Medical Technician - Unskilled, Semi-skilled, Skilled Application

[Rafterman1]

I've been curious about this for awhile so I shall ask before I put all of the JIBC PCP school things into storage.  What books from the PCP course should I bring with myself to BMQ?  Essentials of Paramedic Care 1&2, The thick Pathophysiology book, theres a few more but cannot recall the names off the top of my head.  And the stethoscope?  Bring it all?

 

[Occam]

Do you really want to drag all that stuff to BMQ?  Could you put the texts you want in a box at the front of the storage room, give a key to a trusted friend, and have them ship it to you after you're done BMQ and have a use for it?

Learn to travel light.  Yes, I'm sure the books will be helpful at some point...but you won't need them at BMQ.

 

[Armymedic]

The CF will provide you with all the things you need to do your job, including the appropriate books and stethoscope. You need not bring any with you.

 

[Rafterman1]

Ok, Thanks.

 

[Rafterman1]

I received a renewal notice from the Alberta College of Paramedics today asking for $340.00 to renew the EMT license for 2011.  I'm heading off to BMQ tomorrow and my license fee is due no later than 16 Feb.  After that date, theres a late fee of $175.00 and if i wish to reactivate my registration after 16 Feb, there is another $100.00 reinstatement fee.  Should I let this expire or notify the CFRC of this?  I think I may have letter coming from the BC EMALB as well to renew the PCP. 

 

[Armymedic]

Notify CFRC.

Personally knowing what I know right now, if you are coming into Reg F, you probably do not need to renew this year, as you may not be posted back to Alberta. Also, after you are trained (i.e. completed your QL 3 and posted) the CF covers professional membership fees under the MCSP program.

But this is my opinion, I do not have any regulations to back this up.

 

[Pea]

The issue I've found is that I was licensed in BC upon completion of my PCP. Now I'm posted in Ontario and I asked about challenging the Ontario exam to become licensed here. I was told that the unit will only pay for QL5's to do this. I also haven't received any opportunities for MCSP, and I've been posted for over 2 years now. So now my license in BC has expired and I do not hold any sort of qualification in Ontario. I'd hoped the military would have been more supportive of keeping us Med Tech's licensed so that the training we'd received would be more useful.

 

[Armymedic]

Medi brings up a good point; with the emphasis on AEC now for all QL5s and up, it does make more sense, both financially and in the skills, to concentrate the effort (and money) on having the majority of Med Techs maintain their civilian equivalency certificates at that level, remembering that PCP (which is the skill level you finish QL3) is the basic entry-level skill set that you are to advance forward of as you progress through your military career.

Personally for you, Medi, I would not sweat not having an opportunity to do MCSP yet, and I am sure you learned much more about your job in the last year than you would have by refreshing yourself with a month of ride-a-longs. Given the quality of your CSM, I am sure that you will have that MCSP opportunity between now and your QL5 course that will be coming shortly.

 

[mariomike]

The issue I've found is that I was licensed in BC upon completion of my PCP. Now I'm posted in Ontario and I asked about challenging the Ontario exam to become licensed here. I was told that the unit will only pay for QL5's to do this. I also haven't received any opportunities for MCSP, and I've been posted for over 2 years now. So now my license in BC has expired and I do not hold any sort of qualification in Ontario. I'd hoped the military would have been more supportive of keeping us Med Tech's licensed so that the training we'd received would be more useful.

On the subject of challenging PCP equivalency in Ontario.

"BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Reference A is a confirmation letter by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Emergency Health Services Branch, recognizing the CF QL5 Med Tech as meeting the PCP requirements to challenge the AEMCA exam, all QL5 Med Techs are encouraged to prepare for and write this exam with approval through their Chain of Command.  Upon successful completion of this exam, those Med Techs will have access to On-car opportunities to complete their MCSP in Ontario. Med Techs (M) who qualify are also eligible for the writing of the exam.":
http://www.forces.gc.ca/health-sante/hp-ps/mcsp-pmcc/aemca-eng.asp

 

[Pea]

Personally for you, Medi, I would not sweat not having an opportunity to do MCSP yet, and I am sure you learned much more about your job in the last year than you would have by refreshing yourself with a month of ride-a-longs. Given the quality of your CSM, I am sure that you will have that MCSP opportunity between now and your QL5 course that will be coming shortly.

I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to deploy as early as I did in my career. I definitely learned more in that 7 month period than many people learn over a period of many years in a civilian hospital. For that I am very grateful.

QL5's are fastly approaching for many of us at the unit. However I've applied to start University in the fall  (Bachelor of Nursing) and am now just waiting on my acceptance so that I can start my Component transfer to the reserves. We'll see where my career takes me after that. 

 

[Valentine]

Okay, so reading this makes me nervous.

