Top medic

ARMY TAKES OUT TOP MEDIC AWARD AT MEDIC MATCH 22

Fifteen medics from the New Zealand Army (NZ Army), Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) fought it out for the title of ‘top medic’ recently and the NZ Army took out the top spot.

The tri-service competition is designed to find the best all round medic and includes physical endurance activity, shooting, advanced medical skills, cognitive problem-solving and public speaking.

First place was taken out by NZ Army Staff Sergeant Andrew Kennedy.

“The Medic Match competition has been a great physical and mental challenge. The event really pushed the body and mind to its limits. It was truly an honour to compete alongside such an awesome calibre of tri-service medics, in our unrelenting pursuit of excellence,” says SSGT Kennedy.

All the medics were competing for the first time and experience ranged from recent graduates of the Defence Health School, who will have just met the full medic competency requirements, through to medics who have spent more than 15 years in the field.

“The competition is designed to find the best all round medic, there’s something to challenge everyone from any service. Whether it’s a physical endurance activity, shooting, advanced medical skills, cognitive problems, public speaking or just turning up with the right kit. Competitors need resilience, trade skills, and technical excellence to win,” says Medic Match 22 co-ordinator, Lieutenant (LT) Aidan Bilbe, Assistant Training Officer Deployable Health Organisation. On day one, the medics are tested for resilience at the shooting range at Auckland’s Tamaki Leadership Centre, followed by a ‘Rescue Randy’ scenario; dragging an 80kg casualty over 75 metres and applying a tourniquet and pressure bandage. Core skills are focused on in day two of the competition, with competitors completing a swim rescue and resuscitation at Devonport Naval Base. Four medics made it through to the third and final day, with clinical and technical excellence the ultimate test, contested at RNZAF Base Auckland, Whenuapai.

“The participants were very impressive this year and the top spots were hotly contested. It’s the first time the biennial challenge has been spread across more than one day, and the challenges were carefully designed so that they don’t favour one service or another,” says LT Bilbe.

Traditionally held in the Manawatū, this year’s competition was based in Auckland, at Tamaki Leadership Centre, Devonport Naval Base and RNZAF Base Auckland, Whenuapai.

NZ Army medic Lance Corporal William Wallace took out second place and RNZAF medic Leading Aircraftman Scott Endres came in third place.

Competition SSGT Kennedy at work.