Medical PIC

Can anyone tell me if Medical PIC is a required class for anything. So far I’ve upgraded my license to C/M without it but I have a new Captain bugging me, saying it;s a Coast Guard requirement.

This is the link to the original policy letter dated December 1999. The last page pertains to Chief Mates and Masters. I understand that you may be grandfathered in if you attained your license before a certain date, but international entities do not recognize this grandfathering. I believe that for all new Chief Mate/Masters you must complete Medical PIC the whole shebang to be issued STCW 95 endorsement as such.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/marpers/pag/9-99.pdf

<font face=“times” size="-1] The U.S. Coast Guard has adopted a new policy governing medical training as required under the International Maritime Organization’s Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, or STCW.

 Under NMC Policy Letter 9-99, personnel required to obtain such training must advance through four levels.

 The required courses, in sequence, are: 

[li]Elementary First Aid, USCG Level 1, STCW Basic Safety Training Program Module. This is a one-day course that meets the minimum mandatory requirement related to medical first aid and basic safety training for all seafarers. It is considered to be part of STCW Basic Safety Training and is a prerequisite to 24-Hour Medical Care Provider. [/li]

[li]Medical Care Provider, USCG Level 2, STCW Standard of Competence for Seafarers Designated to Provide Medical First Aid Aboard Ship. This is a three-day, 24-hour course that meets all requirements. It is required of all officers in charge of a navigational watch as well as officers in charge of an engineering watch. Completion of Elementary First Aid is required before enrolling in this class. [/li]

[li]Medical Person In Charge (Medical PIC) USCG Levels 3 and 4, STCW Standard of Competence for Seafarers Designated to the Charge of Medical Care Onboard. This course is required of every person designated to take charge of medical care onboard ship and of “Masters and Chief Mates of ships of 500 gross tonnage or more.” Completion of Medical Care Provider is required before enrolling in this course. [/li]
</font>

This was an excerpt from AMO newsletter. I may have created more questions than answers. LOL

If you have the license and STCW tell that captain to go and sit on a broom stick. It is required as per STCW and its possible that it might become an issue at a later renewal, but very unlikely. If you get an equivalency ticket, you will need it with out a doubt. The captain is bugging you because he took the class and you didn’t. If it was the other way around, he would be a church mouse…(just a guess).

" because he took the class and you didn’t" that’s probably the
case. I once had a captain who wanted to take a vacation in Seattle so
he had some unusual class added to the training matrix so he could take
it. Once on the matrix we were all required to take it.

Lee, many thanks but I’m still confused.

The citations Capt.Lee gives are correct. Here’s the important part:

“Medical PIC… <font face=“times” size=”-1]his course is required of every person <strong>designated</strong> to take charge of medical care"</font>

Meaning there needs to be at least one PIC aboard… we have a full time medic which exempts us. I’m not sure about the foreign equivalents though.