• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Milnet.ca Medic Q&A

Even more interesting.  In all your Service no one had instructed you on all of the "use of the MIR"?  

Yes, it is where you as a Service Member go for all of "your" family related health problems.  That is where your Medical File resides, and the MO is basically your "Family Doctor" and the Base Hospital and Dental Clinic are basically your "Health Clinic".  It is in fact against Regulations for you to go to/use any outside Medical or Dental facilities, unless sent there by the military or in the case of an emergency when away from your "Home Base" (ie. on Leave outside of your Bde Area.)
 
St. Micheals Medical Team said:
Raucsh 28 Fr. They work ok. They have a moveable flange which enables the tube to be adjusted for size...They have not failed me yet.
St Mike
The Rausch NPA - a 28fr? - Is this the standard sizing for CF / TCCC kits
6mm?

Thanks
 
Hi There!

I am not sure if it is appropriate in this board or the recruiting board... forgive me please...

I am in the process of joining my local unit (I have not applied yet) and they strongly suggested me to start collecting documents from my surgeon and my family doctor now.
I had a spinal surgery last year and they said I would absolutely have to have some strong documentation from those professionals in order to get in.

But at this point I am only wondering if there exists an official document from the CF (that I could get at the CFRC) to be filled in by them or if they can use their own documents or way of giving that kind of information.

I am only asking this to prevent from disturbing them twice for the same thing and extend the delay...
Please let me know
Thank you very much
 
I would do this...

Get a copy of:

1. The Generic Task Statement
2. The Task statement for the trade you are interested in.

You can find them here:

http://www.forces.gc.ca/health/policies/med_standards/engraph/annex_d_e.asp

Print them out and bring them to your specialists physicians and/or surgeons.

Ask each one of them to write a letter on their letterhead that looks something like this:

I have been <your name> <general surgeon / orthopedic surgeon / etc> for the past X years.

During this time she has been under my care for <insert diagnosis>.  <Follow with a short paragraph explaining the history of your problem, how it was treated and any residual deficit or abnormality that exists>. She is currently on <name of medication, dose, frequency> for this condition and it is expected that this will continue for the next <insert estimated time of medication cessation>.

After reviewing the attached Canadian Forces Generic Task Statement and the Task Statement for <insert your MOC> I feel that the medical condition for which I treated her will not pose a problem in her attaining these standards.  Furthermore, I feel that the aforementioned condition will not impose restrictions with respect to the type of climate, or accommodation / living conditions that <your name> might be employed in while serving in the Canadian Forces as a <your MOC here> within Canada or while deployed abroad.  This medical condition will not impose any burden upon the Canadian Forces Medical Service.  <Name> will not require any medical care for this condition from the Canadian Forces Health Service other than the routine medical services afforded to any healthy member of the Canadian Forces such as periodic physical examinations and screenings.

If you have any questions with respect to <your name> condition please do not hesitate to contact me at <phone>.

<signature>


----

Repeat the same drill with your family doctor.  Modify as follows:

I have been <your name> family physician for the past X years.

During this time she has been under my general care.  <Follow with a short paragraph explaining the history of your general health, the problem that arose, how it was treated and any residual deficit or abnormality that exists>. She is currently on <name of medication, dose, frequency> for this condition and it is expected that this will continue for the next <insert estimated time of medication cessation>.

After reviewing the attached Canadian Forces Generic Task Statement and the Task Statement for <insert your MOC> I feel that the medical condition for which I treated her will not pose a problem in her attaining these standards.  Furthermore, I feel that the aforementioned condition will not impose restrictions with respect to the type of climate, or accommodation / living conditions that <your name> might be employed in while serving in the Canadian Forces as a <your MOC here> within Canada or while deployed abroad.  This medical condition will not impose any burden upon the Canadian Forces Medical Service.  <Name> will not require any medical care for this condition from the Canadian Forces Health Service other than the routine medical services afforded to any healthy member of the Canadian Forces such as periodic physical examinations and screenings.

