ALS Psychomotor Examination Discontinued - July 1, 2024 Transition to New AEMT and Paramedic Certification Examinations

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Rizky

The National Registry will discontinue the ALS psychomotor examinations used for NRAEMT and NRP certifications as new AEMT and Paramedic Certification Examinations launch on July 1, 2024, alongside Student Minimum Competency (SMC) requirements. Candidates must follow the transition plan: the last ALS psychomotor administration is June 30, 2024, and incomplete psychomotor steps must be replaced with the new examinations. The update is intended to modernize testing, improve efficiency, and offer a more precise assessment of entry-level competency through SMC documentation and varied evaluators.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Transition Overview

Effective Dates and Last Administration

Rationale for Discontinuation

Testing Modernization and Efficiency

Alignment With NCCA Requirements

What Changes for Candidates

Requirements for National Certification

Impact When Cognitive and Psychomotor Steps Are Incomplete

Key Takeaways and Assessment Commitments

Questions and Answers

State Licensure vs National Certification

Course Completion Timing Before July 1, 2024

Options and Eligibility After Discontinuation

ALS Psychomotor Examination Discontinued New AEMT and Paramedic Certification Examinations Launches July 1, 2024 With the launch of the new AEMT and Paramedic Certification Examinationsand the introduction of Student Minimum Competency (SMC) requirements, the ALS psychomotor examinations used for NRAEMT and NRP certifications will be discontinued. Through this process, the National Registry is committed to a transition plan that provides accessibility and a clear path to National Certification. Effective July 1, 2024, all candidates seeking certification as an NRAEMT and NRP will be required to take the National Registry’s new AEMT and Paramedic Certification Examinations. The last day the ALS psychomotor examination will be administered is June 30, 2024. Why is the National Registry discontinuing the ALS Psychomotor Examination? The National Registry is discontinuing the ALS Psychomotor Examinations (NRAEMT & NRP) because there have been advancements in testing practices and testing science, and there has been a consistent, resonant call for modernization and efficiency of our examinations by stakeholders across the industry. Modern practices in testing and certification, especially within most healthbased professions that administer high-stakes examinations, focus on delivering examinations that are transitioning away from administering psychomotor examinations. The move to the new AEMT and Paramedic Certification Examinations aligns with the requirements of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accreditation body for the National Registry as a certification organization. Issues raised by candidates, educators, and state regulators for the past several years include: Logistical and budgetary challenges with equipment and personnel Inconsistency in testing experience Subjective application of testing standards Emergency Medical Services being one of the last health industries that requires a psychomotor examination. The National Registry’s updated examination, used in conjunction with the SMC prerequisite, will offer a more precise measurement of entry-level competency (especially clinical judgment) when compared to the current ALS cognitive and psychomotor examinations. Documented skills progression over time via the SMC is stronger evidence of competency than the current ALS psychomotor examination. The SMC will record psychomotor competency differently and in a more comprehensive manner. Instead of a one-and-done event, psychomotor skills (and other competencies) will be captured over a longer period, in various settings, and with multiple and differing evaluators. What You Need To Know The National Registry is discontinuing the ALS Psychomotor Examination because there have been advancements in testing practices and testing science, and there has been a consistent, resonant call for modernization and efficiency by stakeholders across the industry. AEMT and Paramedic candidates who have passed the cognitive examination by June 30, 2024, but have not completed the psychomotor examination will be required to take the National Registry’s new AEMT or Paramedic Certification Examination. Candidates who have passed the ALS psychomotor examination by June 30, 2024, but have not completed the cognitive examination will be required to take the National Registry’s the new AEMT or Paramedic Certification Examination. Key Takeaways Effective July 1, 2024, all candidates for AEMT and Paramedic certification will be required to take the National Registry’s the new AEMT or Paramedic Certification Examination. The last day the ALS psychomotor examination will be administered is June 30, 2024. The National Registry is committed to ensuring an assessment process that is fair, accessible, and reliable. Regardless of circumstance, candidates will be given all reasonable opportunities to gain National Certification, within the bounds of organizational policy. Q

FAQs

When will the ALS psychomotor examination be discontinued?

The ALS psychomotor examination will be last administered on June 30, 2024. Effective July 1, 2024, candidates must take the National Registry’s new AEMT or Paramedic Certification Examinations.

If a candidate completes the cognitive exam but not the psychomotor exam by June 30, 2024, what must they do?

They will be required to take the new AEMT or Paramedic Certification Examination to complete National Certification requirements.

Will the discontinuation affect state licensure requirements that still use a psychomotor exam?

No. Beginning July 1, 2024, a psychomotor examination will no longer be required for National Certification, but candidates should check their State EMS Office for state requirements.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Rizky