In May I will be a licensed ACP. I have been in the P Res for three years in the Infantry and have BMQ, SQ, DP1 Infantry, DP2A, Comms and Driver Wheel. I guess I expected to bipass the PCP portion of QL3 and maybe even keep my Cpl rank. I assume I will not have to take reg force BMQ/SQ etc either.

I have posed questions to my unit about switching from P RES Infantry to Reg force Med Tech but was wondering what to expect from you who have gone through the process.

Right now I believe I need to take the 16 week field training in Bordon.

If I ever get a transfer will I only be a PCP? That makes my ACP training go to waste if I cannot use those skills in the CF?

 

[MedCorps]

The ACP training will not go to waste.  Training never goes to waste if you learned something.

You will not be using the complete ACP skill set that you have acquired on civi-street in the CF as it was decided sometime ago not to go with a ACP skill set for our Med Techs but rather a skill based solution (AEC) that met our needs the CF (especially in the field) at the QL5A level.

Again training progression for Med Techs (Reg F) right now is:

BMQ  (or BMQ-L)
SQ

  - CFB Borden
QL3 (Clinical Phase, PCP Phase - civilian school, Field Phase)
  - You are now an "apprentice" Med Tech
  - Badged to the Canadian Forces Medical Service 
  - First posting to a CFHS Unit

QL5A (Clinical Phase, AEC Phase - civilian school, Field Phase)
  - You are now a fully qualified "journeyman Med Tech"

  - Then if you show leadership potential.
PLQ
QL6A
QL6B - Physician Assistant (Phase I - Borden, Phase II - rotations, Phase III - testing)
ILQ
ALQ
CQ

There are now frequent waivers (based on a the Prior Learning Assessment - PLAR process) for PCP if you hold that qualification on civilian street / are NCM SEP. 

Even with PCP/ACP I suspect strongly that you will have to do the Clinical Phase of the QL3. Much of it will be easy for you as you have seen the material. It is probably not worth the PLAR and you will just have to treat the material you have seen as a nice refresher and a indoctrination to the Medical Service (in fact a total clinical waiver is seldom given unless you were a  Reserve Force Med A / Med Tech).  I encourage you as someone who has time in the CF already and who knows the material to step up to the plate and be a leader in the class helping those that are still struggling with the military aspects of CF life or who are having problems with the material.

Planning to spend some time in Borden for Clinical and Field Phase is a good ideas.  It might be 16 weeks of instruction (+/- a week or two) but since those Phases are not back to back you might have a pause awhile you wait to join a Field Phase after competing you Clinical Phase.

As well as trying to have some fun along the way....  there is some movement afoot to chance this "pipeline" but nothing is going to happen in the next year (or two, or three) so do not get too worried.

Good luck at making the cross over.

MC

 

[Armymedic]

Assuming you are coming in as a Reg F med tech, your skills will not be wasted. You may not be able to fully use them for the first couple years. But once you are QL5, then you will be able to use your full scope, when employed in that role.

Remember though, the pay and benefits you will receive as a CF member will be better than most civilian agencies.

edit to add: In addition to what MC said, once you are in and qualified QL3/5  there are select positions at certain units where a fit, motivated, cbt arms experienced Med Techs will be able to be challenged beyond what most regular Med Techs are able to do.

 

[Valentine]

Thanks for the information guys. By clinical time I assume you mean an in hospital rotation versus a clinical class where you learn IV's etc... I will have around 600 in hospital/ambulance clinical hours and re learning skills seems like a waste of time. However, I will do it if i have to! When you say QL3 and QL5 courses what skillset are you tought on these? I searched last night but could not find a breakdown of the courses. I am assuming QL3 is your intro to ivs and meds while QL5 is intubation/chest decompressions etc. And is QL5 when you are deployable?

Lots of questions! These are the ones my unit cannot answer. I am also hopefully taking PLQ Infantry this summer to knock that off the list of things to do.

 

[Armymedic]

QL3's have deployed.

 

[MedCorps]

By clinical phase I mean clinical class.  This is a blend of classroom and practice labs conducted at the CF Health Services Training Centre in Borden under the guidance of Nursing Officer, Physician Assistants and, most importantly, experienced Sergeant and Master Corporal Medical Technicians. 

If interested I will post what you learn on the QL3 / QL5A when I get time early next week.  I just want to check to make sure that I have the most up to date information.

You need to remember that being a Med Tech is not all about pre-hospital skills (which I am sure you are quite good at in the civilian world). It is like no occupation in the civilian world, although share characteristics with a bunch of them. It is also about providing nursing-type in-patient care, working as a physiotherapy assistant, providing primary health care in a "walk in clinic", conducting parts of the occupational medical screening (the Periodic Health Examination), working as a pharmacy technician or medical storesman as well as a bunch of other things. The Med Tech really is the "jack of all medical trades" and we use them for everything medical related in the CF less a very few specialized health care clinical sub-occupations (operating room, preventative medicine, laboratory, and diagnostic imaging).

