Medical Technician ( Med Tech )

[wson]

No idea how competitive it is, ( I am not in forces yet). There are two ways you can go they told me. Either NCM 6Unskilled , which is where they train you from scratch, or NCM SEP which they would pay for your college for Primary Care Paramedic, but you must first be accepted by an accredited college.

 

[mandagorian]

Hi,

I recently visited a recruitment center. I am interested in applying for a position as a Medical Technician with the Canadian Forces. I was explained the two ways of entering the forces as a med tech, one being through direct entry and the other through SEP.

I was curious whether the Primary Care Paramedic Level 1 professional credential could be applied later to civilian life, which is what the Forces says one attains by doing direct entry. I would like to start training with the Forces, and not take the route of SEP. At the same time I do not want to join the forces under direct entry and ultimately limit my future career options by not being able to apply what I learned in the Forces to civilian life. My concern is that I go through Direct Entry and receive the professional credential of PCP Level 1, that this might only be applied to the Forces. If this is the case then If I train as a Medical Technician through the Forces and received the professional credential of PCP Level 1, that outside of the Forces I may have to attend College for 2 years to attain my PCP Level 1.  This is of great concern to me because I am at a stage in my life where I would like to invest a significant amount of time in the Forces, at the same time I want to know that I have options outside of the Forces. It would suck to work as a Med Tech for several years and decide that I'd like to be a paramedic outside of the Forces, only to realize that I am not certified to do so outside of the Forces.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Regards,

Ryan Mc

 

[medicineman]

You get a PCP credential/diploma that's recognized by the Canadian Medical Association - it's done at the JIBC or College Ahuntsic.  You're also supposed to take the licensing exams for the province you do it in and then work on transfering it to the province you're posted to.  So, to summarize, you'll get the credential, +/- the license and therefore be able to transfer that to the real world.

MM

 

[mariomike]

I was curious whether the Primary Care Paramedic Level 1 professional credential could be applied later to civilian life, which is what the Forces says one attains by doing direct entry. I would like to start training with the Forces, and not take the route of SEP. At the same time I do not want to join the forces under direct entry and ultimately limit my future career options by not being able to apply what I learned in the Forces to civilian life. My concern is that I go through Direct Entry and receive the professional credential of PCP Level 1, that this might only be applied to the Forces. If this is the case then If I train as a Medical Technician through the Forces and received the professional credential of PCP Level 1, that outside of the Forces I may have to attend College for 2 years to attain my PCP Level 1.  This is of great concern to me because I am at a stage in my life where I would like to invest a significant amount of time in the Forces, at the same time I want to know that I have options outside of the Forces. It would suck to work as a Med Tech for several years and decide that I'd like to be a paramedic outside of the Forces, only to realize that I am not certified to do so outside of the Forces.

After QL5, you will be eligible to challenge AEMCA:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/health-sante/hp-ps/mcsp-pmcc/aemca-eng.asp

When you pass AEMCA, you will be eligible to challenge CPCRT:
http://www.torontoems.ca/main-site/pdf/CPCRT_2011_Info_Package.pdf

After you pass CPCRT:
http://www.torontoems.ca/main-site/careers/paramedic-recruiting-2011.html

 

[mandagorian]

I appreciate that, I called the recruitment center back today after visiting it and asked my question to someone who told me they were on the SEP Program. I should have immediately asked to speak to a recruiter. He told me that it wasn't translatable. After re-reading the Forces website I wasn't completely convinced of this.

What's interesting is that I have applied to Centennial College in Ontario for Paramedic but I did not find them on the list. If I go through Centennial it's a two year program, which says "Graduates from the Centennial Paramedic program are eligible and well-prepared to take the Ministry of Health exam for Advanced EMCA. They have consistently scored above the provincial average on the Advanced EMCA certification exam. Ministry regulations require this certification for employment as a paramedic in Ontario."

When you apply direct entry to the Forces, what kind of contract does one sign? The recruiter recommended I go through SEP and take a 2 year Paramedic program at Lambton, or another College in Ontario. This would mean that I would be in school for two years, and have a guaranteed job with the army for 4 years following my studies. I'm not trying to be dodge responsibilities, but contracts scare me, especially when I'm guaranteeing them six years of my life.  That's why I'm more apt towards a direct entry route, since I'm being trained at the JIBC and the cost of the program is around $5000 would I owe the Forces anything for this, or is there a distinction between training and education?

I assume I'd attend the JIBC for training.

 

[mandagorian]

After QL5, you will be eligible to challenge AEMCA:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/health-sante/hp-ps/mcsp-pmcc/aemca-eng.asp

When you pass AEMCA, you will be eligible to challenge CPCRT:
http://www.torontoems.ca/main-site/pdf/CPCRT_2011_Info_Package.pdf

After you pass CPCRT:
http://www.torontoems.ca/main-site/careers/paramedic-recruiting-2011.html

Do you know what stages each would be done at? Obviously the third would be done on me returning to the real world. heh, funny how you guys say the real world.

