STRATOMED

The Air Transport Medical Professional module introduces learners to the professional foundations of Critical Care Transport Medicine (CCTM), emphasizing the role of the Critical Care Paramedic as a collaborative clinician, critical thinker, scholar, and lifelong learner within the air medical environment. Learners will explore Air Medical Crew (AMC) composition, interprofessional teamwork, Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM), critical thinking, research contribution, quality assurance and improvement, patient safety, and Just Culture principles shared between medicine and aviation. The module emphasizes communication, systems thinking, reflective practice, and continuous learning as essential components of safe and effective critical care transport, establishing the professional mindset and team-based approach that underpin the broader CCTM curriculum.

AMT-001 Air Medical Transportation

This comprehensive online course introduces healthcare providers and aviation personnel to the principles, operations, and safety considerations of fixed-wing air medical transportation. Learners will explore the history and evolution of MEDEVAC services, aviation fundamentals, weather and flight considerations, crew resource management (CRM), threat and error management (TEM), and the operational environment of modern air ambulance systems.

Designed specifically for paramedics, nurses, physicians, pilots, and allied healthcare professionals involved in air medical transport, this course blends aviation knowledge with clinical operations to build a strong foundation for safe, effective, and collaborative patient transport in remote and critical care environments.

Course Overview

AMT-001 Air Medical Transportation immerses learners in the world of fixed-wing MEDEVAC operations, where aviation and healthcare must function seamlessly together for mission success. The course introduces learners to the evolution of air ambulance systems in Canada, operational structures of modern air medical programs, aircraft systems and principles of flight, aviation weather, and interprofessional collaboration between flight crews, medical personnel, dispatch, and operational leadership.

Through interactive modules, operational examples, aviation terminology, scenario-based learning, and knowledge checks, learners develop an understanding of both aviation safety culture and clinical transport operations. The course emphasizes teamwork, communication, patient safety, and situational awareness as essential components of successful air medical transport.

The course also introduces learners to the operational capabilities and systems of the Cessna C208B Grand Caravan EX platform commonly used in remote MEDEVAC operations.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Describe the history and evolution of air medical transportation in Canada
• Define the scope and purpose of fixed-wing air ambulance services
• Demonstrate understanding of aviation terminology and operational concepts
• Explain the principles of Crew Resource Management (CRM) and Threat & Error Management (TEM)
• Identify the roles and responsibilities of air medical stakeholders
• Describe hazardous aviation weather conditions and mitigation strategies
• Explain the four forces of flight and how they affect aircraft performance
• Identify considerations involved in aircraft selection for MEDEVAC operations
• Describe the major systems and operational characteristics of the C208B Grand Caravan EX
• Understand the importance of safety, communication, and teamwork in air medical transport operations

Mechanical Ventilation in Critical Care Transport

Mechanical ventilation is one of the most important — and highest risk — interventions encountered in critical care transport medicine. Transport clinicians must not only understand how ventilators function, but also how respiratory physiology, patient pathology, environmental factors, and operational limitations interact during patient care in the transport setting. Effective ventilator management requires the ability to interpret changing patient conditions, anticipate complications, troubleshoot equipment issues, and adapt strategies during dynamic and often resource-limited situations.

This course prepares paramedics working in remote and Indigenous communities—specifically the Little Red River Cree Nation—to deliver respectful, culturally informed care. It covers historical context, social determinants of health, trauma-informed communication, and culturally safe medevac coordination.

Target Audience: PCP, ACP, CCP, Flight Paramedics, Pre-hospital providers

Completion Time: ~1 hour