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9-1-1 calls?
Renaming of MedTech and MedA
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9-1-1 calls?
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Are you serious?
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What I think the Military medical system should be doing has nothing at all in common with a 9-11 call…
We can can barely get CFHS Gp to staff clinics on bankers hours, let alone do combat medicine.
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MedCorps
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The intent it would seem is to have a quicker, less costly, CAF controlled training pipeline to deployment for Combat Medics. The training from recruitment to QL5 (or RQ Cpl) is too long now for Med Tech and there is a realization that the Primary Care Paramedic skill set is not universally required in combat / operations. We do not see a lot of heart blocks, seizures, strokes, geriatrics, etc in our military population but we do need someone who is a trauma ninja - with advanced interventions (cric, blood, etc), can do prolonged field care when the evacuation system fails, and do sick parade out of a bag.
I think there was also a perception that we were being choked by the civilian colleges who want to make provincial paramedics and not military paramedics. As such the cost was high and we could not secure enough spots to dig us out of the Med Tech shortage hole we are in.
Finally, it would seem that in the next 10 years paramedicine may be moving toward a degree in some (most?) of Canada and that just complicates the traning process.
It will also allow Reg F / Res F interchangability unlike Med A and Med Tech does now.
In general, the way I understand it...
Paramedics function in isolated places (ships, SOF, back of aircraft) or lead Combat Medics when paired together (ambulance team, Sr Coy Medic)
Comabt Medics work in Med Dets, UMS, Med Pl, drive ambulances (partner to a paramedic), work the wards in field hospitals, most CDUs, Crew Comd Armd Amb in Fd Amb, work as Pl Medics, and all other "all-arms" type jobs in field units.
The CAF has created and have approved a new Scope of Practice both for Comabt Medic and Paramedic that meets then needs of military service. Depite the Paramedic will be schooled as a Primary Care Paramedic they they get extra training to do things we need to them to so that civilian paramedics at the primary care level do not do, like put in a chest tubes, suture, and give blood, for example.
I have seen both of the Scopes of Practice and they are appropriately agressive to maximize casualty survival during war / operations.
MedCorps
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This is the million dollar question - everyone is waiting to see if both, one, or neither of the new MOSID get some sort of Spec Pay.
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They are already there.
Paramedicine at the University of Toronto
Admission Requirements
Ontario high school- High school diploma (OSSD)
- At least six (6) Grade 12 “U” or “M” courses
- Advanced Functions or Calculus & Vectors or Mathematics of Data Management
- Biology
- Chemistry (recommended)
- English
Approximate grade requirements: Low 80s
Please note: Paramedicine is a first-year entry program; if you have completed post-secondary studies, you are not eligible for admission. Exception: Applicants who have completed a Paramedic diploma program from an Ontario college will be considered and are welcome to apply.
Hello, I am also interested in becoming a medic in the army. I have a few questions, and it seems like there are some well informed individuals in this thread. I emailed Health Services but got what seems to be a fairly generic and uninformative response about my questions.
My questions are as follows:
In terms of the Reserve force, what are the daily duties/training of a MedA versus a MedTech? What can I expect to do as a medic in the Reserves once I have finished my training? How will these change when the trades are changed to Combat Medic and Paramedic?
For the Reg Force, which of the two roles will allow for the maximum amount of additional education/specialty classes as well as progression and advancement into more specialized/higher tier roles? If I am to enlist in the Reg Force, I would like to make it worth my while by absorbing as much knowledge and education that is available to service members, as well as progressing to the highest echelon of paramedicine that I am capable of.
Are there any options for getting Advanced Care Paramedic equivalency level training? The Alberta College of Paramedics will accept applicants who have served in the CAF for a medic role as long as they have taken their COPR exam with no specification in regards to PCP versus ACP, so if I can avoid having to go to school for my ACP, then I would like to take that option.
How well does serving as a medic in the CAF transfer into civilian applications? I have not heard great things, but the information I can gather is mainly aimed towards those who live in Ontario, not Alberta. If anyone is a TEMS medic, would serving in the CAF provide any significant advantage towards beating out the competition for TEMS? If so, which would provide a greater advantage, a MedA/Combat Medic (trauma focused) or a MedTech/Paramedic (more generalized but higher knowledge base)?
