# Four Quick Medical Administrative Questions for a Story



## Gorgo (18 Sep 2012)

I'm working on a fan fiction story where I'm involving Canadian military medical personnel as characters.  I want to get this right for the year 2010, so I need to know the following:

1) When exactly was the Canadian Forces Health Services Group stood up?  The CFHS website didn't exactly give a date.

2) When exactly did the Regular Force MED As switch classifications to MED TECH?  Is such happening with the Reserve Force MED As and when did that start?

3) When was the trade of PHYS A started up?  Has it always been there for senior MED As/MED TECHs or is it a recent development?

4) When exactly did first-line (UMS-employed) medical personnel get reassigned to the local field ambulances, both Reg Force and Res Force?  And would Navy Reserve medics from the Naval Reserve Divisions have been affected by this as well?

Thanks again!


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## Gunner98 (18 Sep 2012)

You will find one or more of your answers here:

http://www.forces.gc.ca/health-sante/pub/hist/an-1-eng.asp


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## old medic (18 Sep 2012)

If memory serves, the Navy Reserve Med-As were gone by the mid-90s.


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## mikeninercharlie (18 Sep 2012)

I was posted to CFMG HQ APS 2001, when I left 3 years later it was still officially CFMG. That being said, CF H Svcs Gp was in common usage during the period 2002-2003 although the MOO/CFOO wasn't signed off until much later. 

In the Regular Force Med Tech became the official name of the occupation in the Spring of 2004. As for the res force, there was considerable **** flopping as the leaders of the day were focused on idiotic name changes, badges/flags, and inactivated blue cross cards to every swinging dick... I have no SA on what they are calling res force NCM - I believe Med A is still used for those who are not PCP  qualified and Med Tech for those who are.

Physician Assistants - the title was approved for use (within the branch only) late 1991, the PAs, formerly Med A 6B,  immediately ignored the restriction and it's been PA since. The title was formalized in 1994/5, and the current 2 year long course leads to Bachelor of Science degree granted by the University of Nebraska.

Reg F medics were recalled to the mothership / Bde Field Amb in the late Spring of 2002. 

Nav Res medical assistants were chopped in 1997, the positions were converted to Port Inspection Divers. The official line, was that they couldn't maintain any degree of clinical competency within the NRDs however, my personal experience was that they were the cream of the crop of all medical reservists - it's amazing how many of those folks who eventually became Physicians!


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## Gorgo (18 Sep 2012)

Thanks for the info dump, Mike.  It is appreciated. *thumbs up*

BTW, one last little question:  Are Reg Force MED TECHs and PHYS As on a warship seen as part of the ship's company or are they detached from the Health Services Units based in Halifax and Esquimalt?


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## mikeninercharlie (18 Sep 2012)

The RCN owns all seagoing medical positions and the pers posted against the billets (Med Tech/PA).  The chiefs / MOC advisor of the CF H Svcs clinics in Esq/Hfx play a pivotal role in manning the seagoing billets with appropriate pers (environmental qual , aviation medicine, diving medicine, ACLS,ABLS, ATLS...) in conjunction with the Fleet Sp PA and the Career Manager(s)

FYI, the subs have a PA, frigates/destroyers embark a PA and a med tech, the AORs sail with a PA, med tech, MO plus a dentist and dental tech.


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## Gorgo (18 Sep 2012)

Again, my thanks, Mike.  I put your name into the story credits, BTW.


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