Medical Assistant - Reserve

[adamop]

Hi all,

I am interested in joining the army reserves, and possibly one day the Reg Force, as a Medical Technician. I currently work as a Paramedic in BC. I graduated with the PCP/IV certification from the Justice Institute of BC (the same 13 week program that Reg Force QL3's go thru). I also hold a B.A. degree in Communication.

If I were to join the army, especially the reg force, would I need to retake the training I'd already taken? Likewise, I've heard, in the reserves, that PCP training is no longer being done and, instead, they are now training reserves members to the level of EMR instead. So how would it work if I joined the reserves with PCP cert? I've also considered joining as a DEO, since I've got a bachelor's degree, but I don't know if there are any fields that I would fit into. Any suggestions?

What are some good reserves med units in BC?

Thanks,
Adam

 

[Fraser.g]

There are two Reserve medical units in BC

11 Fd Amb in Victoria
and
12 Fd Amb in Vancouver.

Your best bet is to get in touch with your closest one and talk to their recruiting NCO. I have known the one for 12 Fd Amb for several years and is quite knowledgeable. He is a medic with BC amb as well so most of the questions you have, he can answer.

As for joining the reg force, you will probably have to take all your basic medic training over but I am not sure. As for the Reserve force, once you are in you can present all your credentials to the Standards O and he will assist you in filling out a prior learning assessment (PLA). This may get you some of the equivalences to your Regular force Threes.

Good Luck

GF

 

[medicineman]

If you want to go Reg Force, explain the situation and a PLA will be done - you'll likely just have to do the clinical phase of your 3's.  Know and know of a number of people that went that route.

BTW, being a (then) 11 Med Coy (now Fd Amb) alumnus, I'd say go 11 and vice 12  >.

Good luck either way.

MM

 

[Fraser.g]

If you want to go Reg Force, explain the situation and a PLA will be done - you'll likely just have to do the clinical phase of your 3's.  Know and know of a number of people that went that route.

BTW, being a (then) 11 Med Coy (now Fd Amb) alumnus, I'd say go 11 and vice 12  >.

Good luck either way.

MM

That depends if you live on the Island or not.

Island = 11 Fd Amb
Mainlnand= 12 Fd Amb

 

[medicineman]

RN PRN,

My sarcastic side doesn't always come out very well electronically I guess - I was slamming 12 Fd Amb  ;D.

MM

 

[adamop]

Thanks for the replies all.

Yeah I was aware of Fd Amb 11 in Victoria which is where I would be applying. I am on the other end of Vancouver Island though, over 4 hours away (400+kms). So if I were in this unit, would I bet given a gas allowance in addition to my pay to help me get there?

Also, if I did enter into the reserves could I apply directly to have my QL3 written off after completing BMQ and SQ? Or would I need to do more stuff? Also, would I be eligable to enter as semi-skilled or skilled and start off as a higher pay rate? Like Corporal or something? Is it possible to gain full Reg-Force QL3 equivelancy in the Reserves, or is it not possible since I wouldnt have the clinical portion?

Thx

 

[Donut]

Adamop,  I'm one of the reserve HS recruiters here in BC, I cover the Mainland, for 12 Fd Amb.

On top of the BMQ and SQ, you'll need to do parts of the QL3, the bits that deal with medical setups in the field, our ambs, chain of evacuation, quite a lot, really. 

You'll need to do all of the QL4, the clinical portion of the reserve med tech training.  Those two courses, PLUS your PCP license, gets you a direct QL3 equivalency with the reg force.  That's the plan, anyway; the upgrade courses are being scheduled as we speak, and more reserve medics are being loaded on the PCP with the regs, too.

If you want to PM with your contact info, I'll pass it on to the 11 Fd Amb recruiter to answer questions about their units commuting assistance policy from the north Island;  I joined from Duncan, initially, but that's not in the same league.

DF

 

[737?]

I recently went to a RC to pickup my application...
Now as not to repeat previous posts, I have done my best to search for answers but have not quite found all the information I require. So my apologies right off the bat, if I am repeating a thread.

I'm looking at the differences between joining regs or reserves. Can someone please give me a break down of the training time for reserves. As I understand it, full time, there is your BMQ of 11 weeks, QL3 of 65 days another 65 days (being phase 3 or PCP training) followed by another month in Borden.

Can someone please let me know what the equivalent training is for the Reserves. I understand the current commitment is 37 days; 1-2 nights a week and 1-2 weekends a month. With BMQ either through the summer or weekends during the remainder of the year.