Apologies if I seem uninformed. I would just like to know all of my options and possible career pathways before I dedicate my 20s to servitude in the CAF, especially with the current state of things. I appreciate any and all answers.
My questions are as follows:
In terms of the Reserve force, what are the daily duties/training of a MedA versus a MedTech? What can I expect to do as a medic in the Reserves once I have finished my training? How will these change when the trades are changed to Combat Medic and Paramedic?
For the Reg Force, which of the two roles will allow for the maximum amount of additional education/specialty classes as well as progression and advancement into more specialized/higher tier roles? If I am to enlist in the Reg Force, I would like to make it worth my while by absorbing as much knowledge and education that is available to service members, as well as progressing to the highest echelon of paramedicine that I am capable of.
Are there any options for getting Advanced Care Paramedic equivalency level training? The Alberta College of Paramedics will accept applicants who have served in the CAF for a medic role as long as they have taken their COPR exam with no specification in regards to PCP versus ACP, so if I can avoid having to go to school for my ACP, then I would like to take that option.
How well does serving as a medic in the CAF transfer into civilian applications? I have not heard great things, but the information I can gather is mainly aimed towards those who live in Ontario, not Alberta. If anyone is a TEMS medic, would serving in the CAF provide any significant advantage towards beating out the competition for TEMS? If so, which would provide a greater advantage, a MedA/Combat Medic (trauma focused) or a MedTech/Paramedic (more generalized but higher knowledge base)?
Apologies if I seem uninformed. I would just like to know all of my options and possible career pathways before I dedicate my 20s to servitude in the CAF, especially with the current state of things. I appreciate any and all answers.
ArmyRick
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OK, so if I was back in the infantry, and we were doing a platoon operation (deliberate attack or a raid), what would tag along if we anticipated high probability of gun shot wounds and explosive injuries? Paramedic or combat medic?
MedCorps
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The infantry Coy will have 1 x MCpl Paramedic, 1 x Cpl Paramedic, 2 x Cpl Combat Medic. So it could be ether. Both are well equip to deal with GSW / explosive injuries (although the paramedic has a few more tools).
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Maybe Alberta is different, but where I worked, first you had to qualify like anyone else already on the job.
ie: Internal Closed competition. Not Open competition aka "off the street".
Once qualified, they went down the seniority list.
Younger you are when hire on with the City, the higher up on the seniority list you are.
No short cuts around that. CAF service is admirable, but does not count towards seniority.
You may wish to also read up Rescue Task Force ( RTF ).
TEMS = Tactical Paramedic? The acronym our dept. used was ETF ( Emergency Task Force ).
Where I worked, in 1996, the first team of Tactical Paramedics in Canada was formed.
Tactical Paramedic vacancies are filled internally through the "senior qualified process". They are not hired "off the street".
Back then, ETF Paramedics aka Tactical, received a $1,000.00 annual premium, which was part of their pensionable earnings.
The physical fitness assessment to qualify was:
- 2.4 kilometer run in a maximum time of 11:18 minutes.
- Complete 7 overhand chin ups (uninterrupted)
- Complete 7 vertical dips (start in up position, lower no farther than arms parallel to the ground.
- 35 push ups (< 60 seconds)
- Complete 40 sit ups in 60 seconds.
- Core test (Static Plank Test) 45 sec front plank, 45 sec left plank, 45 sec right plank, 30 sec front plank left leg elevated, 30 sec front plank right leg elevated.
carrying one man (approx 18 kg) up and down 5 sets of stairs, 25 m body drag (approx 90 kg), and
shield carry (approx 8 kg) back to the starting point. The candidate will then remove their gasmask and
have 1 minute to cannulate an IV arm.
