Medical Technician ( Med Tech )

[PMedMoe]

Your timeline, and the actual age you can apply to the Reserves, precludes you having completed basic Infantry training, so the cool nintendo stuff like recce and para is a non-starter. I'm also pretty sure that, although you may have completed BMQ and SQ, it might not be quite enough to have the Medical Branch falling over themselves to scoop you up.


I guess what I'm trying to say is......why are you wasting the QOR's (or whoever's) recruiting/training efforts, and taking the line-serial from someone who's interested in dedicating time to the Infantry?  Want to be a RegF Medic....apply to be a RegF Medic.

:goodpost:  :nod:

 

[Bzzliteyr]

Your timeline, and the actual age you can apply to the Reserves, precludes you having completed basic Infantry training, so the cool nintendo stuff like recce and para is a non-starter. I'm also pretty sure that, although you may have completed BMQ and SQ, it might not be quite enough to have the Medical Branch falling over themselves to scoop you up.


I guess what I'm trying to say is......why are you wasting the QOR's (or whoever's) recruiting/training efforts, and taking the line-serial from someone who's interested in dedicating time to the Infantry?  Want to be a RegF Medic....apply to be a RegF Medic.

What he said.

 

[2ndChoiceName]

I get what you guys are saying, but I have to respectfully disagree with you that I would be wasting the QOR's time. I am not uninterested in the Infantry trade, because my goal is to be an embedded Infantry medic, so I believe their efforts would not be wasted. Also, isn't the point of the Reserves to be serving your country, regardless of your eventual goal?

 

[Bzzliteyr]

The point here is that if you want to be a medic, be a medic.  If you want to be an infanteer, be an infanteer.  Your hopes of "embedded infantry medic" are not impossible but you are going about it the wrong way.  You will learn basic military training on BMQ no matter what trade you go.  Having infantry "skills" that you might obtain in 1-2 years of reserve infantry time will not give you much more to work with.

You may want to see if there is a medical reserve unit in the T-dot area and get a foot in the door with them.  From there you can CT to the regs.  Why is it that you are avoiding directly recruiting to the reg force again?  I don't see why that isn't an option for you either.

Don't forget that the people responding to your posts have quite a bit of time in the military (19 years in my case) and could have an idea what they are talking about.

 

[PMedMoe]

You do realize that you won't be an "embedded Infantry medic" for your entire career.  As a matter of fact, there are several Med Techs in the CF who have served in Infantry units without any prior experience.  As stated, you'll be taught what you need to know.

You've already said that you don't plan on spending any more time in the Reserves than necessary (and it seems you're only joining for the "Gucci" courses), so yes, you would be wasting their time.

Yeah, the only reason I wouldn't be staying in the QOR is because I want to go Reg Force

So, as stated by people with experience, just join the Reg F as a Med Tech, if that's your ultimate goal.  The rest is a waste of everyone's time and effort.

 

[2ndChoiceName]

I would go straight into being a medic, but I need my high school diploma and certain high school courses, which I don't have. However, to be Infantry I only need Grade 10, so I can join the Reserves as an Infanteer as soon as I turn 16, and I really want to get into the Reg Force as fast as possible, but I can't because I'm still in high school.

P.S. I don't mean to disrespect anyone, and if I have, I did it unintentionally.

 

[MikeL]

You can't join at 16,  you must be 17 to join the Reserves.  Joining the Reserves at 17 and hoping to go Reg Force at 18...  waste of time and money for the unit and really yourself as you won't get anything out of it.  You would at most get your BMQ and BMQ-Land course,  you won't get DP1 so you won't be a Infanteer or have any courses or experience that will make you stand out.  Just wait till you complete high school and join Reg Force as a Med Tech.

Like I said before,  a transfer from the Reserves to Reg Force isn't something that happens in a week,  it can take awhile.. I know people who have waited 6 months to a year for the transfer to go through.

 

[PMedMoe]

A CT with an OT can take a very, very, very, long time.

You're not really offending anyone (well, not me anyway), we're just trying to point out that your plan is not realistic.  You're better off concentrating on school and getting good marks to make your application for the Reg F competitive rather than joining the Res F at all.  Despite what you believe, it's not a quick transfer to the Regs.  Just check out some of the threads on here about CT and OT.

Make sure you have these courses:  grade 12 (Sec V) Biology, grade 12 Chemistry or Physics, and grade 11 (Sec IV) Math and a valid provincial driver's licence which is required for Med Tech.

 

[2ndChoiceName]

Ok, thanks guys for your input, have taken everything you have said into consideration. I have to do some thinking and I will make my decision(s). I do have one more question. If I go straight into the Reg F as a Medic, and DO get posted to a Combat Arms unit, will I be given additional training to make sure I am capable of keeping up with the rest of the Infanteers or whatever unit I'm assigned to?

 

[dangerboy]

This is from an Infantry soldiers point of view:  from what I have observed the medics attached to us over the years have not received any additional training.  They were just told you are reporting to "X" organization.  We did work up training with one group of medics and when we arrived in theater had a completly differant group of medics.  If you are attached to an Infantry Pl the Pl 2IC will tell you what to do and will look out for you. 

