Medical Technician - Unskilled, Semi-skilled, Skilled Application

[Daksto]

Thanks for the link and reply, I did this initially from my phone so I didn't notice I was under the "Questions about Joining the Reserves" forum.

Thanks again for the reply.

 

[mariomike]

Thanks again for the reply.

You are welcome. Good luck.

 

[Daksto]

I am currently a BC Ambulance employee looking for a contact of a Regular Force Medical Technician to ask some questions. Anyone know anyone that I’d be able to email or call?

 

[sarahsmom]

can you not post the questions here and any Reg F medics reading this can then see if they are the right person to answer them?

 

[mariomike]

I am currently a BC Ambulance employee looking for a contact of a Regular Force Medical Technician to ask some questions.

See also,

Medical Technician ( Med Tech )
https://army.ca/forums/threads/28820.125
20 pages.

 

[da1root]

I am currently a BC Ambulance employee looking for a contact of a Regular Force Medical Technician to ask some questions. Anyone know anyone that I’d be able to email or call?

There are a good handful of Med Tech's on this forum (PRes, Reg Force both serving and retired) and at least 1 Health Services Recruiter (if not more) - best to post your question here and someone will respond

 

[Daksto]

Good idea for sure,

1. Have you worked in a Provincial service and left it to join the forces as a Reg? Are you happy with that move? Do you still work PT civilian service?

2. Is there training up to a ACP?

3. Possibilities of even moving up to being a nurse?

Pretty much my t major questions I'd say. I have always wanted to join the forces thinking more seriously about it everyday.

 

[mariomike]

Is there training up to a ACP?

Agreed, some of the biggest reasons why we only have a 17% maintenance of PCP license rate for Med Techs is operational / training tempo, geographic location of on-car opportunities, local ambulance service pre-requisites for on car rotations, and number of on-car billets available.

Paramedicine is provincially regulated. Requirements and issue of a licence to practice are set by the individual regulators.

In Ontario, to work as a PCP, you must be a licenced AEMCA,

5. (1) The operator of a land ambulance service shall not employ a person to provide patient care, whether on a full-time or part-time basis, or engage a person to provide patient care as a full-time volunteer, unless the person is a paramedic who, holds the qualifications of an advanced emergency medical care assistant ( AEMCA )

Recognition of QL5A & Challenge of AEMCA exam:

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.

Pretty much my t major questions I'd say.

Not to dissuade you from joining. But, if you have any major financial  questions,

These are the top municipal earners from last time I checked ( 2016 ). Your earnings will surely be less. But, the potential is there. Notes are the same as above.
https://army.ca/forums/threads/105151/post-1482454.html#msg1482454

Regular Force Non-Commissioned Members (NCM) Rates - Monthly Rates (in dollars) after March 2017
http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-pay/reg-force-ncm-class-c-rates.page

As always, Recruiting is your most trusted source of information.

 

[sarahsmom]

3. Possibilities of even moving up to being a nurse?

Nursing is a completely different occupation. Being a med tech won't stop you from becoming a nurse, but it also doesn't give you a leg up towards becoming a nurse.    I know an MP who recently became a nurse, as well as master bombardier, and an infanteer. To be a nursing officer, you need a BSc in Nursing. You cannot simply level up or get promoted to Nursing Officer.
Keep in mind that Nursing officers are mostly administrators and paper pushers. In Canada, they don't get a whole lot of patient contact. On deployment is another story.

 

[Jiminito]

Is there a difference in trade responsibility if we apply as an officer or an NCM?
I hear officers get less hands on work and more admin tasks...is this true?

 

[PuckChaser]

Is there a difference in trade responsibility if we apply as an officer or an NCM?
I hear officers get less hands on work and more admin tasks...is this true?

Do you mean apply as a Doctor vs a Med Tech?

 

[Jiminito]

Do you mean apply as a Doctor vs a Med Tech?

I mean applying to a Medical Assistant Trade as an Officer vs NCM. Is there a difference in work/patient interaction/medical training?
I'm a little confused between Medical Assistant vs Physician Assistant, aren't they essentially the same? I think what I want to apply for is physician assistant.
Thank you.

 

[da1root]

I mean applying to a Medical Assistant Trade as an Officer vs NCM. Is there a difference in work/patient interaction/medical training?

Thank you.

Medical Assistant is a Primary Reserve NCM occupation only.
This is not an occupation in the Regular Force, and it is not a Officer Occupation.

 

[Jiminito]

Medical Assistant is a Primary Reserve NCM occupation only.
This is not an occupation in the Regular Force, and it is not a Officer Occupation.

I see, thank you for the clarification.
Do you know if it is possible to apply for Direct Entry as an Officer to a Med Tech-PA post? Or one must pass a PA program in order to do that?

 

[Blackadder1916]

I see, thank you for the clarification.
Do you know if it is possible to apply for Direct Entry as an Officer to a Med Tech-PA post? Or one must pass a PA program in order to do that?

No, it is not possible.  It may be possible in the future, but that may be 10, 15, 20 years down the road.

