Med techs bring health care to the front lines
As a medical technician with the Canadian Forces, Master Cpl. Kirk Keeping has travelled a long way since signing on at age 17. He’s been stationed at bases from Newfoundland to British Columbia, and has two front-line tours as a first responder in Afghanistan to his credit.
Keeping, now 26, is one of about 1,200 medical technicians in the military who treat the sick and injured on land, in the air and in naval environments at home and abroad.
Following basic military training, entry-level candidates complete a threephase course. Phase 1 covers clinical medicine, anatomy, physiology and clinical skills such as IV insertion and blood withdrawal, Phase 2 covers primary care paramedic training, and in Phase 3, acquired skills are applied to military-specific field settings, Keeping says.
Advanced training includes courses in radio communications and military ambulance driving to ensure efficient operation in the field.
“Although I’m a member of the air force and wear a blue uniform, my job is considered a purple trade, in that we can work within any unit of the Canadian Forces,” Keeping says.
In Edmonton, for example, he was posted to a field ambulance unit where he trained, and then deployed overseas, with the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
“My first deployment was a very rewarding experience that provided a sense of purpose and accomplishment,” he says.
Keeping says being embedded with a tactical unit in Afghanistan has been one of the most incredible experiences of his life. He tended to the wounded during combat operations and also had the opportunity to aid local people.
“During village patrols, the entire platoon assisted in any way they could,” he says. “Simple things, like bandaging a cut or handing a pencil to a child, helped to brighten everyone’s day.”
During postings in Canada, Keeping worked on base in clinical settings performing triage and drawing blood, presenting impressions and discussing treatments with physicians, and assisting with minor procedures.
In a civilian environment, Keeping’s work is similar to that of an emergency medical technologist, according to Sonja Chamberlin, academic chair with the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary. In addition to EMT programs, medical technology spans 16 different programs at SAIT, including X-ray, ultrasound, laboratory, and nuclear technology.
The most important element for those thinking about a career in medical technology is to research the profession, Chamberlin says.
“Visual and mental acuity are critical in a lab environment, as is the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. EMTs do a lot of lifting and physical manipulation of patients, and they have to make quick decisions in emergency situations,” she says. “Do your homework and talk to people about their profession to ensure it’s a good fit.”
For Keeping, the medical trade in the Canadian Forces has provided a solid foundation on which to build his career, he says. He says he hopes to continue to move up the medical ranks from his current field operations instructor position into a physician-assistant role.
“It’s the ultimate goal that many medical technicians in the military look to,” he says.