EMT License Requirements: How to Become an Emergency Medical Technician in Montana
Montana EMTs are licensed by the Board of Medical Examiners. They are considered Emergency Care Providers (ECPs).
Licensure is based on education and examination; the examination process in many cases also results in national certification. EMTs must be at least eighteen and must have graduated from high school or achieved equivalency.
EMTs may formerly continue their training at the advanced level or may receive training in particular areas that expand their scope of practice; the Montana Board recognizes several endorsements that are not necessarily in widespread usage around the nation.
Select a Montana EMT Topic:
- Montana EMT Education Standards
- The Examination Process
- Out-of-State Emergency Medical Technicians
- AEMT certification
- The Application Process
- EMT Endorsements
- Additional Information: Contacts for State and Local Agencies, Education Options & Other Helpful Resources
EMT Educational Standards
The prospective EMT must complete an approved training program. Montana programs are based on National Educational Standards (http://b.bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_boards/med_board/emt.asp).
There will be no more than a six to one student to instructor ratio for the practical skills portion of the course. The program will document practical skills evaluation for the Board. Site visits are carried out as part of the program application process.
The student will have at least five patient contacts where he or she carries out patient assessment.
The Board can consider education received in programs that are at least substantially equivalent to those that operate under its direct oversight.
The basic EMT program can typically be completed in a few months’ time.
EMT Examination
The student must successfully complete the course in order to be eligible to take written and practical examinations.
The National Registry examination is the one that is in widespread usage around the nation. Candidates who take the National Registry written certification examination will receive authorization from their programs. After receiving their ATTs, they will register through Pearson VUE. The examination is delivered via computer and so can be made available on an ongoing basis. The fee will increase from $70 to $80 in early 2017.
According to the 2014 annual report, Montana’s pass rate was above the national average; this was also the case in the three prior years reported.
Students should expect to receive information about the psychomotor, or practical, examination through their programs.
In order to achieve certification through the National Registry, students must complete programs that meet the current set of national standards. They must pass both examinations during the allotted time frame (https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/reg_basic_history.asp). EMTs who have already achieved state licensure can also seek national certification.
Board certification by the Board of Prehospital Care is also referenced in state code as an acceptable licensure pathway.
Out-of-State EMTs
Out-of-state Emergency Medical Technicians can be approved for licensure on the basis of either 1) third party certification or 2) licensure by a state that has requirements at least on a par with Montana; the Board considers both initial licensing and compliance when determining equivalency of requirements.
Out-of-state applicants are directed to provide verification of their licenses as well as copies of their certification (if applicable). Those that do not hold third party certification are asked to provide evidence that they passed an examination equivalent to the one administered by the NREMT.
The Board can accept certification through either the National Registry or the American Board of Pre-Hospital Care.
AEMT certification
An Emergency Medical Technician who seeks Advanced EMT licensure will again complete a training program and go through an examination process. Advanced EMT programs are under the direction of a medical director.
A student who goes through the National Registry certification process at the AEMT level will take his or her psychomotor examination under relatively standard conditions. Skills stations include the following: patient trauma assessment, patient medical assessment, cardiac arrest management, ventilator management, pediatric intraosseous infusion, IV and medication, and spinal immobilization. One other random skill will be tested (https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/reg_aemt_history.asp).
The cognitive portion of the AEMT examination is again made available through cooperation with Pearson VUE assessment center. At this level, the fee is slightly higher: $100.
The Application Process
Applications can be submitted online or downloaded and mailed to the Board Office in Helena (http://b.bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_boards/med_board/emt.asp).
The applicant will need to carry out a query of the National Practitioner Databank and forward the results unopened to the Board. He or she can go online to initiate the self-query (http://www.npdb-hipdb.com/).
The licensing agency will look for a birth certificate or other evidence of majority age.
Applicants who answer “yes” to legal or professional history questions will need to provide detailed explanation.
Applicants at the EMT level pay $50. Applicants at the AEMT level pay $70.
The Board notes that it generally takes ten business days to process a complete application package. Non-routine applications may take considerably longer.
An EMT who is already licensed in Montana will submit an application along with documentation of his or her new certification in order to obtain licensure at the higher level.
EMT Endorsements
Montana EMTs may practice under expanded scope of duty when authorized by their medical director. The following four endorsements are available at the EMT level: medication, airway, intravenous infusion/ intraosseous infusion (IV/ IO) initiation, and IV/ IO maintenance. The local medical director will determine the training that is necessary. Curriculum may be drawn from the Advanced EMT or paramedic curriculum.
The Board will look for verification of skills and knowledge.
An EMT with a medication endorsement might administer medications such as the following as governed by Montana protocol: epinephrine, nitroglycerin, oral glucose, and Benadryl.
Additional Information
Requests for information about Emergency Medical Technician licensing can be addressed to the Board of Medical Examiners (http://b.bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_boards/med_board/emt.asp) at (406) 841-2202 or ‘DLIBSDLicensingUnitB at mt.gov’. Individuals can also use an email contact form to contact the Board (http://b.bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_boards/med_board/emt.asp). Administrative rules and statutes are available online (http://b.bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_boards/med_board/emt.asp).
