Medical skills boost
Volume 11, No. 51, September 07, 2006
By Cpl Mike McSweeney


MORE than 250 ARA and GRes medics have been identified by the Army School of Administration and Health (ASAH) as needing to complete Advanced Medical Assistant (AMA) bridging training.

ASAH Health Services Wing Medical Assistant Trade Master WO1 Stephen Keogh said the introduction of new skill sets for the AMA identified that soldiers who trained as Advanced Assistant Medical (AAM) before 2002 required additional skill sets.

“To meet the new competency-based training and assessment standards we need to upskill those medics,” WO1 Keogh said.

Monash University College of Ambulance and Paramedic Studies is running intense three-week transitional training to qualify Advanced Army Medics to AMA standards. WO1 Keogh said all AAM soldiers, regardless of rank, had until May 2007 to complete the training to maintain their current pay level.

“If they have not done the advanced med assist after May next year they’ll lose the pay group 4,” he said.

Medics who require the training but do not attend will be granted RCC for Basic Medical Assistant and revert to Pay Group 3. They will then be required to attend the 14-week AMA course at ASAH at Bonegilla to ensure their career progression.

AAM soldiers who have transferred to GRes in the past two years, or have participated on an overseas deployment, are also eligible to attend the transition training.