Anesthesiologist (Medical Specialist)

Overview

As a member of the military, Anesthesiologists belong to the Medical Specialist occupation in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and provide specialized emergent resuscitative and anesthesia care for CAF members, whether in Canadian Forces Health Services domestic clinics/operating theatres or deployed in support of international operations. They have the opportunity to be a leader within CAF Health Services and serve as mentor and educator to the full spectrum of military health care providers.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide anesthetic consultation for CAF Members in Canada;
• Be part of emergency resuscitation and surgical teams in Canada and in deployed settings, internationally;
• Provide in‑transport care for injured or ill CAF members during evacuation back to Canada;
• Educate and advise multidisciplinary teams on emergency resuscitation, airway management, sedation and acute pain management;
• Maintain a high level of clinical skills by holding a position within a civilian health care facility;
• Contribute to the development and application of health care policies within the CAF

Work Environment

Anesthesiologists in the CAF maintain their clinical readiness by being embedded as staff in tertiary care civilian hospitals across Canada, working alongside their civilian colleagues. Part of their time may be spent providing consultative services to support Primary Care Clinicians at Canadian Forces Health Services Clinics in Canada. Participation in education and training tasks, as well as research opportunities, occur nationally and internationally.

They belong to a Canadian Field Hospital and maintain their operational readiness by participating in annual military skills training and field exercises. When required, they will be called upon to deploy to unique and challenging clinical environments as part of a Health Services team on domestic and international operations.

Entry Plans

Direct Entry Options: If you are a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and have an unrestricted licence to practise in Anesthesia in a Canadian province or territory, you may be eligible for enrolment and to commence basic training.

Training

At the first available opportunity, you will complete Basic Military Officer Qualification training at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint‑Jean‑sur‑Richelieu, Quebec. You will take the Condensed Health Services Basic Military Officer Qualification Training which consists of two weeks of distance learning and four weeks of in‑house training in Saint‑Jean‑sur‑Richelieu. Topics covered include general military knowledge, the principles of leadership, regulations and customs of the Forces, basic weapons handling, and first aid. Opportunities will also be provided to apply newly acquired military skills in training exercises involving force protection, field training, navigation and leadership. A rigorous physical fitness programme is also a vital part of basic training. Basic Military Officer Qualification training is provided in English or French and successful completion is a prerequisite for further training.

All physicians, including Anesthesiologists, attend the Basic Medical Officer Course (BMOC) at the Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre (CFHSTC) in Borden, Ontario. Here, they are introduced to the organisational structure and history of the Canadian Forces Medical Service and the unique circumstances of practising military medicine. This training incorporates blended delivery modalities with online components and a residential component. In its entirety, the training lasts six weeks and is usually available twice per year, in one‑, two‑ or three‑week sessions.

Environmental training, an operational requirement, includes field exercises that may take place anywhere in the world.

Anesthesiologists may be eligible to apply for the opportunity to specialise their medical practice and, when applicable, can receive subsidy in exchange for additional years of service. Supported training will normally consist of a sub‑specialty fellowship programme at a Canadian university, but may include other postgraduate degrees and/or courses determined to be complementary to military practice.

As they progress in their career, Anesthesiologists who demonstrate the required qualifications, ability and potential may be offered advanced training in the following areas:

• Flight Surgeon and Critical Care Aeromedical Evacuation;
• Mobile Surgical Resuscitation Team;
• Nuclear, Chemical and Biologic Threats and Response;
• Forward Acute Care Resuscitation Team Training;
• Hyperbaric medicine;
• Epidemiology and Research;
• Medical Education and Simulation;
• Military and health care leadership

Part‑time Options

The role of the Canadian Forces Health Services Reserves is to provide trained personnel to support, augment and sustain Canadian Forces Health Services organisations for CAF operations and training activities, while building and maintaining links between the CAF and the local community.

As a health care professional in the Health Services Reserves, you must have an unrestricted licence to practice in your clinical field (including certification in your specific specialty) and maintain clinical currency within your civilian workplace.

Medical Specialists serving in the Primary Reserve may live and work across Canada, as long as they are within 100 km of a CAF Health Services unit. The Reserve members are paid during their training and are not required to move, however they may volunteer to relocate close to another unit. They may also volunteer for teaching, training and/or deployment on a military mission within or outside Canada.

Part‑time opportunities within the CAF may exist for specialties and sub‑specialties, depending on the requirements and position availability. These include Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine (General, Infectious Diseases, Critical Care), Orthopedic Surgery, Radiology, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Pathology, Dermatology.

Reserve Force members are trained to the same level as their Regular Force counterparts. All members complete Basic Military Officer Qualification Training (BMOQ), at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint‑Jean‑sur‑Richelieu, Quebec. Topics covered include general military knowledge, the principles of leadership, regulations and customs of the Forces, basic weapons handling, field training, navigation and first aid. This training varies in length and is usually available in two‑week sessions or on weekends. In addition, they must also complete Basic Occupational Training (Basic Medical Officer Course, BMOC), which teaches you how to employ your clinical skill/profession within the military environment. This training incorporates both online and onsite training over six weeks and is usually available twice per year, in one‑, two‑ or three‑week sessions held at CFHSTC, Borden, Ontario.

Application

To find out more information or to apply to the CAF as an anesthesiologist, please contact our recruiters at HSRecruiting‑RecrutementSS@forces.gc.ca. Please indicate in the subject line of your e‑mail: MEDICAL SPECIALIST.

Related Careers

General Surgeon (Medical Specialist), Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Medical Specialist), Radiologist (Medical Specialist).

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