Opposing Degree Requirements for Paramedic Certification

The IAFC continues to have serious concerns about proposals to require paramedic students to obtain a college degree as part of their licensure process. The IAFC believes this requirement would increase paramedic shortages and force many paramedic training programs to close. The combination of these two factors would make it increasingly difficult for fire departments to meet the EMS needs of their communities.

As this proposal continues circulating through the EMS world, it is important for fire and EMS leaders to have a thorough understanding of this issue. This toolkit provides contains several resources for fire and EMS chiefs looking to push back against this proposal:

• IAFC Position Statement in Opposition to EMS Degree Requirements
• FAQs: Degree Requirements for Paramedics (pdf)
• Podcast: Chief Mike McEvoy, EMS Section Chair, advocates for opposing degree requirements in the podcast from Medic Mindset.
• Podcast: Chief David Becker, past EMS Section Chair, advocates for rejecting degree requirements on an episode of the Code3 podcast.
• On Scene: Is a Degree for EMS Providers Needed to Advance the Profession
• FireRescue1: Does a Piece of Paper Make You a Professional?
• Joint Fire Service Statement Opposing EMS Degree Requirements

Please contact the EMS Section if you believe any additional resources would be helpful in opposing this proposal.