How to Study for the NYC REMAC Exam in 30 Days

You can prepare for the NYC REMAC Basic exam in 30 days if you study a little every day instead of cramming: read a few pages of the 2026 protocols, answer questions on what you just read, and review what you missed. This plan gives you the exact protocol pages for each day, built around sessions of about 30 to 45 minutes that you can split into smaller pieces between calls, on the train or on a break.

The plan follows the 2026 NYC REMAC Prehospital Treatment Protocols (version 2026-01, effective August 1, 2026). Page numbers restart in each part of the book, so every reference below names the part: GOP, Protocols (the Treatment Protocols) or Appendix.

Key facts

• The exam: 120 multiple-choice questions, 3 hours, 80% to pass, based on the NYC REMAC Protocols
• What it weights (Administrative Manual, approximate): Treatment Protocols 60%, scenario-based 16%, GOP 12%, Appendices 12%
• Daily time: about 30-45 minutes, split however your day allows
• One long day: a full 3-hour practice exam in week 4
• What you need: the current protocol book (or a reader on your phone), a question source with page citations, and a way to review misses

For exam logistics, including registration, the $135 fee and what to bring, see the complete NYC REMAC exam guide.

Before day 1: register first

The exam runs once a month with limited seats, and registration closes when seats fill. The Administrative Manual says your application and fee are due by the first day of the month of the exam. So pick your date and register through the NYC REMSCO LMS before you start the 30 days, then count backwards. Confirm current dates and deadlines at nycremsco.org.

How each daily session works

Every day uses the same three steps. Do them in one sitting or in three short bursts.

1. Read (15-20 minutes). Read the day's pages in the protocol book. Don't skim the Medical Control Options or the Key Points / Considerations. That's where a lot of exam questions come from.
2. Answer (10-15 minutes). Do at least one set of 10 questions. If you can, choose questions on the topic you just read.
3. Review (5-10 minutes). For every miss, read the explanation, open the cited page and re-read the whole section. Turn the fact you missed into a flashcard.

Why this works: reading builds recognition, but the exam tests recall under time pressure. Answering questions right after reading forces recall while the material is fresh, and the review step fixes the specific gaps.

Tools that fit this routine

If you use RemacReady, here's how the pieces line up with the plan. You don't need all of them.

• Quick 10: ten random practice questions with full explanations, free once a day. Good for the daily "Answer" step and for mixed review.
• Question of the Day: one question a day, the same for everyone. A small habit for busy days.
• Protocol Reader: the REMAC documents on your phone for signed-in users, with search, highlights and notes. Explanations link to the cited page.
• Flashcards: make cards from what you read, then review them on a spaced schedule (Again, Hard, Good, Easy).
• Weakest Subject: a 12-question set from the subject where your score is lowest.
• Missed Questions: up to 25 questions you got wrong, so you can try them again.
• Mock Exam: 120 questions, a hard 3-hour clock, no feedback until you finish, then your score against 80% and every explanation.

Week 1: General Operating Procedures (days 1-7)

Start with the GOP. It's only about 12% of the exam directly, but it sets the rules every protocol uses: when OLMC is needed, oxygen standards, airway limits, IO access, shock definitions and transport destinations. Scenario questions lean on it constantly.

Two GOP facts to anchor the week:

• If you cannot reach OLMC, you may only give standing order medications and treatments (2026 NYC REMAC Protocols, GOP: Definitions, p. 2).
• "Appropriate oxygen therapy" means an NRB at 10-15 L/min or an NC at 2-6 L/min, required when SpO2 is under 92%, unavailable, or there are other signs of respiratory distress (2026 NYC REMAC Protocols, GOP: Oxygen Administration, p. 11).

Week 2: Cardiac arrest, rhythms, airway and breathing (days 8-14)

This week covers the critical protocols at the front of the Treatment Protocols plus the adult rhythm sub-protocols. Expect a lot of exact numbers: doses, joules, rates. Pull the related appendices (needle decompression, CPAP, vasopressor rates) in on the same day.

Watch the near-misses. Unstable SVT and unstable VT with a pulse start synchronized cardioversion at 100 J, but unstable A-fib or flutter starts at 200 J (2026 NYC REMAC Protocols, Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) (Adult), p. 26; Atrial Fibrillation / Atrial Flutter, p. 24).

