Civy Medic vs. Army Medic

[future medic]

I've been floating around the idea of being a Med Tech for some time now. Being a cadet for a number of years and now out working for an ambulance service in Ontario (I'm the supply manager) I'm torn between the too routes of getting qualified. I've been getting a lot of questions answered from this site (thanks guys) however am still left with a few that are floating around that would really like answered:

1. What are the levels of medics in the army? I know from working with my service in Ontario we have our PCP,ACP and CCP however what are the levels in the military and what are their qualifications? How long would it take for another "wanna be" medic to reach their full qualification?

2. Understanding that medics from both civiy and military worlds are trained differently, has anyone ever had a friend or heard of someone that has gotten out and has successfully challenged the A-EMCA and passed?

Thanks a lot for your help on this matter guys it is very much appreciated.

cheers
  (anyone else notice he's saluting with his left hand? LOL)

 

[Adam]

Hello Future Medic, I am a Medic QL 3 PCP. I have held this Qualification for just about 6 years. In my first posting I was in a clinical position and was exposed to many different areas. I rotated throughout the hospital working in the Ward, physiotherapy, the lab, the OR, and the Emergency Department. 
  Now on my second posting I work in a non-clinical unit.  Day to day I do routine maintenance on vehicles, and general warehouse labour.
As for being licenced as a PCP in Ontario. It is your own initiative to challenge the AEMCA.  I actually leave today for the remaining testing but it has been a long process.  My unit has done some to support me but Ive spent a lot of money and time to get this licence.

 

[future medic]

Are you finding it a difficult transition between the two job careers? (ciy and med tech?)

cheers

 

[Armymedic]

Search this site, read this thread:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/21519/post-110864.html#msg110864

Afterward I will be more then happy to answer any questions.

Oh and by the way, in the CF, I AM the only Armymedic...everyone else are Med Techs.  ;D

 

[herseyjh]

Or if you want to do both then the reserves is always an option.

 

[future medic]

Thanks for the speedy answers to my questions guys as you can see I'm doing my research, more questions though,

after speeking with a recruiter at CFRC Toronto he mentioned that after you get you CPL and your clinical experence your can become someting called an "independent" (something along those lines) and then get attached to a unit.

1. Are you the only medic for that unit? (he said something along the lines of being the only medic for a company of 130 troops)

2. If you do get attached to a unit do you get to pick what one you get attached too? (If possible I'd love to be attached to a combat arms unit, most likely infantry)

3. What are your chances of doing other military courses such as the para course or the SARtech course?

and finally,

4. What is the highest standing a med tech can achive (QL wise ) and what type of protocols can these guys do? Also how can I prepare myself mentaly for these courses?

the only reason why I'm asking as I've been looking all over other forums but no such answer as of yet.....maybe I'm just not looking hard enough

Thanks alot guys

-Scott

P.S. happy birthday armymedic!  ;D


 

 

[Dale Turner]

future medic,  Here's some answers to your quections. I'm not sure what the recruiter means by you becoming an "independant" once your a Cpl with clinical experience but... once you get done your BMQ and SQ courses then you go on your QL3 course which if you are a PCP you might get some of it written off. Then you go on to your QL4 course which further trains you into the army way of thinking/doing medical procedures and assessments. Then with time in and a good service record and merit you may be promoted to Cpl. All that training is done while your a member of a Fd Amb unit.

If you want to be attached to a combat arms unit you'll have to request such through your chain of command. Then you have to get the CO of the Fd Amb and the CO of the combat unit to agree on the attachment. CFMG does not like the idea of medics being attached out of Fd Ambs to other units. So dont be surprised if you get denied. The only way I've been allowed to parade with a combat arms unit is I'm an ACP civy side and I'm attached to 31 CER. They quite frequently use demolitions and explosives and they require QL5 med tech qualified for medical coverage.(ACP crudely translates to QL5).

Any courses you requset your leadership should try to get you on however you can only get loaded on the courses that become available. SAR tech is a trade you have to remuster into from another trade.

Hope this answers some of your questions


DT

 

[Armymedic]

What sqn_medic above speaks of above is for Reserve Med Techs.

independent means you can be tasked by yourself without another medic and without direct supervision of a higher medical authority. I.e. you can take history, examining, determine a treatment options and then you can perscribe and supply OTC drugs to the troops etc.

(ACP crudely translates to QL5).

