Manitoba EMS Education in Peril

The future of paramedicine as a recognized health profession in this province is dependent on a model of education that is both CMA accredited and professionally accepted within the health care community. All other health professions demand diploma or degree programs for entry to practice. The announcement last year that Manitoba Health was working with Red River College to develop a PCP program for delivery beginning in September of 2007 was very welcome news, as it opened the door to a more professionally respected education program. Today that concept appears to be in jeopardy.

Red River College was promised provincial funding for program development to replace the expired rural PCP education agreement with MESC. They indicated to Manitoba Health that final approval had to be in place by January 1st of this year in order to be ready for a September 2007 course start date. Well, that date has come and gone, and Treasury Board has yet to approve the money needed for the agreement to move forward. In fact, if Red River College doesn't receive funding approval within the next month, they'll miss the next possible course start date of January '08. The education agreement between the Manitoba Emergency Services College in Brandon and Manitoba Health expired in June of 2006. Unless RRC is able to deliver a PCP course this fall, we won't see an education program provide course graduates, at least in rural Manitoba, for a full three years. With most regions struggling to keep their heads above water staffing wise, that's a hit that many services may not be able to handle.

But what's even more alarming is that the delay caused by the government inaction in this matter may jeopardize the possibility of having a PCP diploma or degree program offered in Manitoba altogether. Not surprisingly, RRC is both frustrated and discouraged by the lack of funding approval for a project that less than a year ago seemed to be a very high priority. Rumors that Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service may be in the process of developing their own program for public offering may be another nail in the coffin of a post-secondary paramedic education program. While I appreciate the level of expertise that WFPS would bring to EMS education in the province, unless it is done in partnership with a College or University it unfortunately won't meet the expectations of the health care community, and as such does nothing to promote paramedicine as a recognized health profession.

The Manitoba Government prides itself in EMS system improvements made over the course of the past 7 years. Unfortunately, education, which is the very cornerstone around which the whole system revolves, may fallen by the wayside.