EMS language requirement in Montreal (moving from USA to CA)

PhilipB

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Hi everyone,

I'm currently an EMT-B pursuing EMT-P certification and I have looked at several posts about certifications transferring countries but I am specifically wondering about language requirements. I hear Montreal is mostly French and some English. Would I be crippled if I went into EMS without speaking French and if so do any of you know of health care specific French language classes?

Thanks!
Philip
 

saskvolunteer

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Lol. You're going to need French in Montreal, and Quebec as a whole. The rest of Canada? Yeah, not so much.


Sent from my pencil and paper.
 

BEorP

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I highly suspect that they would have some type of French language test prior to hiring or certifying you. It really isn't reasonable to expect that you could work in EMS in a nation/province where you don't speak the official (and predominant) language.

Aside from that, you'll also need to deal with the visa and certification issues to be sure you're allowed to work in Canada.
 

saskvolunteer

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I highly suspect that they would have some type of French language test prior to hiring or certifying you. It really isn't reasonable to expect that you could work in EMS in a nation/province where you don't speak the official (and predominant) language.

Aside from that, you'll also need to deal with the visa and certification issues to be sure you're allowed to work in Canada.

BEorP is correct. Agencies will administer a test to determine your fluency in French. Again, that's for Quebec. The rest of Canada, you will not see such requirements.


Sent from my pencil and paper.
 

MrBrown

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EMS in Montreal is run by USM - Urgence Sante Montreal or near equivalent (Brown no hablas French)

1. Are you a Canadian citizen or do you have residency?
2. You do realise Quebec only has Primary Care Paramedics (i.e. no ALS)?
3. You do realise PCP (NOCP speaking) has salbutamol, glucagon, adrenaline, GTN, aspirin and entonox only?
 
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Outbac1

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As others have said you have to get the immigration thing worked out first. Quebec has only a few ACPs working. You have to contact them about reciprocity. I think the chance of you working in Montreal without speaking French are zero.
If you can get this translated you might find some info here.
http://www.paramedicduquebec.org/
 

MrBrown

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Wow, Brown didn't even know Quebec had ANY ACPs working .... Brown knew a few PCPs defected to Ontario and got trained as ACPs :D
 

BEorP

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As others have said you have to get the immigration thing worked out first. Quebec has only a few ACPs working. You have to contact them about reciprocity. I think the chance of you working in Montreal without speaking French are zero.
If you can get this translated you might find some info here.
http://www.paramedicduquebec.org/

Hmmm... I don't have any familiarity with the Quebec system personally, but on their website it states that "Les PSA ne sont pas autorisés à pratiquer au Québec." (With PSAs being le paramédic de soins avancés or Advanced Care Paramedics.) Do you know something different or is my French just that bad that I'm misunderstanding something?
 

MrBrown

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WTF?? :unsure:

Brown has said it before and will say it again, Kabecistan is no longer officially part of Canada :D
 

fortsmithman

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I used the translate this page function on Google and here is the page translated

make-a-gift
Who are the paramedics in Quebec?
Anyone working for a prehospital emergency services in Quebec, whose function is to assess, stabilize, and if necessary a casualty of a health problem to a hospital, in compliance with Sections IV and V of the Regulations professional activities that may be exercised within the framework of pre-hospital emergency services.

PARAMEDIC Why? Why not ambulance technician?

Across Canada, the term identifies paramedic practitioners in ambulance services. This term refers to a function of care and not to a limited area transportation. Ambulance means "person who drives an ambulance," while Paramedic means "giving care paramedics." Increasingly, there is consensus that the term paramedic, who is the only job title used to refer to workers in the prehospital field by the Ministry of Human Resources Canada, is more representative of actual practices of the profession that the term "EMT".

There are three categories of paramedics in Canada:

The Primary Care Paramedic (PSP)
The Advanced Care Paramedic (PSA)
The Critical Care Paramedic (PSC)

The PSP is the minimum level of care for employees working in the field of prehospital emergency in Quebec. In their interventions, they must evaluate and consider the recipient based on rules already established. To this end, they will ask a number of questions to the beneficiaries so that they can take care of stabilization required the status of each beneficiary. This care includes ventilation with a bag-valve mask, semi-automatic defibrillation, the installation of a tube (Combitube) to secure the airway, as well as the administration of certain drugs by intramuscular routes, sub- cutaneous, sub-lingual, oral, intranasal, and inhalation. These interventions are based on protocols developed and approved pre-hospital interventions by doctors serving as a regional medical directors.

The PSA may, in addition to care provided by PSP, install an endotracheal tube (better than a Combitube), decompression of pneumothorax and other needlework. Protocols PSA interventions reflect these additional actions that can perform the PSA. PSAs are not allowed to practice in Quebec.

The PSC is the highest level of care that can provide a Paramedic in Canada. These can, in addition to care provided by the PSP and PSA, administer a full range of drugs including sedatives, analgesics, drugs developed to assist difficult intubation, the drug infusions with positive displacement pumps, ventilators, respiratory and in services with this level of paramedics, hospitals are no longer required to provide escorts medicalized when patients require supervision and care very advanced. These paramedics are mostly found in large urban centers as well as in transport services helicopter. This level of paramedic is not available or authorized in Quebec.

For more information on the specifics of the training of paramedics, you can view PROFILES OF SKILLS paramedics.



According to that the ACP is not allowed to practice anywhere in the province of Quebec.
 

Outbac1

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It is my understanding that there is a small number (<50) of ACPs working in Montreal as a trial. I'll try to find out more.
 

fortsmithman

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My understanding of why no ALS in Quebec is because the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Quebec is opposed to ALS in the province. If anyone knows another reason then post it.
 

awc1300

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This is my first post here so hey.
Anyway, I'm in school to become a PCP in Quebec. There are only two three year programs in Quebec, and they're fairly new. Almost all the paramedics on the road in Quebec today have taken a 10 month program.
French is absolutely mandatory in Quebec. From what I understand the interview and written test are all done in French. As others have said the majority of the population is French so it's essential.
As far as ACPs, there are a few. If what my teachers have told me is true, there are around 9 advance care paramedics working in Montreal these days. Urgent Sante ran a pilot program that started 4 or 5 years ago, where they trained 18 PCPs as ACP. Half if not more have left to go to other provinces. The pilot program was supposed to last a year, but like everything in Quebec it still isn't finished. Though my teachers have heard that the University of Montreal is going to be starting an ACP program, but this is all speculations so don't take my word for it.
I hope this made some sense, but I really wouldn't suggest working in Quebec there are many better cities in Canada. I frankly can't wait to be done school and head over to Ottawa.
 

MontrealMedic

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Hi, guys,
a friend of mine has just passed the paramedic certification in NY and he wants to move to Montreal (he's a Canadian citizen), has anyone any experience on how to convert it, or if it is even possible?
I see some discussions about it but they're all very old ones, does anyone have any recent experience?
 
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