Section 1810. Qualifications for EMS physician endorsement

A physician seeking endorsement as an EMS physician shall hold a current unrestricted license to practice medicine or osteopathy issued by the Virginia Board of Medicine. The applicant must submit documentation of his qualifications for review on a form prescribed by the Office of EMS. The documentation required shall present evidence of the following:

1. Board certification in emergency medicine or that applicant is in the active application process for board certification in emergency medicine issued by a national organization recognized by the Office of EMS, or board certification in family practice, internal medicine, or surgery or is in the active application process for board certification in family practice, internal medicine, or surgery issued by a national organization recognized by the Office of EMS. As an applicant under this section, a physician must also submit documentation of successful course completion or current certification in ACLS, ATLS, and PALS or present documentation of equivalent education in cardiac care, trauma care, and pediatric care completed within the past five years.

2. Completion of an EMS medical direction program approved by the Office of EMS prior to submitting application for consideration of endorsement as an EMS physician.

3. In the event that an EMS agency or training program is located in a geographic area that does not have available a physician meeting the requirements stated in subdivisions 1 or 2 of this section, or if an EMS agency has a specific need for a physician meeting specialized knowledge requirements (i.e., pediatrics, neonatology, etc.), then an available physician may submit his qualifications to serve as an EMS physician under these circumstances. An EMS physician endorsed under this subsection by the Office of EMS is limited to service within the designated geographic area or agency.

A physician seeking endorsement under this section must provide documentation of successful course completion or current certification in cardiac care, trauma care, and pediatric care or equivalent education such as ACLS, ATLS and PALS completed within one year of endorsement. All or part of this requirement may be waived if the Office of EMS determines this training is not required due to the specialized nature of the EMS agency to be served.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 19, Issue 03, eff. January 15, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 29, Issue 01, eff. October 10, 2012.

Statutory Authority

§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-111.4 of the Code of Virginia.