If you have any questions with respect to <your name> general health please do not hesitate to contact me at <phone>.

<signature>

---

They might ask for additional documentation but I doubt it.

I realize that the staff work on this is not perfect, but it gives you the gist.  The statements are well chosen albeit not perfectly word smithed. 

Cheers,

MC

 









 
Stop!

they strongly suggested me to start collecting documents from my surgeon and my family doctor now.

I had a spinal surgery last year and they said I would absolutely have to have some strong documentation from those professionals in order to get in.

The recruiters at the reserve unit are not medical professionals and they are not part of the medical processing.  While the suggestion in the post above is well intentioned it is highly recommended that you go through the medical processing first to be truly knowledgeable of what forms/information is required to be submitted by you to complete your medical.  Good Luck.

 
Thanks for that...

I still think it would be a valuable exercise.  Indeed I would wait to hand them over to the CFRC medical folks WHEN it comes up during your medical inspection.  There is no need to hand them over to anyone else other than the medical system, as they really do not need (or are entitled to know) the details of your medical condition other than how it reflects your potential employability.

I suggest the above exercise for four reasons:

1) When you are in the recruiting system, during the medical if you have indeed had a recent spinal problem they WILL (not might) want supporting documentation.  There is no way that you will slide through the recruiting medical inspection without clarification required for such a condition.

2) It could take considerable lengths of time to get into see all of your specialists, and they may wish a set of discharge from care tests such as CT scans, X-Rays, blood work, etc that take time to go get and then book another appointment with a specialist to review the results.  Especially with multiple specialist this process could take months which you can help to decrease if the process is in the works.

3) It is possible one of your specialists will not write the letter.  It is possible he/she will not feel that you are fit per the task statements or other comments in the requested letter.  This will serve one of two purposes.  (1) To let you know that you may never be medically fit for the occupation you desire or (2) to allow you to formulate a plan of care with your clinician in order to meet your medical goals.  Even if they will not write the letter I still would encourage you to attempt the recruiting process. 

4) If the CFRC Medical adviser / D Med Pol wishes additional documentation having such a letter already in your patient file at the doctor's office will facilitate a quicker reply to any inquiry or drafting of additional correspondence / completion of forms. 

This is not an uncommon situation...

Mr Q. Public has X medical problem.  He goes to CFRC does all the good recruiting stuff without any  problems. He is sailing.  Hits the medical stage of the recruiting process.  Known medical problem is identified. Takes some time for CFRC Med Adviser to send a letter to him asking for documentation from the specialists.  Mr. Q Public has 3 specialists.  Specialist A takes 2 months to get an appointment, specialist B takes 4 months to get an appointment, and Specialist C takes 4 months to get an appointment.  All are booked right away.  Specialist A clears Mr Q. Public with no issue, Specialist B wants X-rays and lab work and Specialist C wans a CT Scan in order to clear Mr. Q. Public and write the letter.  X-Rays and lab work are done within a week, but it takes another months to get back into see specialist B who realizes that he forgot to order X test.  X test is done in a week and it takes another two months to get a follow up appointment with specialist B to get in.  All is good specialist B clears the potential member.  The CT... well it takes 6 weeks to get a non-urgent CT scan, so there goes another month and a half.  Then it takes 2 months to get in after that to see specialist C who finally clears Mr. Q. Public.... you get the point... you can help close the time gap on this if you get a jump on it. 

The other problem is poorly worded letters from MD's...

Letters like this get handed to the recruiting medical system after Mr Q. Public waits 3 months to get an appointment with his specialist.... 

Mr Q. Public has an arteriovenous malformation for the past 4 years but it should not pose a problem for him to be in the part-time army.

