From DMERT to AMRG: It’s a fresh start for certification program

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. – The DMERT Group is now Assistive Mobility Repair Group (AMRG) in a move that better aligns the organization more closely with its core mission and improves the certification process, says Tyler Mahncke. 

“We felt we’ve got new coursework, we've got new exams, we have a new way the exams are administered, and we have new leadership,” said Mahncke, chairman of the board of the AMRG Group and president of U.S. Rehab, which offers tech training for CEUs. “Now is the time to start over fresh.” 

One motivation behind the rebrand was the need to scale the certification process. Previously, DMERT's certification required technicians to travel to a specific location, which was costly, time-consuming and made it challenging to certify more than a handful of technicians at a time. 

Now, AMRG has introduced a more flexible, on-the-job checklist model where a local master technician can now certify other technicians onsite. 

“Let's say I work for XYZ DME and if I've met the criteria to be a master technician, I can review what you've done and sign off on it saying, ‘So-and-so is proficient and has been able to display that she can repair a motor,’” said Mahncke. 

AMRG also has revamped its coursework to eliminate redundancies and better reflect learning needs. Additionally, it has streamlined its two certifications into one to make the process more straightforward. 

The changes are timely, considering the increase in the number of right-to-repair bills across the country. 

“If you're certified, we can confirm that you know what you're doing and you can likely do it in a timely fashion,” said Mahncke. “Clients cannot be down.” 

AMRG’s goal is to have more than 70% of technicians certified within the next five years. 

“I would love to have that, but we'll see,” Mahncke said. “That's pretty aggressive.”