CanuckCoder said:
Hi, I've been viewing this forum for quite a while, but this is my first post. I was wondering if anyone could provide me with more info on the Biosciences Officer (BIO) 56 trade. I've already already checked out the Canadian Forces Recruiting web site, so I'm looking for info that's not available there.
Some specific questions I have are:
1) How hard is it to get into this trade?
2) How much time is spent away from home on average?
3) Are the opportunities for advancement limited due to the small size of the trade?
Thanks.
1) The trade is fairly difficult to get into due to the small size. Currently there are only about 27 Bios in the CF, so if the trade opens, you'll only see a slot or two.
2) Most of the spots in the trade have limited ability to deploy. It's a specialist trade (without specialist pay), so the ability to fill general overseas billets is extremely low (if not impossible). Lots of other travel ops though...Canada, USA, some overseas to Europe.
3) The highest rank in the trade is LCol.
You can find more trade info at the recruiting website. For the longest time there was absolutely nothing listed, but that has changed. It took 5 trips to the recruiting centre for me to put in an application...on trips 3 & 4 I was told the trade didn't exist. The primary prereq is a health sciences degree....one of the few in the CF that makes such a request.
In a nutshell, the trade is divided along three lines: Aerospace Physiology, Industrial Hygiene and Project Management.
Aerospace Physiology takes place in Winnipeg at the Canadian Forces School of Survival and Aeromedical Training (CFSSAT). It requires completion of the US Navy's Aerospace Physiology program down at NAS Pensacola. From there you instruct at the school and man chamber positions on the hyper and hypobaric chambers. You also have the opportunity to become involved with the CF Survivial, Evasion, Resistance & Escape (SERE) program. This is the area I'm currently involved with.
Industrial Hygiene leads to positions on the Deployable Health Hazard Assessments Teams, one of the few places where Bios deploy. These teams are located in Suffield, Toronto and Ottawa. This (normally) requires a MHSc in IH, which the CF will pay for if you're selected to the program.
Finally, Project Management happens in Toronto at DRDC-T. It involves working on procurement projects for the CF and making sure a new item will fulfill the requirments requested in the contract. ie. that a rucksack fits with the webbing that fits with the helmet. Lots of human factors testing... Also possible to apply for a MSc in Human Factors from a British university (name escapes me). Of the three avenues, this is the one I know the least about.
Hope this helps...any other questions, post away....
