MedTech Training: NCM-SEP vs. MOC@JIBC

[ColeWTaylor]

I'm currently in the application process of joining the CF as a Medtech. I've completed everything and have applied for NCM-SEP @ Cambrian College. I have received my acceptance from the school and have been merit listed for my trade.

I know the difference between NCM-SEP and the MOC training. My only concern is if I don't get NCM-SEP this year should I try again next year or push my application towards entering unskilled and doing my MOC training at JIBC.

- Upon graduation from JIBC will I have a diploma in my hand?
- If for some reason I leave the CF (which is not my plan), will I be a certified Primary Care Paramedic?
              - If not, can I attempt the A-EMCA (Ontario resident) in order to acquire my certification.

Anyone that has gone the JIBC route I would appreciate your input and experiences.

Another twist in my situation;

If I do not get offered NCM-SEP or MOC@JIBC this year I have to decide whether I want to stay at Cambrian College(CMA Accredited school) to complete their two year Paramedic program and continue to apply for a MedTech position OR go to Northern College (Not CMA Accredited) to do their two year Firefighter and Paramedic program which would most likely dismiss my chance of joining the CF as MedTech...

Thanks in advance!

 

[mariomike]

- Upon graduation from JIBC will I have a diploma in my hand?

JIBC is a certificate program:
"Upon successful completion, you will receive Primary Care Paramedic Certification from the Justice Institute of BC, and  be eligible to apply for licensure within British Columbia through the Emergency Medical Assistant Licensing Branch":
http://www.jibc.ca/programs-courses/schools-departments/school-health-sciences/paramedic-academy/programs/primary-care-paramedic

- If for some reason I leave the CF (which is not my plan), will I be a certified Primary Care Paramedic?

You will have to contact the British Columbia, Ministry of Health, Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board and complete a "Request for Reinstatement" application:
https://www.health.gov.bc.ca/exforms/ema/3733fil.pdf
http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/ema/reinstatement.html

              - If not, can I attempt the A-EMCA (Ontario resident) in order to acquire my certification.

"I am a qualified paramedic in another Province or Territory of Canada. What steps must I take before I can be employed as a paramedic in Ontario?":
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/ehs/edu/equiv_qa.html#3

If you take the diploma program in Ontario, and then join as a Med Tech, you will have to contact the MOHLTC regarding their recertification policy.

There was a CF-MOHLTC policy where Med Techs could challenge Ontario AEMCA after completion of QL5, but the CFHS link no longer works:
""...recognizing the CF QL5 Med Tech as meeting the PCP requirements to challenge the AEMCA exam, all QL5 Med Techs are encouraged to prepare for and write this exam with approval through their Chain of Command.  Upon successful completion of this exam, those Med Techs will have access to On-car opportunities to complete their MCSP in Ontario."

Edit for speliing.

 

[mariomike]

Anyone that has gone the JIBC route I would appreciate your input and experiences.

The issue I've found is that I was licensed in BC upon completion of my PCP. Now I'm posted in Ontario and I asked about challenging the Ontario exam to become licensed here. I was told that the unit will only pay for QL5's to do this. I also haven't received any opportunities for MCSP, and I've been posted for over 2 years now. So now my license in BC has expired and I do not hold any sort of qualification in Ontario. I'd hoped the military would have been more supportive of keeping us Med Tech's licensed so that the training we'd received would be more useful.

Time is coming up for me (approx 18 months) to be finished my initial 6 year contract.
Looks like I'll be a QL3 at the end of it, due to my work tempo and the upcoming July 5s being cancelled. I'll doubt they will let me start my 5s in the winter course having only a few months left of my contract once that is over without me re-signing early to make it worth their while.
Have a tour completed, no MCSP shifts (I set up my own through personal contacts but my chain denied it).
Was planning on taking my 5s this summer, then doing the aemca and following through to challenging to be a paramedic in Ontario. However, my plans obviously won't go to the way I had them layed out... The job market for PCPs in Ontario doesn't appear to be the strongest either since I'll try to get back to Southern Ontario.

 

[Hunter]

- Upon graduation from JIBC will I have a diploma in my hand?
- If for some reason I leave the CF (which is not my plan), will I be a certified Primary Care Paramedic?
              - If not, can I attempt the A-EMCA (Ontario resident) in order to acquire my certification.

You will be a college graduate and receive a diploma accordingly, but you will still have to be successful in the licensing process in order to be certified to work as a PCP.  It is important to note that certification and licensing do not always mean the same thing.  For example being provincially certified/licensed in BC allows you to work anywhere in the province for BCAS, while in Ontario having AEMCA certification is a provincial thing but you need to be certified by a regional base hospital program in order to actually work as a paramedic. 

DND grads go through licensing, but it is my understanding that only a relatively small percentage of successful candidates to the followup work required to maintain provincial certification in BC.  This annual work includes submission of records of CME credits, patient contacts and IV starts (if you have an IV endorsement on your license).  It's very easy to do, and makes life much easier if you want to eventually work in another province as a civvie paramedic. 

If you maintain your license in BC it is pretty easy to get your AEMCA certification under a process called the Federal Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT).  You do not have to be QL5 to go through this process.  You apply, your credentials are verified, then you write a jurisprudence exam (not the full AEMCA exam).  More info can be found here:  http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/ehs/edu/equiv.html

If I do not get offered NCM-SEP or MOC@JIBC this year I have to decide whether I want to stay at Cambrian College(CMA Accredited school) to complete their two year Paramedic program and continue to apply for a MedTech position OR go to Northern College (Not CMA Accredited) to do their two year Firefighter and Paramedic program which would most likely dismiss my chance of joining the CF as MedTech...

My suggestion would be go to Cambrian and finish the program.  The JIBC program was ok, but it is a 6-month program.  Given the options you have before you I would recommend sticking it out at Cambrian.  Based on what I have seen, you will be a much better-trained paramedic if you do the Cambrian program than JIBC.  And WRT Northern it will give you the training you need to get a job in Ontario, but if you ever wanted to work in another province or join the CF afterwards, a diploma from a CMA-accredited school is very useful.

Good luck with it!

 

[mariomike]

If you maintain your license in BC it is pretty easy to get your AEMCA certification under a process called the Federal Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT).  You do not have to be QL5 to go through this process.  You apply, your credentials are verified, then you write a jurisprudence exam (not the full AEMCA exam).  More info can be found here:  http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/ehs/edu/equiv.html

Not much info there: "Recent changes to the AIT agreements between the Provinces has necessitated a revision to the AIT information presented on this site. While this new information is being prepared, should you require information on the new AIT process please email your request to ehs.websitecontact@sdsx.moh.gov.on.ca."

Based on what I have seen, you will be a much better-trained paramedic if you do the Cambrian program than JIBC. 

JIBC says, " Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) Certificate Component (33.5 credits)
30 of the PCP certificate program credits are transferable towards completion of the EMS Diploma"

Ontario (PCP) program graduates have a Diploma. ( 82 credits, 2 years, 4 semesters )

 

[DiverMedic]

I have some friends at work that have challenged the Ontario AEMCA exam with a valid BC license and I'm in the process of doing the same.  You email them at the above MOH link and they will send you some files that you are required to fill out. 

One is "Verification of Licensure/Registration" that gets emailed to the province you are licensed in.
Second one is "AIT Paramedic Equivalency Application" that you send back to them with $100

Once that is done, you will be emailed a link for the Jurisprudence Exam which is 50 questions on Ontario paramedic practice standards and provincial legislation pertaining to paramedics.

DM