 

[mariomike]

Do you know what stages each would be done at? Obviously the third would be done on me returning to the real world. heh, funny how you guys say the real world.

They would be done in that order. I have no idea how long the process would take.

 

[medicineman]

You attend CFHSTC in Borden AND JIBC for your QL3 training...your training there would be paid for by the CF.  IIRC, most basic engagements for Med Techs (your first contract) are 6 years.

MM

 

[IsraelC]

Odd.. I live in Alberta and the EMS system works differently. There is EMR (which I just finished), that was a 3 month course. There is EMT, which to my understanding, is on par with primary care paramedic level 1; that is a 10 month course at SAIT and a 6 month course at some other institutions. Then there is EMT-P, and they're the only ones that are referred to as "paramedics"; thats the 2 year course.

So you shouldn't have to do a 2 year course to qualify as a Primary Care Paramedic level 1.. But I don't know, the EMS system is all screwed up across this country.

 

[medicineman]

PCP and EMT-A/I are pretty much equivalent...and EMT-P in Alberta is the same as an ACP (Advanced Care Paramedic) elsewhere. 

MM

 

[mariomike]

What's interesting is that I have applied to Centennial College in Ontario for Paramedic but I did not find them on the list. If I go through Centennial it's a two year program, which says "Graduates from the Centennial Paramedic program are eligible and well-prepared to take the Ministry of Health exam for Advanced EMCA. They have consistently scored above the provincial average on the Advanced EMCA certification exam. Ministry regulations require this certification for employment as a paramedic in Ontario."

I believe that cream of the crop statement about Centennial to be true. I am sure they have the statistics to back it up.
We had a discussion about CMA accreditation and Centennial College on here a while back:
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/94481/post-942296.html#msg942296

Centennial is the bridge to the University of Toronto degree program. The only one of its kind in Canada. Judging from our last graduation ceremony, although not yet mandatory, to be competitive the Centennial diploma + U of T degree seems to be the direction things are headed from what I was hearing.

"The University of Toronto and Centennial College joint programs offer exceptional faculty at the forefront of their fields and real experience in cutting-edge environments.":
http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~jtprogs/paramedicine.html

 

[cmac232]

i am interested in becoming a med tech.
i am considering either reserves or regular force.
if i pick reserves, am i allowed to complete all the training
like bmq, then borden, then chilliwack. then return home and
continue on with my civi life and serve as a reservist.
i am single and have a dog, if i serve reg force, would i have
to get rid of my dog? would i be gone too much?

 

[medicineman]

i am interested in becoming a med tech.
i am considering either reserves or regular force.
1.if i pick reserves, am i allowed to complete all the training
like bmq, then borden, then chilliwack. then return home and
continue on with my civi life and serve as a reservist.
2.i am single and have a dog, if i serve reg force, would i have
to get rid of my dog? would i be gone too much?

1.  No - BMQ would be done locally, it would be unlikely you'd go to Chilliwack, as PCP isn't the required level of training for a Res Med Tech.

2.  No - but you'd need to be able to get someone to look after them if you want to keep them.  Lots of people have good careers with pets.

Now - in accordance with rules in this forum (and if you want to go anywhere in the trade and military), use proper grammar, capitalization, sentence structure and punctuation.  That was very hard to read and when I was reading it, the voice in my head sounded like a 4 year old, not a teenager or young adult.  If I was your boss and you presented me with a memo looking like that, you'd have a problem seeing what you typed through all the red ink on it.

Welcome to Army.ca and good luck.

MM

 

[MedCorps]

1.  No - BMQ would be done locally, it would be unlikely you'd go to Chilliwack, as PCP isn't the required level of training for a Res Med Tech.

Small correction, mostly semantic. 

PCP IS indeed required for Res F Med Tech.  It is NOT required for Res F Med A.

The Res F has brought back the Med A designator for pers with the RQL3 / RQL4 qualification. If a Med A gains both the RQL3 and RQL4 Med A qualification (or the Reg F QL3) AND PCP qualification they are considered an apprentice Med Tech.  We are seeing more Res F Med A's doing the PCP (or gaining the qualification from the PLAR process) to become Res F Med Techs.

That is as far as they have figured out things right now.  They (D HS Pers) are in the process of rationalizing the RQL6 into a two part (?) RQL5 which when part I and II are completed will be the equivalent of the Ref F QL5A and the person will be a Res F Journeyman Med A.  If the Res F Med A then does AEC they will be granted the Med Tech qualification at the Journeyman level. Well at least that is the plan. We are also seeing more Res F Med A's doing the Reg F QL5 Med Tech Course.