Week 3: Medical, OB and pediatrics (days 15-21)

The largest block of the book. Focus on which provider level does what, and which steps are standing orders versus Medical Control Options. OB and neonatal protocols reward careful reading of thresholds and sequences.

One example of why authorization matters: magnesium sulfate 4 g IV over 10 minutes is a paramedic standing order for eclampsia, but a Medical Control Option for pre-eclampsia with severe features (2026 NYC REMAC Protocols, Obstetric Emergencies, p. 30).

Week 4: Trauma, HAZMAT, appendices and the full mock (days 22-30)

Finish the book, close out the appendices, then switch to exam mode. Take the full-length practice test on day 27, spend day 28 on every miss, and keep the last two days light.

The 30-day REMAC study plan

If you have a day off from work, use it to get ahead. If a shift runs long, do the Answer step and push the reading to tomorrow. The plan bends; just don't skip more than one day in a row.

How to make short sessions count

Read with a question in mind

For every protocol, ask three things: what does each level do, what is a standing order versus a Medical Control Option, and what are the numbers. If you can answer those from memory, you know the protocol.

Study the Key Points

Key Points / Considerations hold many of the testable details: contraindications, cautions and exceptions. For example, nitroglycerin is not given to patients who have used erectile dysfunction medication in the past 72 hours unless OLMC directs (2026 NYC REMAC Protocols, Acute Coronary Syndrome, p. 21).

Link protocols to appendices

The protocols constantly send you to an appendix: Appendix M for needle decompression, Appendix G for stroke triage, Appendix E for trauma center criteria. Read the appendix the same day you read the protocol that points to it. That's how the table above is built.

Keep a misses list

Every question you miss is information. Keep a short list of what you got wrong and why: wrong number, wrong level, missed an OLMC requirement, didn't know the appendix. Patterns show up fast, and they tell you where your next session should go.

Don't fake the mock

On day 27, sit the full 120 questions in one block with a 3-hour clock. No pausing, no looking things up. You're testing pacing and stamina as well as knowledge.

If you have less than 30 days

• Two weeks: combine pairs of days. GOP in three days, then the protocols in roughly the same order, the full mock around day 12, review after.
• One week: prioritize the GOP definitions and transport rules, cardiac arrest and rhythms, and the high-yield appendices (E, F, G, L, M, N, P), and answer as many cited questions as you can.

Less time means less reading and more questions. Let your misses decide what you read.

Frequently asked questions

Is 30 days enough to study for the NYC REMAC exam?

For many paramedics who have just finished a NYC program, a focused month is a reasonable plan. If you trained in another state or under National Registry, give yourself extra time to learn NYC-specific doses, destinations and OLMC rules. Your practice results are a better guide than the calendar.

How many hours a day should I study for the REMAC?

This plan uses about 30-45 minutes a day, plus one 3-hour mock exam. Consistency matters more than marathon sessions. If you have more time, add questions rather than re-reading.

Which protocols should I study first?

Start with the General Operating Procedures. They define standing orders, Medical Control Options, oxygen and airway rules and transport destinations that every other protocol relies on.

Do I need to memorize the appendices?

You need to know the clinical ones well: trauma and burn center criteria, the NYC S-LAMS stroke scale, APGAR, Modified START triage, needle decompression, CPAP and the alternative destination criteria. The hospital address list and phone directory are lower priority.

When should I take a full REMAC practice test?

Near the end, once you've read the whole book. This plan puts it on day 27 so you have time to review every miss before the exam.

What if I fall behind?

Don't try to catch up all at once. Keep doing the daily questions, merge the reading for two lighter days, and protect day 27 (mock) and day 28 (review).

Which edition of the protocols should I use?

The 2026 NYC REMAC Prehospital Treatment Protocols, version 2026-01, effective August 1, 2026. Always follow the current official protocols and medical control in the field.

Start today

Day 1 takes less than an hour. Read the first pages of the GOP, then answer ten questions to see where you stand. RemacReady has 1,000 NYC REMAC practice questions written to the 2026 protocols, every explanation cites its page, and the Protocol Reader and flashcards fit in your pocket. Start free with a daily Quick 10 (opens in a new tab), see all eight study modes on the exam prep page, or check the FAQ.

Keep reading:

• NYC REMAC Exam: The Complete 2026 Guide
• Free NYC REMAC Practice Questions (2026 Protocols) with Answers
• 2026 NYC REMAC Protocols: A Section-by-Section Study Overview