Lapsed Paramedic License - Illinois

[Kyleme3]

Hello my fellow EMTs. My state paramedic license (Illinois) expired in 2013 and I don’t have NREMT-P. The reason why I let it lapse is because I had too much going on with family and life.

I searched this forum and folks mentioned the best way to get my license back is by taking NREMT-P, + completing a 60 hour refresher course, proving my paramedic program was accredited etc. I contacted nremt.org and they confirmed this pathway to get my license. But when I called my regional ems coordinator, they said I would have to take the entire paramedic program all over again. When I told her about going the NREMT route she seemed confused and didn’t know what to tell me.

I really missed being a medic and wouldn’t mind studying for the nremt test and doing refreshers to get my license back. But going through the entire paramedic program is not possible.

Has anyone had issues getting license back despite completing nremt-p exam + refresher courses? If Chicago is making me take an entire program again, would I be able to take my nremt-p certification to another state? Sorry for the questions, I just don’t want to waste my time taking the national and all the refresher for nothing.
I’m hoping that the person I talked to didn’t know what she was talking about.
Btw I completed my medic course in 2008 from a well known city college.

Thank you

 

[NomadicMedic]

You definitely need to call your state EMS office for clarification on the pathway. In looking at the reinstatement policy, Illinois will only allow you to reinstate your certification following a lapse of 36 months or less. As a workaround, you may be able to obtain a reinstated national registry certification after a refresher, challenging the psychomotor and cognitive exam, and then applying for reciprocity. But, it’s up to the state office or regional office, depending on who issues credentials, on whether or not they will accept that pathway.

As an aside, NREMT reciprocity is a pretty common method for reinstatement in Pennsylvania. We often have providers leave the state, practice in Maryland or another state, when they come back they simply reinstate through endorsement. They provide a national registry certification and the appropriate background checks, and we reinstate their certification.

 

[Kyleme3]

You definitely need to call your state EMS office For clarification on the pathway. In looking at the reinstatement policy, Illinois will only allow you to reinstate your certification following a lapse of 36 months or less. As a workaround, you may be able to obtain a reinstated national registry certification after a refresher, challenging the psychomotor and cognitive exam, and then applying for reciprocity. But, it’s up to the state office or regional office, depending on who issues credentials, on whether or not they will accept that pathway.

As an aside, NREMT reciprocity is a pretty common method for reinstatement in Pennsylvania. We often have providers leave the state, practice in Maryland or another state, when they come back they simply reinstate through endorsement. They provide a national registry certification and the appropriate background checks, and we reinstate their certification.

Thank you! I’ll call the state again and see if I can talk to someone else. They always tell me to call my region in chicago. Folks in Chicago are clueless and read the same info from the website. Crossing my fingers that there’s a way for me to come back! Thanks again