How to Become an EMT in Oregon
Emergency medical technician training in Oregon is set up like many other states. Oregon EMT training starts with going through an EMT program at a college or other Institution. Next applicants must pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exams in order to get National EMT certification.
Lastly, the candidate must qualify for an Oregon state EMT license which allows them to work in the state of Oregon. Each step in the Oregon EMT training process has it’s own set of requirements which are discussed below.
Levels of Certification in Oregon
EMS Levels In Oregon State
• Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Advanced EMT (AEMT)
• EMT Intermediate (EMT-I)
• Paramedic (EMT-P)
Candidates can apply for an EMT license in Oregon by going to the Oregon Health Authority site at oregon.gov. Applicants must create an account in order to apply for their initial license in Oregon.
All documents that need to be sent in should be mailed to the Oregon Health Authority at:
OHA EMS & Trauma System Office
800 NE Oregon Street
Suite 305
Portland, OR 97232
EMT Training in Oregon
EMT training in Oregon is available at many schools and Universities throughout the state. Many Oregon EMT schools offer EMT, AEMT, EMT-I, and/or Paramedic training programs.
When signing up for a Paramedic program in Oregon it’s important to make sure that the program is accredited.
You can find a list of Oregon EMT schools for all levels of EMT training at the bottom of this page. This list also includes accredited paramedic programs.
Education and testing for EMTs in Oregon is overseen by the Oregon EMS and Trauma Systems Office. Oregon EMT schools will prepare students to provide emergency care to the critically ill or acutely injured patient.
Graduates learn rapid and accurate patient assessments along with the ability to transport patients safely to medical facilities as needed.
After graduation, students are able to respond to emergency situations, assess patient signs and symptoms, and perform life saving skills. Emergency situations EMT’s are likely to encounter can include respiratory distress, drownings, cardiac arrest, and car accidents.
Some life saving skills needed by EMTs include bleeding management, oxygen administration, and CPR.
Oregon EMT School Curriculum
Oregon uses the National EMS Education Standards to determine the schooling requirements for each level of emergency medical technician. The following are the basic schooling requirements needed for each level of emergency medical technician available in Oregon.
Emergency Medical Technician
· Must complete at least 8 hours in a hospital emergency department.
• Must complete 8 hours of prehospital experience with supervision by a licensed EMT.
• Must complete mid-course and final examinations along with final practical examinations.
Advanced Emergency Medical Technician
· Applicant must have an EMT license before they are eligible to enroll in an AEMT course in Oregon. The AEMT course will teach the didactic, psychomotor skills, and clinical education needed to perform the duties of an entry level AEMT.
· The AEMT course will include a field internship with the following requirements.
· Must complete a field internship in a medical clinic or hospital emergency department. It will be at least 8 hours long and must include 20 patient contacts.
· Must complete 8 hours of prehospital experience with supervision by an AEMT or higher level EMS personnel.
Emergency Medical Technician Intermediate
· Applicants must already have an AEMT license before they are eligible to enroll in the Oregon EMT-I course.
· Must complete clinical experience in a hospital emergency department or a medical clinic. At least 8 hours and 20 patient contacts must be completed.
· Must complete at least 8 hours of prehospital experience while being supervised by an EMT-I or higher level EMS personnel.
Paramedic
· Applicants must already have an EMT, AEMT, or EMT-I license before they are eligible to enroll in an Oregon Paramedic Training course.
· A field internship is a required part of a Paramedic training course in Oregon.
· During the field internship the student must provide patient care in at least 40 EMS calls and at least 30 of the calls must be advanced life support (ALS) ambulance calls.
Of the 40 calls there must be 8 of each of the following areas: cardiac, respiratory, trauma emergencies, and general medical.
· To become a paramedic in Oregon, candidates must complete an accredited program with an associate’s degree. Candidates must also have experience working for an EMS agency or the United States military. If those requirements aren’t met, a provisional license may be granted to help candidates get the needed experience and education.
EMT School Requirements Oregon
Oregon EMS programs have requirements for acceptance. Each school’s program can add it’s own requirements, but generally most schools want the following standard prerequisites met for acceptance into any Oregon EMT program.
Paramedic programs have additional requirements, for more information see our Paramedic page.
– Must be 18 years old by date of course completion.
– Must have a High School Diploma, GED or equivalent.
– Must have a valid photo ID.
– May need to achieve Math, Reading or Writing Placement test scores as needed for the college campus. (Ex: COMPASS or Accuplacer)
– Possess an American Heart Association BLS CPR for Healthcare Provider’s or a Red Cross Professional Rescuer CPR card. (Some classes include this in the training)
– Complete a State/National Criminal Background Check at own cost. (Estimate $50) There are some misdemeanor or felony convictions that may prevent you from becoming licensed or employed by an Oregon EMS Agency.
– Complete a 10 panel drug screen at your cost. Estimated $50.
– Provide proof of immunizations or titers prior to interactions with patients (field internship, etc). This includes:
TDAP vaccine
Varicella vaccine
MMR vaccine
Hepatitis B vaccine
The first 2 doses must be completed before the start of class begins. The third dose can be given after class is in session.
– Some Oregon EMS training programs require a recent flu vaccine and some programs just recommend it.
– Proof of negative TB test within the last 12 months.
EMT Certification Oregon
After completing EMT training in Oregon candidates will be eligible to pass exams and get certified. Like many other states, Oregon EMS uses the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) to do certification testing for EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic exams.
Testing done for EMT Intermediate candidates is done differently, using an exam developed in the state of Oregon.
In order for EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic candidates to become nationally certified they will need to complete two NREMT exams. The first exam is the Psychomotor or “practical” exam and the second is the Cognitive or “written” exam.
You can find more detailed information about both these on the NREMT exam page.
Oregon EMT candidates must pass both the cognitive and psychomotor exams within 24 months of completing the training course. If candidates don’t become licensed in that time, they will have to retake the entire EMT training program.
Directions for taking the psychomotor exam will usually be discussed by class instructors towards the end of the Oregon EMT program. Instructors will help students set up a place and time for the practical test. For help with passing the practical exam, check out the 7 expert tips post.
Paramedic and AEMT exams are coordinated through the Oregon Health Authority in the EMS Section. On their website you can find the exam schedule for a list of upcoming tests for paramedics and AEMTs.
The Cognitive exam needs to be passed by EMT, AEMT, and Paramedics and can be scheduled outside of the classroom. Students will submit a packet with application paperwork and the examination fee to their EMT course director.
The Oregon EMT course director will then send the documents to the Oregon Health Authority – EMS Section to be processed. Then the student can schedule their exam.
Oregon has a great page to help Oregon EMS students schedule the NREMT exam. Follow this link to the NREMT page for Oregon EMS students.
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