Another question I have is if it's possible to be in the Reserves until Corporal status is achieved and then be transferred to the regular forces, and maintain your standing with the specified pay?

Websites? Suggestions? Assistance please?

 

[cgyflames01]

I recently went to a RC to pickup my application...
Now as not to repeat previous posts, I have done my best to search for answers but have not quite found all the information I require. So my apologies right off the bat, if I am repeating a thread.

I'm looking at the differences between joining regs or reserves. Can someone please give me a break down of the training time for reserves. As I understand it, full time, there is your BMQ of 11 weeks, QL3 of 65 days another 65 days (being phase 3 or PCP training) followed by another month in Borden.

Can someone please let me know what the equivalent training is for the Reserves. I understand the current commitment is 37 days; 1-2 nights a week and 1-2 weekends a month. With BMQ either through the summer or weekends during the remainder of the year.

Another question I have is if it's possible to be in the Reserves until Corporal status is achieved and then be transferred to the regular forces, and maintain your standing with the specified pay?

Websites? Suggestions? Assistance please?

This is a touchy subject, as I understand, the reserve training takes a whole lot longer then the regular force training. With out the PCP qualification the Reg's get . I am gonna try my best to explain, but as a reg force student, I know little about the reserves. From what I understand the Reg's go for QL3- Clinical for 16 weeks then go to JIBC in Chilliwack for 4 months, then return to Borden for 2 weeks Field training. Then they go to there units.  I think the reserves go for QL3- Clinical + Field for 7 weeks. This is where I'm foggy, then return months later to do QL4, and then months after that they go back to Borden to do Enhanced Training. At this point They have the equivalent of the reg force QL3 minus the PCP Qualification from JIBC.
Another question I have is if it's possible to be in the Reserves until Corporal status is achieved and then be transferred to the regular forces, and maintain your standing with the specified pay?
best answer is maybe 
I hope this helps. Good luck

 

[737?]

Hmm...a whole lot longer?
Does anyone know the timeframe?
Is this all summer training then?

 

[herseyjh]

The only people that I have seen keep their ranks are Cpls who have been in for a long while, maybe have been on tour, worked with the regular force, ect...  That sort of thing, but beyond Cpl. I don't think I have ever seen it evening out.

I guess it depends on how you look at it:  If you want to say have a civi career and serve your contry go with the reserves, otherwise I would say go full time.  I have seen lots of people treat their reserve career as a quazi full-time military careers, and spend years in the reserves before comitting to it full time.  From my point of view it might have been more productive for them to start in the regular force.

 

[The_Falcon]

Can't answer your question about reg training time vs res training time for Med tech, however there is a thread some where in the OT Sub board in the Army Admin Forum, that explains how much time you get credit for when going from res to reg.  If I remember correctly the formula is you take all the days (vice years) you have been in the reserves (example 2 years = 730 days) subtract any class b/c time from that number (using our example say you have 60 days class B so 730-60= 670) now divide whatever you get left by 4 (670/4=167.5) and add back your class b/c time (167.5+60= 227.5), ergo you will get 227.5 days credited to your IPC when going regs, which would mean you would get to pte 2 just little faster than the rest of you peers, and you might have to go through BMQ again.  This is just an example, you would need to plug in your own numbers, but basically as herseyjh said you would have to have been in for a while gone on a tour, done class b etc.

 

[The Heathen]

The reserves training is in process of a major and long overdue shakedown.  Both the R QL3 and RQL4 are longer by several weeks than when I took them.  For guys like me they've offered a bridging course. 

But simply put, RQL3 plus RQL4 = QL3 Regforce.

As for transferring over, yeah, unless you have both your 3's and 4's reserves, and significant time in with reg force bases/taskings, your not going to keep your second hook from reserves to regs.  In the reserves, Cpl has become a very gimme rank, almost garuntee after 2 yrs and the right courses.  In the regs, its 4 yrs and the right courses.  So you'd have to have 4 yrs equvalent reg force time to keep your second hook. 

 

[rogsco]

Hi All,

The component transfer (CT) process has undergone some work as well. A Res F member CTing to the Reg F is rank protected based on ADM (HR-MIL) Instruction 07/05. A Cpl Res F member going Reg F would keep the Cpl rank if they are considered a skilled applicant IAW the instruction. A skilled applicant is one seeking CT into the same occupation and who has reached the Basic Occupational Qualification as defined by the occupational specification for the component from which the member is transferring and accumulated the equivalent of 36 months of FTPS. The skilled applicant may be selected for further training in order to be fully employable in the gaining component.

