The Bio-Science Officer Merged Thread

[bbell]

so if grades are that important how come i'm being told to wait to do my interview/medical until they find out how many candidates from RC Edmonton are alloted to the May 5th course?

 

[aesop081]

so if grades are that important how come i'm being told to wait to do my interview/medical until they find out how many candidates from RC Edmonton are alloted to the May 5th course?

It doesnt matter how many positions there are. Without a valid medical and completed interview you are not elligible for any of them.

 

[bbell]

well thats not the info i recieved at the RC. I was told that because Edmonton might only receive 5 spots (just a hypothetical number she threw out. could be more could be less she said) the people whom have already been offered spots go first, then if there was still spots open i would be called in to do my med and interview. the initial thread was that my grades, no matter how good, were not going to propel me to the top of the list, because there are candidates waiting.

 

[bbell]

as i am just an applicant at this point i can only go by what the recruiting office tells me. If someone with more experience has any suggestions or comments i would appreciate the advice. cheers.

 

[benny88]

Four months benny?! That is great. I think I had my vision test at that point.

 
  Yeah, I just had good timing I guess.

I was told that because Edmonton might only receive 5 spots

Whoa, I didn't know spots were allocated geographically like that, I thought everyone got thrown into the same pool.

 

[bbell]

yah i didnt either until Friday. Like i said i can only go off of what the RC tells me.

 

[BC Old Guy]

Oh I understand that ... I was actually curious as to whether more qualified candidates get to jump ahead of the line in terms of those waiting to receive offers... the recruiter online said they had 0 positions and several hundred files waiting for the position to open up .. so i was wondering whether a new and more qualified applicant would jump to the front of that waiting line...I'm assuming thats what they'd do since they'd want only the best candidates. But either way it sounds like a looong wait ... I hope to get my application in during the summer, once my knee is all healed up.

Yes, we constantly review the list, up until the offer is made.  Up until then, as better qualified applicants come into the system, they rank higher on the merit list. 

Your degrees will help, as education is one factor we consider - among many others.  However, your degrees do not relate directley to being a Pilot or an Armoured Officer, so would not be any more helpful than any other post-graduate degree.  The waits are long for pilot as there are few training vacancies in any one year, and there are many, many applications - close to 500 active for pilot at any one time.

Since you are taking a Pharmacy degree, would you consider joing as a Pharmacist?  There are not many vacancies in any one year, but neither are there very many applicants.  Take a look, and consider it as one of your options.

The idea of putting down more than one choice is so that the CFRC can consider you for positions that interest you.  If you are just interested in one job, then put down only one choice.  Expect the Recruiter to discuss this with you, especially if there is a lot of interest for that occupation, as we realy want to hire people instead of building up a load of files "just in case a vacancy comes open"

 

[IntlBr]

BC Old Guy,

This means that the merit list does have an order which means something?

I was told by my CFRC that one's position on the merit list is irrelevant.

Please confirm/deny!

 

[BC Old Guy]

As with many other things in recruiting  the answere to your question is - it depends.

If you are applying an occupation with local selection, with plenty of spots, then your placement on the merit list doesn't matter.  If you are applying for an occupation with national selection, with few spots, and many applications, then your placement has a lot to do with whether you get a job offer or not. 

If a person is applying for infantry, with over a 1,000 training vacancies in any one year, then the merit list placings doesn't really matter.  Same with Naval Electronics Technician - although there are only about 100 training vacancies for all three occupations in a year, the education and CFAT score requirements are high, so if a person qualifies then they will likely be hired.

Now, if a person want to be a Pilot, with about 70 training vacancies in the past year, and about 500 active applications - you have to have something special even to be considered.

 

[IntlBr]

BC Old Guy - PM Inbound. 

 

[bbell]

so has anyone else been asked to hold off on interview/medical?

 

[Kramer]

so has anyone else been asked to hold off on interview/medical?

Yes, also at CFRC/D Edmonton.  I'm doing a CT/DEO from PPres to Reg.  Last week, I called to schedule interview/medical and they gave me a date/time this month.  Twenty minutes later they called back saying there would be no processing of new officer plan applicants until the new fiscal year - gave me a new date/time in April.  It sounded like this may be because of the backlog in the training system (BOMQ).

 

[Southern Boy]

Have you considered becoming a physician? Sounds like you have the background for it, and it pays very well. The miliatary is short MDs as well. Think about it. Good luck nevertheless.

 

[rohitk]

Well my degrees dont really amount to medical school, thats another 5 year process ... so I wont be able to become a Physician anytime soon. As for Pharmacy, my degree only lets me do research in the area of pharmaceutical sciences, so i'm not actually a pharmacist...but i work in a lab trying to generate a drug for bone diseases...so yeah, i cant be a Pharmacist either.

Kramer, thanks for the heads up on the backlog .. so there's no point in me rushing into the application, i can take my time and hand it in come april...

So I have another question ... when is the BOMQ conducted in Saint Jean sur Richelieu? Is it only once a year?

 

[George Wallace]

I think you missed his point.  I think he was suggesting that perhaps you may apply for the CF Medical Officer Plan or for the Cf to train you as a Pharmacist.

 

[rohitk]

Ohhh I understand that he meant Medical Officer, but wouldn't that mean that i either need to already be a physician or need to get into Med School? Cause its really really really hard to get into Med School to be trained as a Physician ...can anyone tell me how that works if i enroll in the Medical Officer Training Plan ?

 

[Zoomie]

The CF has arrangements for a specific number of spots in medical schools across the country.  If you meet the school's entry requirements, you're in.  You don't compete with civilians, just other CF candidates.

 

[rohitk]

Hmm, that sounds interesting. However, I've already been in School for 6yrs now, and I dont know if I want to go back for 5 more...

 

[medaid]

Talk to your local CFRC about MOTP. Talk to your local H Svc Gp recruiter about MMTP. For all other med school inquiries talk to your local CFRC.

 

[rohitk]

Thanks for the advice MedTech ... I will ask about it when I see the recruiter. With regards to the Basic Officer Training, does the BMQ take place only once a year? Or is it a year-round thing so that if you join in, say August, you dont have to wait too long to get a spot?