Medical Technician ( Med Tech )

[Hunter]

You'd think so... but...

If he's applying to a reserve field amb unit, if there's a medical school of any sort nearby, you'll find the unit largely filled with students from said med school...

Best bet, go talk to the unit recruiter.

More likely you'll find the unit full of med school wannabes that say they are in 'pre-med' as though such a program existed.  I've been a member of such a reserve unit for a decade now, and we have never had more than 2 people in med school at any given time.  We have had lots of people in RN/RPN/LPN, dental and paramedic programs, but not many med school students.  It is my understanding that these demographics are more or less similiar across the reserve medical units in the CF.

WRT the spec pay issue, most reserve medics will never get spec pay because they are medical assistants, not medical technicians.  As for QL5-qualified reserve med techs, the current answer is no we will not receive spec pay, but at the same time to the best of my knowledge reg force QL5s are not yet receiving spec pay either.  It's my understanding that QL5s will not receive spec pay until 50% of the QL5s in the CF have completed the AEC course.

 

[chrisf]

More likely you'll find the unit full of med school wannabes that say they are in 'pre-med' as though such a program existed.  I've been a member of such a reserve unit for a decade now, and we have never had more than 2 people in med school at any given time.  We have had lots of people in RN/RPN/LPN, dental and paramedic programs, but not many med school students.  It is my understanding that these demographics are more or less similiar across the reserve medical units in the CF.

Incorrect use of the term "med school" on my part.

After thinking about it, our local field amb is mostly paramedics, student paramedics, student nurses, and a few people "planning on going to med school".

 

[nickanick]

Do Med Techs receive spec pay ?

 

[aesop081]

Not at this time

 

[cn]

Do Med Techs receive spec pay ?

A lengthy discussion & further insight on the topic here: http://Forums.Army.ca/forums/threads/51139.0.html

 

[nickanick]

Which training phrase will med techs be working with the combat trades in the field?
Do they get posted right after the SQ?

 

[medicineman]

Which training phrase phase will med techs be working with the combat trades in the field?
Do they get posted right after the SQ?

There - fixed that for you.  You get posted after your QL3 is completed - it's not in a training phase, it's in your operational phase.

MM

 

[OldSolduer]

Which training phrase ...

"Here's some Cepacol....." 

My apolgies to the Medtechs....I could not resist!!

 

[medicineman]

Cepacol's out of the system...foot powder for everthing now  ;D.

MM

 

[Old Sweat]

Cepacol's out of the system...foot powder for everthing now  ;D.

MM

But it tastes awful.

 

[medicineman]

Yeah - but most of the youngens these days are used to snorting powder anyway...

MM

 

[nickanick]

what kind of transportation method does med techs use to bring a wounded man back to base for further treatment?

 

[MedCorps]

Back to base is a bit of a misnomer, but we will review the evacuation options.

There are a few options.

The most basic - Carry them without fancy equipment.  Carry them on an improvised stretcher. Carry them on a proper  pole stretcher.  This is hard work so distance is limited.  Place stretcher on a stretcher carriage, which is a thing with two wheels often called a Stollenwerk after the manufacture.  This again is a short distance, flat terrain, option. See the folding green thing with two wheels here: http://www.stollenwerk-koeln.de/dw_eng/index_eng.html

Ambulances - The LSVW Ambulance, The Ford F 450 Ambulance , The Bision Armoured Ambulance. This is the domain of the Med Tech and the primary means of land evacuation.

Helicopter - Most commonly the CH-146 Griffon Helicopter or the Chinook helicopter.  Med Techs work on these. If you are working with the Americans the Black Hawk is also quite common. Med Techs have worked on these.

Airplanes- Most, if not all, of our fixed wing aircraft can be used as an aeromedical evacuation platform with some conversion.  Med Techs work on these.

Sea - If you are working with the Americans you might find yourself on a hospital ship evacuating patients.

Then there are non-standard evacuation platforms which is pretty much anything you can load a casualty in to get them to care, but was not actually designed for casualty evacuation.  Overseas, in various locations,  I saw casualties being evacuated in everything from a donkey, to a home made wheel barrow, to a ATV, to a pick up truck, to a MLVW, to a light observation helicopter  (OH-58).

I hope that is of help.

MC

 

[nickanick]

Thanks MedCorps

Do you get to travel  being a Medtech?

 

[aesop081]

Do you get to travel  being a Medtech?

They do.

 

[medicineman]

I got to travel lots...Calgary to Wainwright, Waniwright to Calgary (did those trips lots), Home to Sarcee, Sarcee to Home, Calgary to Suffield, Suffield to Calagary, Cornwallis, St Jean, Borden, Ottawa, Cold Lake, Whitehorse, 29 Palms, Pendleton, Croatia, Kingston, Fort Drum, Petawawa, Broughton Island, Gagetown, St John, Halifax, Montreal, Kabul via a number of places, Port au Prince, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Dauphin, Orangeville, Victoria, Eureka - the list is by no means complete, but I think you get the idea.

MM

 

[nickanick]

I got to travel lots...Calgary to Wainwright, Waniwright to Calgary (did those trips lots), Home to Sarcee, Sarcee to Home, Calgary to Suffield, Suffield to Calagary, Cornwallis, St Jean, Borden, Ottawa, Cold Lake, Whitehorse, 29 Palms, Pendleton, Croatia, Kingston, Fort Drum, Petawawa, Broughton Island, Gagetown, St John, Halifax, Montreal, Kabul via a number of places, Port au Prince, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Dauphin, Orangeville, Victoria, Eureka - the list is by no means complete, but I think you get the idea.

MM

Thanks for the detail reply. 

May I ask where have you been deployed to, as a Medtech?

 

[medicineman]

Let me see - Croatia, Afghanistan, Haiti, Broughton Island (even though it's in Canada, it is very remote, so I call it a deployment, same with Eureka).  The spots in the States were visits for training purposes so I don't consider them deployments.

MM

 

[OldSolduer]

Let me see - Croatia, Afghanistan, Haiti, Broughton Island (even though it's in Canada, it is very remote, so I call it a deployment, same with Eureka).  The spots in the States were visits for training purposes so I don't consider them deployments.

MM

Medtechs are in highe demand. My favorite saying is:

IF I was a Pl WO and had the choice of a fourth rifle section OR

a medtech and a good signaller....I'd take the medic and tthe signaller.

 

[medicineman]

Medtechs are in highe demand. My favorite saying is:

IF I was a Pl WO and had the choice of a fourth rifle section OR

a medtech and a good signaller....I'd take the medic and tthe signaller.

The signaller was my bodyguard generally when I was at the platoon level, at least when the umbilical was cut from the platoon commander, then I was trying to keep up with the REALLY TALL platoon WO.

MM