidate's supervising Certified Instructor Coordinator and/or auditor during the instructor internship. Clarifications concerning this exclusion may be directed to the Bureau of EMS, prior to the start of the instructor certification process. Violations of this requirement may result in denial of instructor certification and/or revocation of the supervising and/or auditor's instructor certification.
    5. A letter of recommendation from the Regional EMS Council Training Committee, if one exists.
  4. Continue to meet Certified Instructor Coordinator Entry Requirements.
  5. As a practicing Certified Instructor Coordinator, comply with:
    1. NYS Public Health Law;
    2. Chapter VI Title X Part 800 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations, and;
    3. Policies as issued by the Bureau of EMS.
    4. Violations of 5a, 5b, or 5c of this section may result in denial of instructor certification or suspension or revocation of current instructor certification based upon a review by the Bureau of EMS.

Bureau of EMS Instructor Processing

It is the responsibility of the individual seeking instructor certification to meet the entry requirements and submit the completed documentation to the Bureau of EMS Regional Office Representative. The completed file will be reviewed by the Bureau of EMS Regional Office Representative who will do one of the following:

  1. Recommend to the Bureau of EMS Central Office that certification be issued, or
  2. Extend the internship period for a specific amount of time and arrange for appropriate remediation by notifying the candidate in writing, or
  3. Recommend to the Bureau of EMS Central Office that certification be denied.

Upon receipt of a favorable recommendation from the Bureau of EMS Regional Office Representative and the completed file, the Bureau of EMS Central Office will:

  1. Issue certification to the individual with an instructor number and expiration date that is three years after the date of issuance
  2. Notify the individual of the recertification requirements

Instructor Recertification

The Certified Lab Instructor Recertification Requirements are as follows:

  1. Must hold current certification as a NYS EMT or Advanced EMT.
  2. Must have taken a NYS EMT/AEMT written certification examination within the past three years and scored at least 85%. Candidates who wish to teach advanced skills must also score at least 85% on the advanced portion of the AEMT exam. The candidate must be certified at or above at or above the desired teaching level.
  3. Those who have recertified through the Pilot EMS Recertification Program must contact the Bureau of EMS Central Office at 1-800-628-0193 to take a NYS EMS written examination for an "instructor score," if the candidate has not done so in the past three years. The "instructor score" will not affect the candidate's EMT/AEMT certification expiration date.
  4. Must complete and submit the Application for Instructor Recertification (DOH-3508) to the Bureau of EMS Central Office. The applicant must also show proof of:
    1. Actively providing on-going, direct, hands-on, pre-hospital patient care with an EMS agency and have a minimum of one year of Certified Lab Instructornical experience within the last three years.
    2. Participation as a Certified Lab Instructor in at least one course within the past three years.
    3. Participation in at least 6 hours of instructor level training approved by the Bureau of EMS Central Office.
  5. As a practicing Certified Lab Instructor, comply with:
    1. NYS Public Health Law;
    2. Chapter VI Title X Part 800 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations and;
    3. Policies as issued by the Bureau of EMS.
    4. Violations of 5a, 5b, or 5c of this section may result in denial of instructor recertification or suspension or revocation of current instructor certification based upon a review by the Bureau of EMS.

The Certified Instructor Coordinator Recertification Requirements are as follows:

  1. Must hold current certification as a NYS EMT or Advanced EMT.
  2. Must have taken a NYS EMT/AEMT written certification examination within the past three years and scored at least 85%. Candidates who wish to teach advanced courses must also score at least 85% on the advanced portion of the AEMT exam. Candidates must be certified at or above the desired teaching level.
  3. Those who have recertified through the Pilot EMS Recertification Program must contact BEMS Central Office at 1-800-628-0193 to take a NYS EMS written examination for an "instructor score," if the candidate has not done so in the past three years. The "instructor score" will not affect the candidate's EMT/AEMT certification expiration date.
  4. Must complete and submit an Application for Instructor Recertification (DOH-3508) to the Bureau of EMS Central Office. The applicant must also show proof of:
    1. Serving as the Certified Instructor Coordinator of record for at least one NYS EMS approved course within the past three years. If the candidate has not served as the Certified Instructor Coordinator of record for at least one NYS EMS approved course within the past three years, then s(he) will be required to successfully complete another internship as outlined in numbers 2 and 3 of Certified Instructor Coordinator CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. This alternate method for completing this requirement will be granted as a one-time courtesy.
    2. Participation in at least six (6) hours of instructor-level continuing education approved by the Bureau of EMS Central Office.
  5. As a practicing Certified Instructor Coordinator, comply with:
    1. NYS Public Health Law;
    2. Chapter VI Title X Part 800 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations, and;
    3. Policies as issued by the Bureau of EMS.
    4. Violations of 5a, 5b, or 5c of this section may result in denial of instructor recertification or suspension or revocation of current instructor certification based upon a review by the Bureau of EMS.

Notes

Certified Lab Instructors holding a permanent or provisional teaching certificate from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) may be eligible for advanced standing in a Certified Instructor Coordinator course. The Certified Instructor Coordinator candidate will be required to provide a copy of the NYSED teaching certificate and a copy of the Certified Lab Instructor certificate to the Bureau of EMS Central Office. If approved, the candidate will be notified of the modules of the course he or she is required to attend.

Instructor reciprocity from other states will be handled by the Bureau of EMS Central Office on a case-by-case basis.

Currently the Bureau of EMS has approved instructor-level training for the following programs:

  • Certified Instructor Updates approved by the Bureau of EMS Central Office
  • Instructor certification or update courses sponsored by American Heart Association, American Red Cross, National Safety Council, National Association of EMTs, and others that may be approved by the BEMS Central Office on a case-by-case basis.

Issued and authorized by Bureau of EMS Office of the Director.