Medical Venturers

Medvent logo

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.

The Medical Venturer program was originally conceived as a Venturer program in British Columbia in 1994. The members shortened the name to MedVents. When Rover age youths began to inquire about membership in 2000, the program was expanded to include Rovers. The MedVent program for the Rovers was the same as the Venturers.

When the existing Medical Venturers became Rovers age the program faced the challenge of how to keep those members interested and allow them to expand their interest. A decision was made to add a Rover specific MedVent level.

As of 2014, there were 25 MedVent groups across Canada.

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. Coincidentally, 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 is no standard MedVents uniform. There is however a de facto "program activity" uniform. MedVent groups wear a uniform that is agreed upon by the group, Scouts Canada and their sponsor. MedVent groups without a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Scouts Canada and their sponsor wear the standard Scouts Canada uniform or the MedVent shirt without the Scouts Canada strip. In this case, a Canadian flag is worn in place of the strip. MedVent groups who have signed the MOU and have received approval from Scouts Canada can wear the MedVent "program activity" uniform with a navy blue Scouts Canada strip. The strip is worn above the shirt's left pocket flap.

The program activity uniform shirt consists of a navy blue military style shirt with either a navy blue Scouts Canada bar or a Canadian flag over the left breast pocket. The purple World Scouting Badge is worn above this. In some groups the sponsor's or partner's logo is worn on the right breast above the pocket. Any award ribbons are worn above the right breast pocket and below the sponsor crest.

MedVents wear a distinctive epaulette (light blue for Venturers, red for Rovers and navy for non-section advisors) indicating their medical skill and experience level denoted by one to four bars, and is worn on the shoulders. Section advisors wear the same colour epaulettes 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. A member's first aid certification is identified by the agency's certification crest and not by the number of stripes on their epaulettes.

At the MedVent round table meeting held on January 7, 2012, a motion was put forward and accepted that all advisors would switch to wearing the navy blue (non-section) epaulettes.

Some 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 the 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 the wearer belongs to. Epaulettes 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 Certificate indicated on the epaulette. 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

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. Some groups have their own certified first aid instructors and a standard certificate is granted after the new member has successfully completed the course.

All MedVents must maintain First Aid certificate to remain in good standing with the group. The minimum certificate is a standard first aid certificate from a recognized organization acceptable to the MedVent group. For uniformity purposes, MedVent groups may only accept specific training certificates.

The MedVent Level signifies a members training and experience. A MedVent level does not exactly equate to a members certification levels. For example, a new member with a Emergency First Responder (EFR) certificate will still be required to meet the other requirements of a specific level before being issued that level's epaulette. In other words, a member with an EFR certificate may wear a Level 1 epaulette because he/she has not met the other requirements of a Level 3 MedVent. The member will still operate as an EFR.

MedVents are required annually to volunteer for both non-medical and medial volunteer hours. For most groups the annual non-medical community service requirement is 24 hours. MedVents classify volunteer First Aid volunteer hours to be medical service hours.

The number of annual volunteer hours may vary with the MedVent group.

Program examples:

A member with a Standard First Aid certificate must complete 48 hours volunteer medical service before he/she is awarded the basic level epaulettes (one bar) and certificate. This is an annual requirement of a basic level MedVent (Level 1). At this level, groups may have additional training requirements like radio training and leadership training. For members without Scouting background, some basic Scouting skills training may be required.

An intermediate level, involves successful completion of a wilderness first aid survival weekend course and then completion of an additional 72 hours of medical service. The member must also have successfully satisfied the Level 1 requirements. An intermediate certificate and 2 bar epaulettes 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 96 hours of volunteer medical service to complete his/her advanced qualification. To allow the member to use their training in a large event these members are also require to attend a minimum 5-day Jamboree once every 4 years. The member is then awarded the advanced certificate and the 3 (EFR) or 4 (EMR) bar epaulettes. This level usually requires the member to be 18 years of age.

In some groups, licensed medical professionals who are not registered as youth members can be issued a 4 bar epaulette.

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.