Here is the typical road to becoming a PA.


http://canadianpa.ca/militarypa/

How I become a Physician Assistant with the Canadian Armed Forces

Like the majority of Physician Assistants who are currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), I started my career as a Medical Technician (AKA- Medic) 17 years ago with the Canadian Army. During this time I have been employed as both, a Med-Tech and a Physician Assistant (PA) in various military and civilian settings. While serving in my 12th year as a Medical Technician (Med-Tech), I was given the opportunity to become a Physician Assistant through a CAF meriting system. This system is based on set medical and professional criteria, only those whom have the greatest chances of being successful within the military’s 2 year program are selected. If you decide to take the PA route you go through PA education at the Canadian Forces Health Services Academy (CFHSA) located at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) in Borden, Ontario. Once you have successfully completed the CAF PA program you are required to write the CAPA Certification exam which if you are successful you become a Physician Assistant Officer.

 

[Jiminito]

No, it is not possible.  It may be possible in the future, but that may be 10, 15, 20 years down the road.

Here is the typical road to becoming a PA.


http://canadianpa.ca/militarypa/

Do you think they'll make an exception for foreign trained medical doctors who wish to be re-trained as PA Officers in the CF?

 

[Blackadder1916]

Do you think they'll make an exception for foreign trained medical doctors who wish to be re-trained as PA Officers in the CF?

No, they won't.

If you want to be a PA, and are an International Medical Graduate (IMG) follow the suggested route and enrol in one of the three civilian PA programmes in Canada.  It won't get you into the CAF as a PA but you can practice as a civilian.

http://canadianpa.ca/img/

IMGs MAY APPLY TO ALL 3 CANADIAN PA PROGRAMS

To become a Physician Assistant as an IMG, you must complete an accredited Physician Assistant Program in Canada. IMGs cannot skip or advance past any aspects of the program due to their prior medical education. To complete a PA program successfully, you must complete both the first didactic year and second clinical rotation year, finishing all courses for the program. Luckily, the PA program is approximately only 2 years (~24 months), and if you have completed your undergraduate degree, in addition to your graduate degree and with your health care experience, it is likely you qualify to apply to all 3 civilian PA programs in Canada (Manitoba, University of Toronto, and McMaster).

TO APPLY YOU MUST BE A CANADIAN CITIZEN OR PR

All PA program candidates must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents in Canada. A permanent resident is someone who is a citizen of another country, but has immigrated to Canada. Students and workers who are on temporary work visas are not considered permanent residents. You are not considered a permanent resident or citizen by marriage. Canadian citizens are those that may have been born in Canada, or have a parent born in Canada. You can also apply to be a Canadian Citizen if you have had Permanent Resident status, and have physically lived in Canada for 1460 days during the six years prior to your Canadian Citizen application with adequate knowledge of English.

Or follow the route that this Med Tech took.
http://espritdecorps.ca/kay/2015/4/7/military-physician-assistants-how-one-medical-technician-is-changing-the-game

 

[Jiminito]

Thank you all for such wonderful suggestions. I think corporal for life is an enticing option for me at the moment.

 

[Yosh]

I am currently considering a career in the regular forces as a Medical Technician. When I was initially gathering information on the "Jobs Available Today" website, I was happy to see that the Forces could provide a somewhat competitive wage with my civilian job as a paramedic.

Here is an excerpt from the website I looked at (https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/caf-jobs/career-options/fields-work/health-care/medical-technician.html) :

The starting salary for a fully-trained Medical Technician is $60,000 per year; however, depending on previous experience and training the starting salary may be higher. Medical Technicians who demonstrate the required ability, dedication and potential are selected for opportunities for career progression, promotion and specialist training, such as Operating Room Technician, Preventive Medicine Technician, Biomedical Electronic Technician or Aero-Medical Technician.

I applied online, set up a testing date, completed my CFAT, and was told that I had excellent results and could continue the application process to be a Med Tech. I was given a piece of paper with the following information: 

The starting salary for a fully-trained Medical Technician is $49,400 per year; however, depending on previous experience and training the starting salary may be higher. Medical Technicians who demonstrate the required ability, dedication and potential are selected for opportunities for career progression, promotion and specialist training, such as Operating Room Technician, Preventive Medicine Technician, Biomedical Electronic Technician or Aero-Medical Technician.

The recruiting officer was obviously aware of this discrepancy and tried to explain why the numbers were different, but after taking the sheet home and comparing the language there's clearly no reconciliation of the two statements; at least one of them is wrong. I don't want to discount what the officer told me, but my own colleagues who are in the CF have told me not to believe everything I hear in the recruitment process, and I've seen the same mentioned in various topics on this site.

So, which number is right? And why the bait and switch if it's the lesser number? I see so much language around honesty and integrity in prospective members in the recruiting process being of the utmost importance, but I'm also evaluating the CF as a potential employer, and this doesn't encourage me. I'm hoping it's just a typo...

 

[kratz]

[quote author=Yosh ]
I am currently considering a career in the regular forces as a Medical Technician.
[/quote]

The difference in numbers is simple.

$40,000 entry level, the day you graduate BMQ
$60,000 by the time you finish all your qualifications.

Simply being a PCP is not enough to jump into the $60,000.