About the same as "mon cherie" translates roughly to my latex lovedoll. There is no civilian equivalent (prehospital or otherwise) to a QL 5 Med Tech. The prehospital qualification is just one of many facets of being a military med tech. There is also RPN, Pharm assistant, Med admin assistant, etc, etc roles QL 5 medics do. In that case, the ACP equivalency is spcifically stating you have enough civilian prehospital knowledge to perform that specific role instead of a fully qualified QL 5 Med Tech, it does not mean you are one.

to answer your questions directly...I sure hope you searched, cause de je vu is setting in. This is for Reg Force.

1. Are you the only medic for that unit?
If you are in a small unit you and possibly one other med tech will serve the unit. Most time there are a min of 2 med techs support any unit. Larger units, like infantry have medical stations of up to 15 pers, and 2-4 medics per company.

2. If you do get attached to a unit do you get to pick what one you get attached too? No. you will get posted to a medical unit. You will be tasked to support the army unit.

3. What are your chances of doing other military courses such as the para course or the SARtech course?
SAR is another trade in the CF, so no. If you are fit and capable you will get an opportunity to challenge yourself with courses like Basic Para. But they are few (2 - 4 spots a yr for medics) but they are avail.

4. What is the highest standing a med tech can achieve (QL wise ) and what type of protocols can these guys do? Also how can I prepare myself mentally for these courses?

Highest med tech qualification is QL 6 or Sgts course. Protocols et all, for Sgts are same as QL 5 Med techs. The only difference is I have more freedom in courses of action then Cpls would have, because of experience, for instance I can send people for Xray, physio, and perscribe Rx med with my MO's permission. Also at my level, I am training for PA so they expect me to think clinically, not just monkey medicine protocol based medicine.
After that you will course loaded onto your Physician Assistants course. it is 2 yrs long and allows you to do allot.

Don't worry about preparing yourself, you'll have time over your career. After your QL3, it is my job as a supervisor to prepare you for them.

 

[Future Prodigy]

Adam - you mentioned you were a QL3 medic for 6 years? I am a bit confused by this, for sqn_medic mentioned that you go on to do your QL4 right after QL3? Is QL progression not the same for everyone

 

[DiverMedic]

Adam - you mentioned you were a QL3 medic for 6 years? I am a bit confused by this, for sqn_medic mentioned that you go on to do your QL4 right after QL3? Is QL progression not the same for everyone

Reserve medic is a bit different from Reg Force medic due to time constraints for the most part.  The Res QL3 and 4 is equivalent to the Reg Force QL3.  There 4s is the clinical portion of the Reg Force 3s.

Depending on civvie availability a Res medic can go a while before his 4s if he is unavailable for the course during the periods that it is being run.  Typically I believe the course is only run a couple times a year and that is during the summer.

DM

 

[PMedMoe]

The Res QL3 and 4 is equivalent to the Reg Force QL3.

Really?  I wonder why we had a ResF (Army) QL6A medic in Petawawa one summer who was not allowed to see patients on his own.

If I'm not mistaken, only Air Reserves courses are equivalent to the RegF because they are RegF courses.

 

[DiverMedic]

Really?  I wonder why we had a ResF (Army) QL6A medic in Petawawa one summer who was not allowed to see patients on his own.

If I'm not mistaken, only Air Reserves courses are equivalent to the RegF because they are RegF courses.

I have no idea what the story was behind him.  There may have been more to it than simple lack of QL.

I have not actually taken the Res QL4.  The only reason I know this is cause some friends did do it last summer and both my driver and Crew Commander of my Bison are Res QL6.  The differences in the training was something that we discussed a fair bit while in Texas.

DM

 

[DiverMedic]

Just a quick addition to my previous.  One of the guys that CT'd from RES to REG medic did not have his QL4.  He was required (from Ottawa) to write a Prior Learning Assessment test and to have a staff teach him everything from the QL4 prior to being allowed to due the JIBC PCP portion.

DM

 

[PMedMoe]

Well, I guess things have changed.  I always thought that the Army Res training was not the same as Reg.
I guess you learn something new everyday. 

 

[DiverMedic]

I had a quick look into it.  QL4 is also called enhancement training and covers the clinical portion of the REG 3s.  Apparently it is something relatively new and therefore your 6 may not have had the course yet which is why he wasn't able to see patients on his own.

DM