Full-time Paid Service (FTPS) is based on the sum of:

Class A service is factored at 25% (4 years Class A = 1 year FTPS)
Class B and Class C service are factored at 100%.

You can read the instruction here: http://www.forces.gc.ca/hr/instructions/engraph/0705_admhrmil_e.asp#6

Hope that helps.

 

[adamop]

For a couple of years now I've been considering joining the army and have finally decided to just do the reserves as I can't commit to reg. The reason is I am going to be enrolling in university soon at Royal Roads (it actually used to be a military college but that is just a coincidence). So I have a few questions.

1. I want to enroll as a medtech. What is the highest qualification level one can achieve in the reserves as a med-tech? QL3?
2. I already have my PCP certificate from the JIBC. What other stuff would I need to do? BMQ, etc?
3. Can I take BMQ just on weekends... when is it offered like this? And where abouts in BC, anywhere on vancouver island?
4. How long does it normally take to move to Corporal in the reserves...?

Thx, Adam

 

[PQLUR]

So you wanna be a Reserve Med Tech, eh ???

Answers to your questions:
1) RQL6A is the highest trades crse for Res Med Tech;
2) You will have to complete a BMQ & SQ crse, if you are already PCP qualified you can submit your paper work from your PCP crse for what is call a "Prior Learning Assessment" and then after your RQL3 Med Tech trades trg you would have the same qualification as a Reg Force QL3 Med Tech (only because you are a trained PCP, but you would have to submit your paper work from your PCP crse for the Prior Learning Assessment);
3) Most Brigades (contact 11 Field Amb Victoria or 12 Field Amb Vancouver) across Canada run Reserve BMQ over wknds;
4) Promotion to Corporal in the reserve medical world sometimes come with in two yrs after you complete your BMQ/SQ/QL3. People usually go on their RQL4 crse as a corporal.

 

[adamop]

PQLUR you the man. But I need more information. I would like to even gather enough information so I can understand the whole system.

So if I understand you correctly, you are saying that Reserve QL3 and RegF QL3 are the same, except that RegF QL3 has the PCP? So I could get Reserve QL3 and then with my PCP prior learning I'd have QL3 reg force equivelancy.

What good with that do me in the reserves? Like I'll still be a QL3, will the army recognize that I'm more trained than a reserve QL3 without the PCP portion?

What courses does it take to reach QL3? From what I understand it is:

1. BMQ
2. SQ
3. MOC

I was also told their is some clinical portion that needs to be done. Is that part of MOC?

Ok so now that I'm past that, I need to ask about the other levels... what does RQL4 consist of? And what does RQL6A consist of? And are there any levels in between them? What are they equivelant to in the reserves? When is the PCP course supposed to come into play in the reserves? Like I know there are lots of RQL3's with only EMR. So when do they get offered PCP?

Once I gather all this info I will do a write-up on it for future reserve medtechs to contribute back to the community here because everyone is so great!

Thanks,
Ad

 

[Donut]

If you do a SEARCH of the boards, specifically the Health Services, you'll find all these questions, and more, answered.

Or, you could call the unit recruiter for 11 Fd Amb at 250-363-8360.

DF

 

[wamoine]

Good day,

I saw a message recently telling reserve med techs (?) that their files were to be evaluated to see if they were to remain med techs or be "retrofitted" to be med-A's. Can anyone tell me more about this? I'm an HCA with a navy reserve unit (long story) and I'm outside the CFHS circle.

Thanks,

 

[medaid]

I'm an HCA with a navy reserve unit.

Ho ho! I didn't know such a thing was even possible!  ;D

I don't but that would be a headache all over again. Most of us that were sworn in at a certain period from Jun 03 on wards were classifieds as R737 MedTechs, and those before us were R711 Med As. Although everyone was eventually converted it was a headache.

Now, if this was to be true, are they going to base it upon the following criterion?

1) BMQ
2) SQ            __
3) QL3 Med Res |
4) QL4 Med Res |---------------> Reg QL3
5) PCP              |
                    ---


Since we're on this topic, does anyone know if a PRes MedTech needs to be licensed in their province once their PCP is completed to get RegF equivalency? Since the RegF candidates aren't licensed, and if the PRes MedTech has no desire to work civi side would they still qualify for their equivalency?