Military PAs

Where we come from and

where we go!

Captain

Brad Olmstead

M.M.M.,MPAS, CCPA

Reference

• Hooker, Roderick, Physician Assistants

in the Canadian Forces, Military

Medicine, 168 11:948, 2003.

Were we come from!

Always have been medical “assistants” available to physicians in

the military

Canadian Forces PAs trace their roots to pre WWI “Sick Berth

Attendants” from the Royal Canadian Navy

• Post WWII – Medical Assistants and

Medical Technicians took on ever more

complex and “independent” scopes of

practice

• In 1992 Sr Med Techs became re-

designated Physician Assistants.

• In 2004 the first class of Canadian

Trained and Educated PAs graduated

Training

• Prior to 2002 PA

training was 9 months

long in the CAF plus 3

months of Mentoring

with a Physician

• The 2004 class was

the first to undergo the

revised 2 year training

plan

PA curriculum in the present

• Currently 2 years

– First year called - Phase One

• Classroom education (0800-1600) 5 days a

week, classic lecture, skills, exam format.

– Second year - Phase Two

• 95% of training in Civilian Heath Care

Facilities

– End of Program Evaluation - Phase Three

• Week of OSCE type evaluation based on

Military Medicine

Curriculum unique to the military

• ACLS, ATLS, ABLS

• CFHIS

• Trauma (classes and

clinical placements)

• Adult and Pediatric Emergency Medicine

(classes and clinical placements)

• Pharmacology (focus on the CF Formulary)

• Preventative and Community Medicine

How do we get to be PAs?

• First join CAF as Med Techs

– PCP, ACP (AEC)

– Variety of experiences in clinical and

Operational/Environmental medicine

• When reach rank of MCpl (approx 9

years)

• Merit listed and selected by a board

New Developments

• May 2017

– CF H Svcs commissioned PAs as

Officers with an implementation phase

lasting 5 years.

– Now the profession is its own in the CAF

– Might also be a sign that the CAF may

consider enrolling civilian trained PAs in

the near future.

Specialty Training Post Grad

• Diving and Hyperbaric

Medicine

• Aviation Medicine

• Submarine Medicine

• Aeromedical Evacuation

• Nuclear Bio Chem

• Special Operations

What we do

• Typical day in a clinic

– 0800-1000 – Sick Parade

– 1000-1200 – Appointments

– Lunch

– 1300-1600 – Medicals, appointments

In addition to clinical duties

• Provide advice to Commanders

• Become experts in Occupational

Medicine in the area of employment

• Opportunities to work in health care

planning and emergency planning

Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Worldwide today

Types of opportunities

• DART

• Spec Ops

• Trauma Teams

• Dive Medicine

• Ship PA

• Deployment

Me

• Joined Army Reserve in ’84 –

11(Victoria) Med Coy

• Transferred to the Regular Forces ’85

• Posted to

– Several Army Bases

– An Air Force Base

– Navy Hospital and Ships

– Training Center

• Have deployed to:

– Golan Heights – Israeli Occupied

Syria

– Croatia

– Bosnia Herzegovina

– Macedonia/Kosovo

– CFS Alert x 2 (North Pole)

– Afghanistan x 2

(once at the Embassy and once

training Afghan Medical educators)

• Spent 9 months on HMCS Oriole for

Tall Ships in Australia and South

Pacific Islands

Extreme medicine!!

Mission in Afghanistan

Building Capacity

• http://www.dvidshub.net/video/307527/

new-ansf-combat-life-savers-

course#.Uvbzq3nRodt

Building Capacity – Combat

Lifesaver Training

Questions???