Hello All

[Doddy]

Hello All

Just joined the forum so I thought I should Introduce myself a bit.

Im an Ex RN Leading medical assistant now working in the Oil and Gas Industry as a Medic,something ive been doings since leaving the Mob five years ago.
During my time in the mob (All seven dizzy years off it).
I worked General duties, but most of my time was with Royal, until a nice drafting officer put pay to that.

This left me no choice, but to go and play with the Nurses for a while,something which was one hell off an experiance,on a professional level of course !!!

Well I look forward to being part of the Forum and if any body out there would like some info on being a Medical Assistant in the RN/RM , give me a shout.

[RobT]

Hello Doddy :turn-l:

[Jason The Argonaut]

Welcome to the forum Doddy

If I'm not wrong I think your the first medic we have on the forum.

[Jason The Argonaut]

If I'm not wrong

JTA,
Magz and Flo beat him to it.

Loz
x

Looks like I was, thanks for correcting me lozhop.

[Sticky Blue]

JTA,
Magz and Flo beat him to it.
Loz
x

What about our great and powerful, all seeing, naked, six throwing, mixyblobbing, scalpel wielding, bone fixing, genealogically inquisitive leader El Prez?

What do you mean he's not a doctor?

You have to be kidding me, can she walk yet?

Never?

Did he get sued?

Well, you live and learn!

[voodoo sprout]

Hello and welcome Doddy . Your job looks very similar to North Sea Tigress's, and until recently we did have another MA going by the name of Doc. Plus I think Leigh is currently at HMS Raleigh set to become a submarine MA.

I've applied to be an MA myself, and I'm wondering if you could give me any idea how easy it is to get a place on the commando course or otherwise get attached to the Royal Marines please? And also how easy is it to get a place on the commando course, or otherwise work with the Royal Marines? Thanks for any advice Doddy .

[Doddy]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.

Voodoo sprout,good name !,

With Ref to being a Medical Assistant and working with Royal,you can go two route's,either as a hat,non commando trained or you can do your commando course,I left the RN 5 years ago, so things might have changed.
We did a 6 week pre commando course beat up at Cdo Logs Reg, then an 18 week Medical Assistants Course(MACC) at Lympstone.

As a MA(GD), you can work in any of the Royal Marine units,doing the same jobs as a MA(CDO),being commando trained does not mean you are any better at your job on the medical side of things,it just gives you more of an understanding of what the guys do.

And sometimes gives them a little more confidence in your ability to keep up with them when the shit hits the fan,in the field or operational.(You are still JACK !)

Also Later on once you are in a unit, you can go and do a MA(D) Dental assistant course, this is because each unit has a dental Practice,but most of the time guys get pinged to go on it.

With Ref to getting on a course or working with the marines,its quite easy!.
You just keep letting your DO know that you are interested in working with the Marines and doing the course, then go and hand in a request chit near the end of your MA's training and wait.

One bit of advice,if you get the chance before you go and apply for a course,see if you enjoy that way of life first,because its not everyone's cup of tea.

Try and get your part 2 or part 3 sickbay placement at one of the Marine units first,just as a taster of things to come.

Well I hope this helps and good luck with your application to be an MA.

SBS-Sickbay Staff

[goldie ex rmp]

welcome doddy and enjoy

[voodoo sprout]

Doddy, thanks for the help, it's much appreciated . It certainly looks more involved than I'd thought, the AFCO didn't mention 24 weeks of pre commando/MACC training, and I take it to get the green beret the standard All Arms Commando Course has to be completed as well?

Still, better training can't be a bad thing, I'll ask the careers office to see if things have changed and hopefully get started as soon as possible .

[davo141]

welcome to the forums doddy...

i have a question if you may, not directly connected with MA's but...

my girlfriend has a life ambition to become a QARNNS nurse...
i just wondered what your opinion is of them and any useful advice i could pass on with reference to medical work or indeed anything jack.

cheers, and welcome again, davo

[Whitey]

Doddy,
I was a Corpsman with our Marines, USN, similar path in life from reading your post it seems. I hope to talk to you here.

[Doddy]

Voodoo sprout,

We did the Pre course beat up, then if we passed moved onto the Medical Assistant commando course.

The MACC and the AACC are two seperate courses,we all tried, as you would do, to get onto the AACC as it was shorter, but not that does not mean its any easier,its full on from day one.
But at the time we where told no way to doing the AACC,due to the fact we where in the Navy and not the Army,so they prepared a watered down Royal Marines Commando course for us to complete.

If they have moved back to doing the AACC for MA's its a good thing,less time on course, means less chance to get injured and binned,sorry to put it that way !!!

So, if it has changed to the AACC, you will still have to go to Cdo Logs Reg to do a beat up, which looks like it its 4 weeks long now, then an 8 weeks AACC so a total of 12 weeks.
I hope thats cleared a few thing up for you.Doddy

[Sticky Blue]

Davo, QARNNS are brilliant. Every bit as competent, if not more, than civvy nurses, the rig is outstanding as well QARNNS also have the service sense of humour, now add that to a civvy nurses sense of humour and you can see why the lads love them. I'm not sure about the training but the AFCO would be able to help.

[Doddy]

Davo,

I Must agree with Sticky blue,but only because I married one.

No, what sticky blue said was bang on,with Ref to training,Once they complete Basic at Raleigh, they move onto there 3 years Nurse training,this has now moved from Portsmouth Uni to Birmingham Uni,there they get a choice of either doing a Degree in Nursing or a diploma,so ive been told.

Check out this link for more Info,Its from the RN web site.
www.royal-navy.mod.uk/rn/index.php3?page=3360

[voodoo sprout]

That makes sense, thanks again Doddy . The only thing now is to find out from the careers office whether I'll need to do the MACC or AACC, though that's some time in the future so I wouldn't be surprised if it changes again by the time I get there .