 

[mariomike]

If I go straight into the Reg F as a Medic, and DO get posted to a Combat Arms unit, will I be given additional training to make sure I am capable of keeping up with the rest of the Infanteers or whatever unit I'm assigned to?

You may find some information here.

Topic: "Medical Technician's and the Combat Arms":
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/104288.0

 

[Bzzliteyr]

And please realise that what you want and what you might get are two different things.  You may want to be a medic but who knows what the aptitude testing may suggest for you?

On a side not, if you are missing courses as suggest by PMedMoe then maybe doing some post secondary to bring your grades up to the appropriate levels might also be a good idea?

I wanted to join the army so bad when I was in grade 11 in Quebec.  I graduated with gr 9 math and moved to BC to do another year of school so I could bring my scores up.  I had a great teacher and managed to pass gr 10 and even write the grade 11 math exam so I eventually left school with the marks I needed to join!!  I also wanted to become a weapons technician when I joined.  I chose to accept the only army position that was open when I joined (armour crewman) and guess what, 19 years later I am still doing that job and loving it!

Persevere, you can control your destiny.  Luke, I am your father, etc...

 

[2ndChoiceName]

Thank you all for your advice.

EDIT: And yes, I am already taking the courses that were outlined by PMedMoe

 

[medicineman]

I'll add something to amplify what dangerboy said - if you're attached to an infantry platoon (note the word - you're not embedded, you're essentially loaned out, at least this week), they will ensure you're up to speed with what you need to know to stay alive, especially if you're keen...and they'll do their damndest to ensure you stay in one piece, since they have vested interests in staying alive and as whole as possible as well.  You'll be attached almost at the hip with the platoon warrant officer and or whoever else he delegates to watch your back (and vice versa).  As I mentioned earlier, chances are that as a baby medic, you won't get posted straight away to an infantry unit - you'll likely go to a field ambulance first, and then farmed out from there...unless you get sent to the Navy or Air Force, whole other kettle of fish there.

MM

 

[2ndChoiceName]

Yeah, thanks, I guess I should've been more clear, I realize that I likely won't be posted to a Combat Arms unit right away, or at all.

 

[Eaglelord17]

I am currently a reservist who recently became very intimate with the recruiting process for the reserves.
You need only be 16 to join a reserve unit disregard the forces.ca website for that and anyone who says otherwise, I know people who are currently 16 in the reserves. Also the reserves have there own units which maintain there own numbers so even if the Reg force is not hiring infantry a reserve infantry regiment may be. Paperwork wise it can be difficult to join when your 16 because by time you have it all completed you will probally be close to 17 anyways (unless you start it early). The main issue you would have if you joined a Reserve unit would be your Component Transfer to a Reg Force med tech, those can take anywhere from 3 months to 3 years. Otherwise take your time and consider your career path, the reserves can be a good experence and give you an idea if that is what you really want to do with your life, on the other hand it can also hold you back if your Component Transfer doesn't come through.
Good Luck

 

[2ndChoiceName]

Can a CT really vary that wildly in time? That presents a large problem, because if it does take a year or so, I might take some form of post-secondary education while still in the Reserves in order to help my chances of getting accepted as a MedTech, but if it varies that much, I could put in my application for both a CT and OT right after high school, then be halfway through a semester at a college, and suddenly be expected to attend full time training, and then I would be up **** creek without a paddle.

 

[PJGary]

Can a CT really vary that wildly in time? That presents a large problem, because if it does take a year or so, I might take some form of post-secondary education while still in the Reserves in order to help my chances of getting accepted as a MedTech, but if it varies that much, I could put in my application for both a CT and OT right after high school, then be halfway through a semester at a college, and suddenly be expected to attend full time training, and then I would be up **** creek without a paddle.

Yes, or more.

 

[mariomike]

You may wish to visit a CFRC and ask their advice on your best route to become a Medical Technician. 
ie: Direct Entry, NCM-SEP or semi-skilled.

As far as semi-skilled is concerned, in Toronto, many qualified applicants are turned away because the department does very little hiring these days: http://humberetc.com/2011/02/09/toronto-ems-not-hiring-humber-paramedics-2/
' “It used to be that we would go for a few years with low hiring and then we would go up for a few years with 100 per cent hiring, but we haven’t seen that in the last several years.” '

I assume some of them will apply to the CF. That means more semi-skilled competition for Direct Entry applicants.

That presents a large problem, because if it does take a year or so, I might take some form of post-secondary education while still in the Reserves in order to help my chances of getting accepted as a MedTech, but if it varies that much, I could put in my application for both a CT and OT right after high school, then be halfway through a semester at a college, and suddenly be expected to attend full time training, and then I would be up **** creek without a paddle.

You may wish to consider this.
"Durham College Paramedic program recognized by Canadian Forces":
http://www.durhamcollege.ca/new-notable/college-news/durham-college-paramedic-program-recognized-by-canadian-forces-2/

 

[2ndChoiceName]

Thanks, I'll call the CFRC when I have the chance.