It is the policy of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians to administer its certification examinations in a manner that does not discriminate against an otherwise qualified applicant. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians offers reasonable and appropriate accommodations for the written and psychomotor components of the registration examination for those persons with documented disabilities, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The National Registry urges candidates requesting any accommodation to submit such requests as early as possible to provide adequate time to resolve any documentation issues that may arise. At a minimum, all requests for accommodations must be received by the National Registry no less than thirty (30) days before the desired test date.

The National Registry will review each request on an individual basis and make decisions relative to appropriate accommodations based on the following general guidelines:

1. To be considered for an accommodation under the ADA, an individual must present adequate documentation demonstrating that his/her condition substantially limits one or more major life activities.
2. Only individuals with disabilities who, with or without reasonable accommodations, meet the eligibility requirements for certification at the level of the requested examination are eligible for accommodations.
3. Requested accommodations must be reasonable and appropriate for the documented disability and must not fundamentally alter the examination’s ability to assess the essential functions of out-of-hospital care, which the test is designed to measure.
4. Professionals conducting assessments, rendering diagnoses of specific disabilities and/or making recommendations for appropriate accommodations must be qualified to do so
5. The National Registry realizes that each candidate’s circumstances are unique and uses a case-by-case approach to review the documentation.
6. All documentation submitted in support of a requested accommodation will be kept in confidence and will be disclosed to National Registry staff and consultants only to the extent necessary to evaluate the accommodation. No information concerning an accommodation request will be released to third parties without written permission from the candidate.

The National Registry does not set policy for educational institutions regarding appropriate accommodations in the classroom. However, in the interests of public protection and appropriate counseling of prospective EMS students, coordination of National Registry and educational accommodation policies is critical. EMS educators should seek guidance from the Disabilities support services connected with their educational institution. Independent education courses that are not sponsored by institutions with disability support should contact their State EMS Office for advice. Furthermore, educators and state offices should familiarize themselves with these guidelines for standard use:

• No discussion or screening for disabilities, or other addressing of potential disabilities should be performed prior to a student’s admission to a training program. No inquiry may be made of a prospective student about any disability. Aptitude or diagnostic testing may only be required prior to admission if it is required of all students
• The EMT job description, which is included in EMT curricula, should be provided for each student at the beginning of their training.
• At the beginning of a course (but never before the course begins), instructors should inquire if there are students who may request accommodations for disabilities. If students request accommodations, the instructor should refer or advise the individual to contact the state EMS office directly to assure a consistent approach to the application of appropriate accommodations in the classroom.

Educators should request documentation of the disability be sent to the school’s disability coordinator. Accommodations provided in the classroom setting should be approved in consultation with the disability coordinator and a disability expert (generally an educational psychologist).

Students who have stated they have a disability and are seeking an accommodation on the National Registry examination should be directed to the National Registry website and follow the instructions provided. The National Registry recommends that all applicants complete an online profile and apply to take an National Registry National EMS Certification examination 4-6 weeks prior to the desired date of examination.

The National Registry National EMS Certification has two components: a computer based cognitive examination and a psychomotor examination, where candidates must perform competently some psychomotor aspects of the job of a Paramedic.

Candidates requesting accommodations should print out and follow the “How to request an accommodation” step by step guide in the section below. Following these steps, including the timely submission of appropriate documentation, will facilitate the National Registry’s review regarding appropriate accommodations.

Although each accommodation request is analyzed separately, some general principles guide National Registry decisions. Documentation must be current and provided by a qualified professional. Documents will be reviewed by National Registry psychoeducational consultants and approval of accommodations must be obtained by the National Registry.

The National Registry administers examinations in English only and does not provide accommodations for English language learners or individuals with limited English proficiency as they are not considered disabled under the ADA.

The psychomotor examination evaluates necessary skills and simulations of skills required of a Paramedic. Use of assistive devices on the psychomotor examination to assist disabled persons to demonstrate psychomotor competency may be permitted provided these same assistive devices can be used safely and effectively on the job. Prior approval of use of any of these devices on an National Registry psychomotor examination must be obtained. Decisions can not be made at the examination site. Documentation of a physical disability must be submitted in accordance with information found on the National Registry website.

