An official website of the United States government.
2021 National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards
In 2009, the EMS community came together to create the original National EMS Education Standards (the Standards). This represented a major step toward realizing the vision put forth in the 1996 EMS Agenda for the Future and was further outlined in the EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach four years later. This new version of the Standards builds on the foundation created by those landmark documents and other achievements of the last quarter-century, including EMS Agenda 2050 and the National Scope of Practice Model.
The National EMS Education Standards outline the minimal competencies for entry-level EMS clinicians to perform their roles as outlined in the 2019 and 2021* updated National EMS Scope of Practice Model. The Standards, while a national effort, were intentionally created in a way that allows for diverse implementation methods to meet local needs and evolving educational practices. This less prescriptive format of the Standards allows for ongoing revision of EMS educational content consistent with scientific evidence, educational practices, and community standards of care.
Read the 2021 Standards here.