Continuing Education (CE) is categorized into Category 1 – Required and Category 2 – Approved. In CAT 1, CE is further divided into five containers. Each container requires a different number of hours to recertify. The containers are: Airway, Cardiovascular, Trauma, Medical and Operations. See the tab Continuing Education Area & Content Assignment below for more details.
Provider Levels
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- Category 1 – Required – NCCR
- NCCR - National Continued Competency Requirements
- Category 2 – ‘Flexible’ – LCCR/ICCR
- LCCR - Local Continued Competency Requirements
- ICCR – Individual Continued Competency Requirements
- Category 1 – Required – NCCR
The following slides show the five (5) areas that National Registry and Virginia recognize for continuing education.
NREMT Recertification Requirements – October 1, 2023 forward
- EMR – 16 hours
- EMT – 40 hours
- AEMT – 50 hours
- Intermediate – 55 hours
- Paramedic – 60 hours
Click here for the Virginia Recertification Requirement Document.
Continuing education requirements will be changing later this year as we prepare for the 2025 National Registry recertification cycle.
The National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) was constructed using methodology similar to that of the American Board of Medical Specialties requirements and streamlines the recertification process into three strategic categories.
- National Component Requirements
- Local Component Requirements
- Individual Component Requirements
The National Continued Competency Program encourages Nationally Certified EMS personnel to pursue life-long education while also providing state and local agencies the freedom to customize continuing education to meet local operational needs.
National Component Requirements
The national component of the NCCP constitutes 50% of the total recertification requirements. Topics included in the national reflect current trends in evidence-based medicine, scope of practice changes and position papers from numerous associations involved with EMS research.
- Expiration dates through Sept. 30, 2025
- Expiration dates on or after March 31, 2026
Local Component Requirements
The local component constitutes 25% of the total recertification requirements. Specific topic requirements may be defined by your specific state, region or local agency. Examples of local content topics typically include state or local protocols, areas of specialization, or tasks that require additional focus based on QA/QI.
The local component allows national recertification requirements to be adapted to the needs of the state and local agencies. If your state, region, or local agency does not specify topics, the content is considered flexible.
Individual Component Requirements
The individual constitutes 25% of the recertification requirements. Registrants are free to take any state or CAPCE approved EMS-related education.
Synchronous Learning
Synchronous learning requires simultaneous attendance at scheduled meetings or lectures or online. While this could be in person in a traditional classroom, there will be an internet-based component to the class such as Zoom or MS Teams. This term is most often applied to what we call "online courses."
Examples of synchronous learning in an online setting may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Videoconferencing or teleconferencing opportunities
- Live chatting (via a learning management system chat room or the like)
- Live–streamed lectures or demonstrations that take place in real time
In Virginia, synchronous learning requires the educator to follow the Handbook for Webcasting of Continuing Education Programming. OEMS requires a TR-74 – Application for Designation as a Webcast Site on file for each receive site where the programming will be conducted.
Asynchronous Learning
Asynchronous learning allows students to access materials, ask questions, and practice their skills at any time that works for them. While this could be in person in a traditional classroom, the term is most often applied to online courses.
Asynchronous learning uses other tools and systems to allow the instructor and students to interact on their own schedules. These may include:
- Recorded presentations
- Email exchanges
- Discussion boards
- Cloud-based collaborative documents
Asynchronous education is permitted in Virginia so long as the educator/agency/locality is making use of a LMS with approval from OEMS of each courses content.
There are various types of continuing education (CE) materials out there. Click the tabs below to learn more.
Live In-Person Continuing Education
Also considered “traditional” education. The only differentiating factor between F1 and F2 is whether or not the class you’re attending is required every year to recertify.
- A good example of an F1 class would be an in-person class you attend that details a hot new topic in EMS.
- It may be a class you attend at a conference or a workshop you sign up for that really interests you.
Live In-Person Continuing Education (Continuous/Cyclical)
Courses required--by the state or your EMS Physician or agency--for you to recertify and maintain your certification.
- A good example here would be CPR for the BLS Healthcare provider, or
- ACLS if you’re an AEMT or Paramedic.
Online Distributive Continuing Education
This is the most common type of CE you’ll find on the web. These are individual courses that are accessible via websites that provide CE hours after you’ve successfully passed an exam at the conclusion of the course. These courses can be written, audio, or video.
- Depending on your EMT level, the NREMT allows a certain portion of your CE hours to be F3 distributive.
- In Virginia, this would be our approved Third Party CE vendors. Click here for a list of vendors.
Adaptive Learning
A course or program where students’ actions, performance and choices guide the direction of learning activities, including virtual programs using adaptive learning technology and patient simulations. Equivalent to classroom instruction which helps advance EMS education and CPR training.
- Example: Resuscitation Quality Improvement RQI and Heartcode 2025
Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) Continuing Education
VILT continuing education courses are held on the web in a webinar-style environment. You are attending a course in real-time with an instructor at a scheduled time. Courses contain interactive polling questions which must be answered to show your proof of attendance.
- There is a chat feature as well to interact with other attendees and ask questions throughout the class, share stories, and elaborate on learning objectives.
- In Virginia, these programs must meet the requirements outlined in OEMS document Delivering High-Quality Instruction Online.
- For a selection of current VILT courses happening in Virginia, click here.