Role of EPs in the CF

[Eagle90]

Apologies if this has already been asked; I wasn't able to find a recent thread on it via the search function, and online search only brought up a letter to the editor @ CMAJ from 2007.

I'm a resident physician and I'd love to learn more about the role of emergency physicians in the CFHS. I've 3 basic questions which have significant potential to influence my career trajectory.

1) Does the Canadian Forces hire RCPSC Emergency Physicians, or are they all CCFP EM? (It seems like it was only CCFP EM back in 2007, unsure if it still is)
2) When not on deployment, what role do the CCFP emergency physicians fill? (ie do they work as general medical officers / family physicians?)
3) What's deployment like for EPs & is it similar to civilian emergency medicine?
4) My understanding is that the DART only provides primary care; is there a similar service that provides emergency medicine?

Thank you once more

 

[Armymedic]

The vast majority of Military General Duty Medical Officers are CCFP and are encouraged to take the +1 in EM.

There are a few EM specialists, but half are Reserve and most are part of 1 Cdn Field Hosp.

The role of most GDMOs are primary care, in clinics. EM roles are a secondary tasks during deployments (like DART).

GDMOs can specialist, and there are a few EM spots each year.

 

[Eagle90]

That's very helpful, thank you sir

 

[Snakedoc]

Just following on the OP's question out of curiosity, does the CF even recruit RCPSC emergency physicians?  And if they did, would they be in the general medical officer stream or specialist MO stream? 

It's sounding like they'd be in the GMO stream and employed as such but I'd think some of the clinic duties are more family medicine focused and as such, technically out of scope (ie I would imagine in civie world a RCPSC emergency physician wouldn't be allowed to work in a walk-in clinic just as you wouldn't find an EP specialist working in a CDU?).

 

[CombatDoc]

Royal College emergency physicians could be employed within the Reserve Force, and should be considered as Medical Specialists (not GDMOs). There is no plan at present to employ them as Reg F, nor are there any established positions for them. We've had Royal College emerge docs as reservists in the past, I'm not sure if there are currently any on the PRL. Most of our emergency medicine expertise comes from those holding CCFP(EM) certification.

 

[Nudibranch]

Royal College emergency physicians could be employed within the Reserve Force, and should be considered as Medical Specialists (not GDMOs). There is no plan at present to employ them as Reg F, nor are there any established positions for them. We've had Royal College emerge docs as reservists in the past, I'm not sure if there are currently any on the PRL. Most of our emergency medicine expertise comes from those holding CCFP(EM) certification.

This.
RegF, CAF only recruits 6 specialties: Rads, Psych, IM, GenSurg, Ortho and Gas. PRL can of course be anything, but if they deploy, they'd go in a "most closely matching" billet - the RCPSC ER doc would probably go as a GDMO, matching GDMO with CCFP(EM).

As for the statement downthread that most GDMOs are encouraged to take CCFP(EM), that's not true. There is a very limited number of spots for that 3rd year (1-2/year, depending on what else CAF needs at the time; quite often just the 1 spot), so most GDMOs will never have this qual, nor are they expected to have it for their work. They are expected to do acute care shifts to maintain competency, but as family docs working some ER.

 

[Eagle90]

Thanks Nudibranch & ArmyDoc,
In that case it might be best if I complete a +1 EM before signing up.
I'm just a little torn between Public Health/OEM/GPM and EM; but I guess I can always do a few years with the reserves after a 2+1 EM and later down the line consider a Public Health/OEM/GPM fellowship..

 

[CombatDoc]

Eagle90, good luck with your training and career plans.

 

[vincent.escanlar]

I'm just a little torn between Public Health/OEM/GPM and EM; but I guess I can always do a few years with the reserves after a 2+1 EM and later down the line consider a Public Health/OEM/GPM fellowship..

As you mentioned Public Health/GPM/OEM, thought I'd mention (in case you weren't already aware) you might be able to apply for a CAF-funded MPH and Prev Med or Occ Med residency (just like the other residencies) after your Family Med residency (and your +1 EM, if you do it before you join) and a few years of GDMO service. It's done at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland - the US military med school. The programme leads to board certification in the US, not with the Royal College (there is no reciprocal recognition of certification). Potential work with the residency in the CAF includes communicable disease control and prevention, medical intelligence, occupational health, etc.

Good luck!

 

[medicineman]

As you mentioned Public Health/GPM/OEM, thought I'd mention (in case you weren't already aware) you might be able to apply for a CAF-funded MPH and Prev Med or Occ Med residency (just like the other residencies) after your Family Med residency (and your +1 EM, if you do it before you join) and a few years of GDMO service. It's done at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland - the US military med school. The programme leads to board certification in the US, not with the Royal College (there is no reciprocal recognition of certification). Potential work with the residency in the CAF includes communicable disease control and prevention, medical intelligence, occupational health, etc.

Good luck!

The current Surg Gen did his MPH at UBC IIRC, and then went on to be Director of Force Health Protection, CBRN, etc.

MM

 

[Eagle90]

You guys have gotten me playing around with a lot of possibilities (in à good way)
thank you once more