Medical Venturers
Medical Venturers' or MedVents is a program that was created by groups of Scouts Canada. The program focuses on teaching members new skills that can be applied inside and outside of scouting events. The program is for youth, male and female, ages 14 to 26.
Program
Program Sections
Medical Venturers include members from two program sections:
- Venturers ages 14 to 17
- Rovers ages 18 to 26
Medical Venturer groups are open to males and females.
Camps
Medical Venturers attend camps both as participants, and as staff.
When attending a camp as staff, they are usually required to be ready to provide first-aid anywhere in the camp with just a few moments notice.
Medical Venturers also attend camps that are geared solely towards training. Groups are typically split up and shuffled. This forces individuals to learn how to work in a team effectively, and increases the level of challenge. Individuals both learn and teach skills that they have acquired while in these groups.
Approximately 100 MedVents from various Canadian groups supplied medical assistance to physicians and nurses at CJ07 Scout Jamboree at Tamaracouta Quebec in August 2007. CJ07 was the first time medical services for a Canadian Jamboree was provided by Scouting members. Coincidently, the medical staff were also registered Scouters and MedVent Advisors.
Service
In addition to providing first aid service to Scouting and public events, many groups are expected to assist their EMS sponsors in providing volunteer assistance when paramedics are involved in charitable events.
Uniforms
There are different uniforms for MedVents Groups. MedVent groups without a signed Memorandum of Understanding between Scouts Canada and their Sponsor wears the standard Scouts Canada uniform or the MedVent shirt without the flasher. MedVent groups who have signed the Memorandum of Understanding and have received approval from Scouts Canada can wear the MedVent "program activity" uniform. A navy blue Scouts Canada strip is also affixed above the shirt's left pocket flap.
The activity uniform consists of a navy blue military style shirt with a navy blue Scouts Canada Bar with Canadian flag over the left breast pocket. The purple World Scout badge is worn above this. In some groups the sponsor's or partner's logo is worn on the right breast above the pocket. A distinctive epaulet (light blue for Venturers, Red for Rovers and Navy for non-section advisors) with medical skill level denoted by 1 to 3 bars is worn on the shoulders. Section Advisors wear the same colour epaulets as their youth section. Group shoulder flashes are also placed on the sleeves. An agency badge (Red Cross, St John Ambulance, etc.) is worn on the right sleeve.
Groups in BC wear the Council badge on the left Sleeve with the agency badge (Red Cross, etc.) worn below. On the right sleeve is a Scouts Canada Medical Program badge. This badge has a white background with yellow trim. It is rounded at the top and flat on the bottom. It contains the star of life in blue and Fleur-de-lis in yellow. Around the top in blue writing is Scouts Canada and along the bottom in blue is Medical Program. Below this badge are specific qualification badges (basic, advanced, nurse, paramedic, search and rescue, pilot, etc.) depending on professional qualifications or medvent qualifications. Above the main badge is a group flasher indicating what group you belong to. Epauletes worn are blue and have the star of life in the centre with the medical qualifiction on the ends. This allows a Medvent to hold a basic or intermediate level (indicated on the sleeve), but hold a First Responder Certification indicated on the epaulet. This avoids any confusion with the bars.
Navy blue paramedic pants (with reflective stripe) are also worn with a black web belt along with black safety shoes. A group necked is worn by some groups. A scissors kit with penlight is also normally worn.
Medical Training 3 to 4 year program
Medical Venturers and Rovers is a THEMED (or vocational) Scouting Program.
A standard first aid/CPR/AED certification is sometimes required as a prerequisite to joining a Medical Venturer company at age 14.
Program example: A member must then complete 24 hours of volunteer medical service before he/she is awarded the basic level epaulets (one bar) and certificate.
An intermediate level at age 15, involves successful completion of a wilderness first aid survival weekend course at camp and then completion of an additional 48 hours of medical service. An intermediate certificate and 2 bar epaulets are then issued to the member.
An advanced level member must certify in either Emergency First Responder (EFR), Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) or International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) courses along with two ambulance rideouts to qualify at that level. The member is then asked to accumulate an additional 72 hours of volunteer medical service to complete his/her advanced qualification. The member is then awarded the advanced certificate and the 3 bar epaulets.
Many of the advanced level "MedRovers" continue their education in a university or community college paramedicine (or other medical oriented) curriculum and then seek employment as paramedics, firefighters, police officers or nurses. Some have even set their sights higher and are pursuing a career as a physician.
This program has been extremely successful in producing some of the most self assured and competent Canadian citizens in our communities.
Groups
- 1st Downsview Toronto EMS Medical Venturers [2]
- 1st Scarborough Toronto EMS Medical Venturers
- Ottawa Medical Venturer Unit [3]
- 8th Surdel (21st SurDel MedVents/MedRovers)
- 24th Fraser Valley MedVents/MedRovers
- Durham EMS Medical Venturers
- 1st York Region EMS Medical Venturers
- Peel Region Medical Venturers and Rovers www.peelmedventsandrovers.com
- Sunset Area Medical Venturers and Rovers [4]
- 25th Edmonton Medical Venture Company
- 166 Blue Quill Medical Venturers
- 1st London Medical Venturers and Rovers
- Niagara Area Medical Venturers
- 31st London Rescue Medical Venturers and Rovers
- 1st Nova Scotia Emergency Scouts (Venturers and Rovers)
- Halton Region MedVents (Venturers and Rovers)
- First Oxford Medical Venturers and Rovers, Woodstock, ON.
See also
- Scouts Canada
- Scouting in Canada
| ||||||||||||||