The clinical phase I spoke of above is based around starting with zero knowledge of being a medical technician and teaching everything from the basic sciences (anatomy, physiology) to nursing skills (care of the patient on a ward), to how to apply a cast, to how to order and pack military medical supplies, to how to chart (soon to include how to use the new CF computerized charting system), to what are our military and clinical exceptions of you as an apprentice Med Tech.  Some of these skills and knowledge is transferable to the pre-hospital environment, some is not.  Again, some of this will clearly be review for you (like when they tell you that a finger is called a digit) but some of this very important keystone information will be new (like how to conduct an audiology examinations using our new computerized system). 

Cheers,

MC

 

[bdcasey916]

To answer your question in a little more detail.  QL3 is broken down into three phases.  The first is your clinical skills, patient histories, in patient care, learning basic medications, IV's, injectables, wound care and dressing changes and of course A&P.  Your second phase is your PCP at JIBC, of course if you are already qualified PCP or higher and they do a PLA, then you won't have to do that phase.  Your third phase is your field phase, which is kinda old doctrine compared to what we are doing in Afghanistan now. 
QL5 course is more in depth clinical, more detailed exams, creating a treatment plan and making that treatment plan happen.  You also do your OTC exam so you can prescribe certain medications.  As well you learn how to do sick chits and can give a max of 2 days excused duties and up to 7 days I believe of modified duties, as well you learn simple suturing.  Then you do your AEC phase, which is Advanced Emergent Component.  Its basically an ALS paramedic program, minus the major airway managment because we have already learned blind intubation (combitubes) on your 3's, then you go back to Borden and do another field phase
Your major trauma protocols are what you learn on Tacmed, which you take if your deploying.  It deals with major bleeds, airways (NPA's and cric's), respiration issues (needle decompression), IO, antibiotics and pain management and then you learn how to put all these new protocols into effect under fire and under stressful situations (low light, sensory depirved, not being able to move much, wearing all your kit and so on)
And yes QL3's deploy, because I came back from roto 8 and I was and still am a QL3, and as well QL3's can go on ships now, we have one here in Halifax that is actually posted to a ship, but most 3's just get attach posted.  Also, QL3's that are PCP qualifed are now allowed to do the independant tasks (range coverage)
I hope that helps.  If anyone on here is a 5 or knows a bit more, I will step back and let you take over, but I'm just going with what I have from my pre-course package

 

[MedCorps]

AEC is not all that close to an ALS paramedic program.  They share some things in common but AEC is military focused are and does not cover much of the material covered on civilian ALS programs.  One notable example is much of the ACLS type pharmacology and skills. These are not taught on the AEC. By completing an ALS program you would not get a PLA for AEC and the opposite is true you would not get a ALS PLA for AEC.

TacMed will not be around for ever, and I suspect when Afghanistan goes away so will TacMed. Although an excellent program it is not part of the career "pipeline" for a Med Tech and was identified as an Afghanistan pre-deployment training requirement.  The AEC (Advanced Emergency Care) is now covering off many of the skills covered on TacMed (needle decompression and cric's for instance, field antibiotic protocols, etc).  In fact many Med Tech with TacMed claim that AEC almost a complete duplication of the knowledge and skills (not the field conditions) plus some more information.

The QL3 field component is modernizing. It is slow but moving in the right direction. There are now field scenarios in combat situations, humanitarian interventions, and CBRN conditions.

MC

 

[Valentine]

To MedCorp that would be great!

So there are quite a few skills I lack such as suturing, casting and military medical documentation. This is such
a big decision that I keep wondering if I should stay civi side until I gain more experience with a service rather than CT to REG force med tech right now. What do you suggest?

How long of a wait is there between QL3 and QL5A?

 

[MedCorps]

If you want to join I would start the process soonest and continue to work in the mean while.  The recruiting system is not the most speedy of systems and I am told that we are not always hiring.

More time with a civilian ambulance service will not start the clock on your progression in the CF Medical Service and I do not think the extra time working civilian street will be more beneficial than the same amount of pensionable time that you could have been spending working in the Canadian Forces Medical Service. Don't get me wrong, the civilian experience will be useful, but I think the time you could have been in the military will be more useful.

Another option might be, assuming your CO is a good sport about it, is that you could work PCP / ACP shifts on weekends to gain civilian prehospital experience (and some extra cash).  I am not sure what part time opportunities look like for civilian paramedics, but it might be an option.  This is especially true if you are marking time for awhile between clinical phase and field phase of your QL3. 

QL3 to QL5 times are variable. The aim is 18 months and it seems to come pretty close to that most of the time.  Service members who have OT'ed from another MOSID that are QL5 qualified already in another MOSID are supposed to have a decrease in time from QL3 to QL5 in order to get them to where they left off quicker. Again is can be variable but this seems to happen. 

I will post the outlines of the two courses early next week. 

MC