MedCorps
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In the Res F there will be Combat Medics and Paramedics and both Med A and Med Tech will cease to exist. Once you are trained as a medic in the Res F you can expect to continue to train (both military skills and medical skills), support army units by providing medical support to them when they on exercises / ranges (ambulance, dismounted, tented medical facility), augment the Reg F on deployments (domestic and international), support garrison medical clinics (primary care), and do teaching as you move up in rank.
The Paramedic in the Reg F allows increases specialization in terms of Flight (forward aeromedical evac, strategic fixed wing evac, and combat support search and rescue), Special Operations, and maritime environment.
ACP is not a thing in the CAF.
If you are a CAF paramedic you will be required to hold a PCP licence in one province. As such, when you leave, you have civilian qualification.
OldSolduer
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This - seriously.
In the days of yore we had one medic per rifle company. I reckon that the UMS could have surged a few more forward if needed.
ArmyRick
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Yup, I remember. It also sucked when you had a good sorted out army medic who had solid experiences and then next ex, you get a medic posted to a field unit for the first time.
medicineman
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My experience was this - usually a Cpl/MCpl at rifle coy HQ on Exercise. When I went to Croatia, we had 2 Cpl's and a WSE MCpl in our Company - on paper one per rifle platoon, if deployed on a full Coy Op, the Reserve Platoon Medic would assume the role of the Coy CCP. When I went to Kabul, 2 MCpl/Cpl Med Techs, plus we had option to borrow from the small UAS we had (PA, MCpl Med Tech) attached to the TAT. There was a bit of friction there regarding how tasks went out, since the 2 of us from 2 RCR were known's and were still part of the unit at that time. When we went down to Haiti the next spring, the rifle coy got essentially an entire UMS - MO, PA, Sgt Med Tech, enough and IIRC 3-4 Cpl/MCpl's. I was at the NSE - we had an MO, PA, 2 MCpl's, a MCpl/Sgt P Med Tech and an HCA officer at the HQ. We got a Pte/Cpl augmented to us from the Fd Hosp in Petawawa for a few months about mid way through. Got promoted to Sgt about 2/3 way through. I also doubled as the Medical Supply Tech for the NSE and Coy Group.
MedCorps
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I was talking to someone at work today. I was not tracking but the CFHS paid for a large number of medics to attend the Canadian Tactical Paramedic Conference (CANTACMED) last year. In fact, CAF medics delivered a notable chunk of the presentations and the key note address! It would seem that our medics are making inroads with the civilian tactical medicine community.
It would also seem that we are planing to do so again this year.
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The largest municipal paramedic service in Canada only has 20 Tactical Paramedics. ( Not all on duty at the same time, obviously. )
As far as "beating out the competition", postings within the department are filled on a Senior Qualified basis.
ie: Applicants are considered in order of departmental seniority.
That's how all job postings are filled. There are no short cuts to the front of the line.
That's just one municipal paramedic department. YMMV with others.
You might like it, and stay in for whole ride.
Alberta Bound
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Kang 13, as you mentioned AB College of P I will tell you that Edmonton and Calgary TEMS are based on having all the right training and experience with Alberta Health as an ACP and then getting through the selection by either police service. As AHS provides the medics under contract, but both services have a “selection” program to get on their teams. A few small police forces in Alberta have ad hoc setups and the rest of the province is done by the RCMP who train their own Members to fill the role. Which is passing EMR Trg and then an RCMP course (EMRT) which is very trauma centric. It was designed by ex CAF DRs and medics and evolved based on US and Can experiences overseas as well as some interesting US studies. The intent behind the RCMP Trg is so Members have “battlefield” life saving skills nearby in all those lonely rural communities.
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What is their call volume?
Sounds similar to "Tactical Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) Medic" in Ontario.
The 20 ( not all on duty at the same time, obviously ) Toronto ETF paramedics respond to over 700 ETF calls per year.
That's without being "on-call 24/7 when off-duty".
ETF paramedics work twenty twelve-hour shifts every six weeks. Same as the rest of us.
Off-duty means exactly that. They never phoned you at home. And you never had to carry a pager or cell phone.
In the event of an Active Shooter/ Hostile Event ( ASHE ) they would likely go with an ad hoc Rescue Task Force ( RTF ).
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