31-11-52. Certification of paramedics and cardiac technicians; provisional practice by military medical personnel.

The department shall establish procedures and standards for certifying and recertifying paramedics and cardiac technicians. An applicant for initial certification as a paramedic or a cardiac technician shall:#

1. (1)

   Submit a completed application on a form to be prescribed by the department, which shall include evidence that the applicant is 18 years of age or older and is of good moral character;#

2. (2)

   Submit from the department a notarized statement that the applicant has completed a training course approved by the department;#

3. (3)

   Submit to the department a fee as set forth in the regulations of the department; and#

4. (4)

   Meet such other requirements as are set forth in the rules and regulations of the department.#

The department shall also adopt procedures and standards for its approval of paramedic training courses and cardiac technician training courses. The department shall adopt such regulations after consultation with appropriate public and private agencies and organizations concerned with medical education and the practice of medicine. Procedures and standards adopted by the department shall be consistent with the purposes and provisions of this chapter.#

An applicant convicted of a felony more than five but less than ten years prior to application shall not be disqualified for certification, provided that such applicant has:#

1. (1)

   Successfully completed a training program approved by the department and sponsored by the Department of Corrections pursuant to Code Section 42-5-57; and#

2. (2)

   Met all other requirements as set forth in this chapter.#

The department, in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Service, shall establish a program through which military medical personnel may provisionally operate within their scope of practice and training for a period of 12 months without meeting the requirements provided for in paragraphs (2) and (4) of subsection (a) of this Code section. The program established pursuant to this subsection shall not conflict with or supplant Code Section 38-3-71 or Georgia’s status as a member of the EMS Interstate Compact.#

As used in this Code section, the term “military medical personnel” means an individual who has, within 12 months of seeking certification pursuant to this Code section, served as a medic in the United States Army, medical technician in the United States Air Force, or corpsman in the United States Navy or Coast Guard and who was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable.#