It then takes 3 months to reach the reviewing medical officer and offers him nothing useful when he read it. You would not imagine the crap MD's write, mostly out of lack of knowledge of what is medically required to be in the Canadian Forces.  The recruiting medical officer needs to draft a letter back asking for more specific information such as that mentioned above.  Mr. Q. Public books another appointment with this specialist (2 months) who looks at what the reviewing medical officer wants and goes... whoa... you want me to sign a letter which states what?  I did not realize you had to do all of that stuff... I cannot write that letter... you cannot do X in the army with a spinal vascular malformation in the thoracolumbar region...  here is why... blah blah...

Something to think about... it is only my take on it.

Cheers and good luck,

MC
 
And now, with MedCorp's interesting and informative expansion of his original post, I believe the question has been MORE than answered in full.

For the_girlfriend:  I think you've been given a lot of well-informed suggestions.  Past experience here has shown us that questions regarding specific, personal, medical complications can not be answered well on an internet forum.  This is why we tend to lock these threads fairly quickly.  You need to confer directly with CFRC medical staff by going through the medical processing to get truly accurate answers regarding your specific situation.  Best of luck to you.




Roy Harding
Milnet.ca Staff
 
Is 10 months a long time to be still waitting for word back from DMED POL, as to my TCAT becoming a PCAT?

Have I been lost in the admin vortex again?

Is this going to take years? 

I have spoken to a few people (that have gone from TCAT to PCAT, and are awaiting release or still in and accomidated) that are saying I should more than know by now.

Please, someone tell me, should I be asking to speak with someone higher in the med chain at my base, and stop listening to the "your file is still with DMED POL"...or wait another year?

thanks!!
 
Ask for the file to be physically located. Your TCat is going to expire.
 
Thanks,

    After speaking with the CDU receptionist, all she told me she could do was to make an appointment to speak with an MO, to let this person know what the situation is.  This could not be done for another three weeks.  I then asked around the unit, and was told to speak with the case manager at the BASE HOSP.

    I got a person that had only been in the job 5 days, but seemed most helpful, and is going to call me when she has any info for me.  I will most likely be back here asking questions of who to speak with next, if there is no joy getting back a message from the case managers office.  I have never dealt with them, so no idea as to a timeline for hearing back from them, but i will give it til tues next week.

  Thanks for the info, and any pre-emptive info would be appreciated. 

  At this time, I am just looking to find out what is going on with my file as everyone short of my dog (trying to keep some humor in the situation) is telling me something seems wrong with the amount of time I have been waiting to date.

  Johnny
 
Hi, I am new to this forum and I would like to ask some questions about being a Canadian Medic (Reserve)

1. If I join the Canadian Army and train to become a Medic, will I have a better chance (Almost guaranteed) to become a Paramedic in civilian life?

2. Is anyone here on the forum a Paramedic and a Canadian (Reserve) Medic?

3. If I work as a Paramedic, will I still have enough time to be in the armed forces?

4. If I am not 18 yet (Minimum requirement to become a medic) and I finished BMQ, am I able to become a infantry, then become a medic afterward?

5. (This is related to #4) Are medics assigned to infantry squads? Or do medics have their own squad?

Sorry if my information is wrong or anything, I am new to all the army stuff!

Thanks in advance!
 
Activated said:
2. Is anyone here on the forum a Paramedic and a Canadian (Reserve) Medic?

3. If I work as a Paramedic, will I still have enough time to be in the armed forces?

Activated -
2. I think we have a couple of Civi/Reservist medics out there - best to include your location
3. Check into the shift schedules in your geography - for example in Ontario there are services that run 28 day rotating schedules of 12 hour day /night shifts
i.e. of 28 days you work 14 -    Seven shifts are 12 Hr 0700hrs to 1900hrs and the remaining Seven are  1900 to 0700  (or when ever your shift changeover is - sometimes 0600 and 1800hrs
since the schedule is predictable (you always work the same shift every 28days) this is pretty achievable. PLUS shift swaps are pretty common, although not that encouraged.


 
Activated:

1.  Not necessarily (at least not "guaranteed").  Each province has different regulations and requirements.  Some make you take the whole course, others, you are able to just challenge the final test.