The Res F also has a LPN stream now authorized as part of these changes, but I am not sure how all this going to turn out / be managed. The only think I know for sure is that the CF will not be training Res F LPN's and this will be granted via the PLAR process.

The whole goal is to clearly indicate who in the Res F has the same qualifications of their Ref F counterparts.  This has become important for tasking and employment purposes. 

If you need the message number that authorizes things  and explains the process let me know and I will send it to you.

Cheers,

MC

 

[medicineman]

Learn a new thing every day...sounds like they still have to either do the PCP on their own dime or luck into a scheme where it's paid for them though, correct?

MM

 

[MedCorps]

Pretty much...

One of the recruiting goals of the CFHS Res F is to find personnel who are already qualified on civilian street and then give them the military skills to make them employable in that field within the CF. Hence for Med Techs they are looking to recruit people with the PCP qualification (or something that can be PLAR'ed as equivalent) and then once done RQL3 / RQL4 they can be employed as we would employ a Reg F QL3 Med Tech both in domestic ops and expeditionary ops.

The Res F is also starting to fund more and more PCP candidates.  These are Med A's who have done the RQL3 / RQL4, with ideally high course standing, and wish to take the next step. They have no "hard" billets on the PCP but seem to be getting a few of their personnel on on ever course that is CF sponsored. Another thing I have heard them doing is paying for some program in Alberta (?) some sort of EMT (?) program that has PLAR status with PCP.  It is still by now means the rule that Res F pers are again PCP qualification but it does allow for people with the skill set from civi street, people who are keen and want good Reg F employment domestic and deployed, and people who are thinking about CT to the Reg F an option for additional training or skills recognition.

The largest issue with getting Res F personnel PCP qualified is getting them to take the number of months required away from their lives in civi street to go do the training. This is part of the reason that PCP has not been mandated for the Res F (the other parts being cost, seat availability, employment requirement, and ability to maintain skill set). Right now I am told if you are a reservist who has sound performance both in the home unit and on RQL3 / RQL4 and the CoC thinks that the cost of PCP is a sound investment for the CFMS and you want to do PCP training then the funds are available to convert you from a Med A to a Med Tech.  I am not in the Res F so I am not sure if this is true, but it is what I am being told.

Now... I will not get into the issues if I think PCP is even required for Med Techs or Res F / Reg F spot sharing for PCP as this are subjects one discusses in private.

Cheers,

MC 

 

[mariomike]

The largest issue with getting Res F personnel PCP qualified is getting them to take the number of months required away from their lives in civi street to go do the training.

AEMCA is required to qualify as a Primary Care Paramedic in Ontario.
That seems to be the benchmark the CF is aiming for:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/health-sante/hp-ps/mcsp-pmcc/aemca-eng.asp

 

[chrising]

Medcorps,

The program that is paying for Res F Med A to become Reg F QL3 Med Tech is what is more commonly referred to as "PCP Initiative." Everything you've stated in regards to the program is correct. The main incentive for the member is not only to become QL3 Med Tech qualified but the program allows for a class B contract while the member is attending school (for a maximum of 12 months, meaning it is normally offered during the 2nd of the PCP program here in Ontario) and then a class C contract for deployment on either domestic operations or overseas.

Also, through this program, the member can take the PCP program at any public of private college in Ontario. I don't know how the PCP program works in other provinces so I can only speak to PCP Initiative as it applies to Ontario Med A looking to attend an Ontario college.

 

[mariomike]

"Paramedic program benefits reserve units and CF:
HALIFAX, NS – Corporal Joshua Zruna, a Reserve medical technician serving with 33 (Halifax) Field Ambulance, recently became the third medical technician from his unit to graduate from the Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) program.":
http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/land-terre/news-nouvelles/story-reportage-eng.asp?id=2680

I believe "PCP Initiative" was discussed in another thread:
http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/36097/post-371225.html#msg371225
"Therefore, to be considered for this program, the candidate must be able to provide a reasonable guarantee that employment with a civilian ambulance service is probable, and that sufficient work is available to keep the licence or certification current and in good standing."

 

[cheddar]

Hey Guys,
Just realized that I've only asked questions on here so I figured I'd say hello seeing as how for the rest of this decade (almost) most of you will be my brothers/sisters in arms. So HEY!

I'm very curious as to what I have to look forward to after I'm done with the educational side (yes I understand that I'll constantly be learning, I just mean with the College part), for example where SQ takes place, I know that I wont find out where I'm stationed until I complete my Paramedics program. But mostly I'm just interested in what my day to day life will be like, shift work? 4 days on, 3days off? etc. (once again (because I know there's some sticklers on here) I realize that everyone's experience is different but just a general description would be nice)

Anyways glad to be apart of this, know basic isn't going to be fun but I have a year of school work and training to get me prepared so not too worried.

Thanks and Hello to all