The National Registry took a lead role in responding to the ADA in 1991 to assess its impact upon testing, licensing and certification of Emergency Medical Technicians. The National Registry has worked with psychoeducational consultants, occupational rehabilitation specialists, reading specialists and legal counsel to develop its current accommodation policies. These disability and educational specialists reviewed job descriptions, functional job analysis, tasks within the National Registry practice analysis, and observed EMS providers in the field. The National Registry also worked in conjunction with state EMS licensing agencies to develop the current policies.

The National Registry is committed to the provision of reasonable accommodations which do not compromise the ability of its certification tests to evaluate a candidate’s ability to safely and effectively perform the critical tasks in the provision of EMS care. National Registry certification attests to a standard of care in the interest of public protection. Accordingly, this standard guides the accommodations that can be made for candidates taking the National Registry examination. The National Registry also recognizes that each disability is unique to the individual and all National Registry decisions regarding reasonable accommodation are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The National Registry is the national EMS certification agency and does not issue a state license or permit to work. Not all aspects of an EMS professional's job are covered in the National Registry cognitive or psychomotor examinations. Accordingly, the state licensing agencies will continue to have the responsibility and authority to determine an applicant’s ability to safely and effectively provide EMS services with respect to those physical and mental skills not tested on National Registry certification examinations.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is designed to eliminate unnecessary barriers to people with disabilities in the areas of employment, transportation, public accommodations, public services, and telecommunications. This comprehensive federal act has many sections that affect builders, state and local governments and employers. Title III of the ADA specifically assures that certification test sponsors must provide appropriate accommodations to otherwise qualified candidates so as to permit candidates to be tested on their true abilities.

If you are requesting an accommodation on any level of the National Registry examination, you must complete the following steps:

____ If you do not already have a National Registry account with a username and password, create a New Account on the National Registry homepage. If you forgot your username or password, use the Password Recovery Page for assistance.

____ Complete an application to take the examination. Do not pay the fee to take the test until you have received your Accommodations Letter.

____ Print and review the following documents:

• Accommodations Questionnaire
• Accommodations Check List 
• Examination Accommodations Disability Policy 

____ Email the following documents to accommodations@nremt.org at least 30 days prior to requesting a test date:

• Completed and signed Accommodations Questionnaire
• A letter from an appropriately credentialed professional, such as an educational psychologist with (1) the diagnosis of your disability, (2) specific disability symptoms, and (3) recommendations for accommodations
  • This information should be written on professional letterhead, dated, and signed
• Psychological evaluation, signed comprehensive assessment report, and accompanying standard scores
• Evidence of previously approved accommodations
• A personal statement written by you describing your disability and its impact on our daily life and educational functioning

*Please note: Some accomodations requests may require additional documentation

____ The National Registry will send you an email to confirm receipt of your documentation and follow up with an Accommodations Letter indicating whether your request has been granted.

____ If you have not completed the EMS training course but have already received an Accommodations Letter from the National Registry approving your accommodation, you need to wait until your course has been completed and your EMS Program Director validates your successful completion on the National Registry website. The EMS Program Director’s validation of your course completion will result in your receipt of an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter.

____ If you have already completed your course and received an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter, wait to receive your Accommodations Letter before scheduling a test.

____ Do not attempt to schedule your examination until you have received BOTH your Accommodations Letter AND Authorization to Test (ATT).

____ When you receive the Accommodations Letter, it will include instructions on how to schedule your test with Pearson VUE via telephone. Do not schedule your test online. You will not receive your accommodations.

____ Arrive on time at your scheduled examination appointment with two forms of identification (one must be a government issued identification with a photo) and prepare to take a computer based examination as outlined in your ATT letter and per the instructions regarding accommodations given to you by the Pearson VUE Accommodations Coordinator.

____If you have any questions, contact the National Registry at accommodations@nremt.org.