2.  Yes, lots.

3.  Depends on your civilian shift schedule.  Lots of people do it, or work with volunteer fire departments, etc.  Just remember the military comes first (e.g. they are not going to give you time off for your civvy job).

4.  You have to 18 to be a Medic?  I didn't know that.   However, you can go infantry, just remember that to do an OT (occupational transfer) you need a minimum amount of time in, a certain training level and it's still not guaranteed.  In other words, don't pick one trade hoping to change to another.  If you really want Medic, wait until you are 18.

5.  No, Medics are tasked to units.
 
Activated said:
1. If I join the Canadian Army and train to become a Medic, will I have a better chance (Almost guaranteed) to become a Paramedic in civilian life?

I don't know about out of town.This is what you need for Toronto:
http://www.torontoems.ca/main-site/careers/medic-opportunities.html
With us you can advance to CCTU, HUSAR, ESU, ETF, Community Medicine, Marine , HAZMAT ( no thanks ), CBRN, bike, PSU, ERU. Special Ops, NEA, probably others I can't think of. MPU was disbanded. It was the best if you like a lot of OT. I worked it for 20 years. 
Best of all, we are completely in dependant from all other city departments. We used to have our own Commissioner. Our "Golden Years" were from 1975 to 1998.
I joined in 1972. The job isn't for everyone, however. A lot of burnout.

"3. If I work as a Paramedic, will I still have enough time to be in the armed forces?"

In Toronto, we work 20 X 12 hour rotating shifts every six weeks with very little "down time" between calls. Obviously, you work Statutory Holidays. There's LOTS of voluntary and involuntary ( forced ) overtime.
The one big difference between now, and when I was in the militia is that Corporate policy now permits leave of absence for military training. 



 
mariomike said:
I don't know about out of town.This is what you need for Toronto:
http://www.torontoems.ca/main-site/careers/medic-opportunities.html
With us you can advance to CCTU, HUSAR, ESU, ETF, Community Medicine, Marine , HAZMAT ( no thanks ), CBRN, bike, PSU, ERU. Special Ops, NEA, probably others I can't think of. MPU was disbanded. It was the best if you like a lot of OT. I worked it for 20 years. 
Best of all, we are completely in dependant from all other city departments. We used to have our own Commissioner. Our "Golden Years" were from 1975 to 1998.
I joined in 1972. The job isn't for everyone, however. A lot of burnout.

"3. If I work as a Paramedic, will I still have enough time to be in the armed forces?"

In Toronto, we work 20 X 12 hour rotating shifts every six weeks with very little "down time" between calls. Obviously, you work Statutory Holidays. There's LOTS of voluntary and involuntary ( forced ) overtime.
The one big difference between now, and when I was in the militia is that Corporate policy now permits leave of absence for military training.

Would you mind giving me a suggestion on what path I should take? As in join the army reserve, then in civilian life, be a paramedic, or anything like that? I am open to any suggestions. I am still having a hard time choosing a future career
 
Activated said:
Would you mind giving me a suggestion on what path I should take? As in join the army reserve, then in civilian life, be a paramedic, or anything like that? I am open to any suggestions. I am still having a hard time choosing a future career

I will turn 55 soon. This summer. That means I can retire. I have the same confusion you do about what to do.
 
I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  ;)
 
PMedMoe said:
I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  ;)

I know what I want to be! A Paramedic! I just have problems planning out my future education after high school and if I should join the Army Reserve...
 
I can provide some guidance:

If you want to be a Medical Technician then apply to the Regular Force as a Medical Technician.  We are hiring. 

If you want to be a Paramedic go to a college, pass the Paramedic program and then apply for a job with a paramedic service.

If you want to be both then join the Reserve Force as a Medical Technician while concurrently going to college, passing the Paramedic program and then applying for a job with a paramedic service. 

See: the end of the thread called "semi-skilled applicant needs more info" to examine the role of the Med Tech vs. civilian Paramedic.

Cheers,

MC

 
Back
Top