Medical Assistant

[LEIGH]

Im just waiting for my joining date passed pjft 9mins 56 on the 10th september being 31 i was pretty pleased , is their any one else out their who is going for medic & does any one know how easy it is to go for commando ma once you have passed training . im running everyday swimming , cycling & visiting the local gym for weight training , because of my age i want to give a good account of myself at Raleigh.

[gash-hand]

Unless its changed you used to be able to apply for commando ma course whilst at raleigh as they were so short of them.

its a pain in the ar*e though, as first you have to pass out of raleigh then go off on your ma training. once you've passed your ma training you'll probably go to CTC for a few months as part of ma consolidation training then join a RM recruit troop to get your green lid (commando ma's do 26 weeks trg at CTC - you'll miss out the first 2 weeks induction and the kings squad weeks, but apart from that you'll be treated just like a nod)

they were opening up ma training to RM's a few years back - ask at the AFCO if this is still an option as it'll be far quicker to become a commando ma this way (and you'll have the double benefit of being a RM )

[voodoo sprout]

At the top left of your screen next to FAQ, is a search button .

In any case I'm just about to do the same, and what I got from my AFCO on the matter is here; viewtopic.php?t=4648 . But to answer your question, I was told that normally you can only apply for Commando training if they need you, but as they are very short at the moment as long as your up to standard you should get on the course.

[LEIGH]

Thanks i have just visited your lengthy account of commando ma , have just been down to the local afco he told me the waiting list for ma is a year but i was told they were desperate for medics ? anyway he said when you have finished your ma training it should be easy to apply to be a commando ma , are you waiting to be a ma ?

[voodoo sprout]

Yup, that's what my AFCO said, though I did get a more optimistic response with regards to waiting times but then a year isn't too bad.
I'm just about to send my application form off to be an MA and when I get the chance I'll take the Commando course, hopefully by then I should be fit enough to hop the Commando tests with half the training team on my back, but we'll see .

[North Sea Tigress]

Hi Guys,

Good luck on your quest to be MA's. I was an MA(Q) for 9 years, it is an excellent job. The closest thing I have been able to find in civvy street is working as an Offshore Medic in the Oil & Gas industry. Bear in mind however, that the course is extremely intense and has a high attrition rate. Training all in takes abour thirteen months and you will have to have your nose in the books for most of that (You will also get your nose in a few pint pots!) The fact that you want to become a CDO MA will not make any difference to the wait to get in, as you are recruited as an MA in the first instance and sub-specialisations come later. If you are available at short notice however, make sure the careers office know this, as they may be able to put you in a slot if someone drops out. I managed to drop my waiting time from 6 months to 9 days by this method! Fingers crossed for you.

[voodoo sprout]

Thanks for the advice NST, I've had a reasonable education so I think I should be OK with the brainwork side of things, but the training certainly looks daunting. I've just received a date for my recruit test (a week Monday - eek!) so things are moving along, even if it is set to be a long time before things start getting interesting .