Help with College final

[JimmyPeeOn]

Hello all;

I have a favor to ask.  My cousin is becoming a paramedic,  and for his final exam was assigned to compare his proffession to that of a combat medic.
Any unclass(obviously) info, such as power points, lessons, kit layouts, average field day or deployment day summaries and or pictures would be GREATLY appreciated.  Anything you feel may be useful would be appreciated.  Thanks.


Cheers;
Andrew

 

[Armymedic]

whoa tabernac... ...thats huge.

First off, there really is no comparison.
There are so many areas that are different. The only commonality between the two is knowledge and skills. How we employ them are completely different.

Also what level of paramedic are you comparing. Our QL 3 Ptes do PCP level. As a Mcpl/Sgt, we would be expected to have the knowledge and skills closer to a critical care paramedic ie ACLS, Areomedevac, etc.
Paramedics are not expected to know how to set up a clinic in the field or on ship...from the basics of setting up a tent to actually getting the equipment.
Also prehospital medicine is one (small, and some might say the easiest) portion of the medicine we do. We also do walk-in clinics (Unit medical stations, MIR, sick bay) where we take pt history, supply medications, and advise on rehabilitation.
As well we have nursing skills where we are involved with patient care, along side or instead of nurses.

If he has specific areas where he needs info advice, have him call on me here.

 

[medicineman]

Ditto - that about says it.

MM

 

[Donut]

Well put, AM.

I get asked this a lot, and I agree that that's a large part of it, but the bigger difference I see is in the non-medic (BMQ/SQ/Dvr Whl etc.) skills that are formally taught, and the skills that good soldiers (sailor and airmen/women, too) just soak up out of necessity or exposure.

Many of my civilian partners don't REALLY know how the communication system works, barely understand the engine under the hood, aren't really aware of the supply system that puts the kit on the car, and don't fully appreciate their chain of command.  They certainly don't know how to operate a half-dozen-odd weapon systems, tactical formations, or handsignals.  They don't know how to react to contact, or extract from a minefield.  They don't know how to react individually to nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons (with several notable examples).  They don't know how to reduce their chances of being seen or heard.  Yeah, lots of stuff.

On the medical side while they're aware of it, few have ever practiced triage on a large scale, outside of an actuall MCI (which can come as quite a shock, let me tell you).  They certainly wouldn't be able to find their way around a clinic, examine an ear, conduct long-term wound care, place a catheter, a loooong list.

Approaches to teamwork and leadership ability are manifestly different, but maybe I just expect too much and that's why I stick around in the CF.

DF

 

[Armymedic]

I like when one of these PCP qualified med tech say they are more "qualified" then another because they have PCP....

it makes me open a can of whoop ass on them. 

I ask them how they would apply said PCP skills, in a situation like....well, like for instance assisting ventilations, or changing up IV bags, or pushing MO ordered morphine bend over bracing yourself in the back of a Bison amb, headset on, Helmet, body armour on, doing 70 kph down a crap road, while talking on the radio....
and if your really lucky, that is your only patient.

Those ride alongs in BC just don't seem to quite measure up.

Actually jimmy, here is a thread your friend can read:
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/36581/post-297721.html#msg297721

its a good prehospital scenario which illustrates some of the differences well.

 

[JimmyPeeOn]

Right on,

Thanks so far,  he knows less than I do about the Army's way of applying care in the field, what I basically told him is that paramedics are more apt to deal with older individuals that fall over, and military medics are more based around giving aid to younger stronger individuals.
I gave him the Dispatches pam that covered TCCC, and he said that is probably going to work for the basis of his comparison.  I know that is mainly a Cbt arms crse and medics really don't have much to do with it other than instruction.  Any further technical info on this course or standard kit carried by a field medic would still be appreciated.

Also any pictures of deployed or field ops would help still.
PM me if you require my DWAN Email addy,
Cheers and thanks much;
Andrew