NAEMSE

Advancing EMS Education

John F. Kennedy once said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” It’s a point especially made valid by the advancing of an association whose leadership in the emergency medical services industry has been fundamentally compelled by its commitment to teaching the very professionals who perform critical life-saving services for our communities as well as our country. 

The National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) is a national, professional association comprised of more than 3,000 educators, instructors, teachers, training officers, directors and advisors for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) training institutions, organizations and volunteer EMS services from both the public and private sector. NAEMSE was founded in 1995 by Dr. Walt Stoy affiliated with the Center for Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For the last 18 years, NAEMSE has provided an opportunity for EMS educators to share insight and information concerning all aspects of EMS education at all levels; adhering to its mission to meet the wide range of educational needs required by those providing instruction to pre-hospital EMS personnel.

As the leader in EMS education, NAEMSE activities include an annual education and research symposia that provides continuing education for EMS educators from around the world. NAEMSE has also developed two National Instructor Courses that provides in-depth facilitation of the foundations of education. The course has successfully trained more than 6,000 EMS educators and has been adopted in 40 states as well as Canada. NAEMSE also proudly provides the training for the U.S. Combat Medics through curriculum conducted at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas. NAEMSE additionally collaborates with the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP) to provide accreditation workshops to EMS Program Directors as they prepare their applications which lead to accreditation. The Association’s has tirelessly worked with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of EMS on a range of projects which include: the National EMS Education Standards, the 2002 National Guidelines for EMS Education, State of EMS Education Research Project, rollout of the National Standard Curricula (NSC), development of The Revised EMS Instructor Curricula, and much more.

NAEMSE has proven highly effective in developing and maintaining partnerships with Federal, State and local EMS agencies to promote the understanding of the EMS system. It has also worked with NHTSA to provide a nationwide forum for assistance in the implementation of the various curricula through the EMS Instructor Rollout Workshops, National Standard Curricula Guidelines for Training of Paramedics and EMT-Intermediates. These projects have provided national guidelines for meeting the educational needs of EMS personnel striving to deliver efficient and effective patient care in emergency medical situations. All activities of the Association are designed to not only enhance learning for the next generation of EMS professionals, but also advance the future of EMS and EMS education.

The membership of NAEMSE reflects as diverse range of Instructors of CPR, First Aid Trainers, Field Training Officers, State EMS Directors and Coordinators, as well as representatives from the fire and military side of EMS. The Association routinely provides support of members through a variety of educational programs (all designed and developed by NAEMSE) which enable participants to earn the critical Continuing Education Units necessary for their yearly certification requirements.  The members of the association also receive their own respective ID and password that allows them to access  the “Member’s-only” area of the NAEMSE website, a repository of resources such as the Trading Post, an archive comprised of 3, 000 PowerPoint presentations, lectures, images and sound-bites members can use in their respective classrooms at no additional cost. The portal allows Members to rapidly access case-based studies, webinar lectures with downloadable PowerPoint’s and audio, educational technology video tutorials, skill competency assessments, and more. In terms of goals for the future, NAEMSE is developing educational programs that enhance the classroom via technology. The Association is also developing training support for Community-based Paramedicine.

The majority of EMS Educators start out working as an EMS professional for a hospital, community, county, private or fire service. Eventually, through their personal interest, professional development and continuing education, they become an educator in their service. According to the last membership survey, the typical NAEMSE member serves as an educator and remains a provider in the system serving a community throughout their career. That teaching capability and capacity to serve is augmented by an association fulfilling a mission to inspire and promote excellence in EMS education and lifelong learning within the global community.

To learn more about NAEMSE programs and member benefits, visit the Association’s website at:  NAEMSE