Diver Medic Training and Certification
While offshore diving, there is a requirement that one member of a dive team who is
not diving, other than the supervisor, should be trained in advanced first aid - this person is generally
referred to as a 'diver medic'.
IMCA established a scheme for auditing and approval of diver medic training to assist its members in the absence of any such existing international scheme.
Approved schools
Schools are audited in accordance with the scheme document - IMCA D 020. Approval is available to schools based anywhere in the world which can satisfy the requirements of the scheme.
Click here for the list of currently-approved diver medic training providers.
Certificate renewal and refresher courses
These establishments issue certificates which are valid for a three-year period. 'Renewal' is required as follows:
- Within the final three months of validity, a refresher course can be carried out and the validity date of the new certificate will run for a further three years from the expiry date of the old certificate;
- For up to eight weeks after the expiry of a certificate, a refresher course can be undertaken. The validity date of the new certificate will run for a further three years from the expiry date of the old certificate. These additional eight weeks are to allow for unforeseen circumstances that prevent a refresher course being undertaken during the final three months of a certificate's validity - it is not recommended that individuals plan in advance to undertake the refresher course during this period;
- After eight weeks following expiry of a certificate, the full course should be undertaken again.
It should be noted, however, that IMCA is responsible only for the approval of training establishments offering diver medic courses and, as part of that, defining acceptance criteria for individuals to be able to sit initial and refresher courses. Individuals unable to undertake a refresher course within the validity period of their old certificate will need to check with their employing contractor and, where appropriate, with the relevant national authority to check on the acceptability of working as a diver medic without a valid in-date certificate.
Comparable courses
Australia - The Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme (ADAS) accredits diver medic courses and has confimed that ADAS-accredited courses meet the IMCA syllabus. Such courses should, therefore, be considered to provide an appropriate level of training. For more details, including lists of approved schools, please visit www.adas.org.au
Netherlands - The Netherlands Diving Centre offers two levels of 'Medical Aspects of Diving' qualification - MAD-A and MAD-B - which are approved by the Dutch State Supervision of Mines. The MAD-B qualification is considered to provide an appropriate level of training for an individual to act as a diver medic. Visit www.ndc.nl for more details.
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