Be where the patients are: One member's journey from Medical Tech to Submarine Medicine

Be where the patients are: One member's journey from Medical Tech to Submarine Medicine

June 15, 2026 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time: 1:59

"I always want to be where the patients are"- and in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), that can mean serving deep beneath the ocean's surface.

For Physician Assistants serving aboard submarines, medical care happens alongside operations, often far from immediate support. For Major Robert Jardine, now a Physician Assistant (PA) with 2 Field Ambulance at CFB Petawawa, this unique challenge was a driving force behind his decision to pursue the Military Physician Assistant Training Plan (MPATP).

Years earlier, Maj Jardine had completed Basic Submariner training with the goal of eventually serving at sea. MPATP made that possible. "If I had stayed a Med Tech, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to sail in submarines," Maj Jardine explains.

Unlike many positions ashore, on submarines, PAs are submariners first. They stand watch, work the same shifts as the rest of the crew, and step seamlessly into their medical role when needed. "There's no separation," he says. "You work the same shifts as everyone else, and when something medical comes up, they come get you."

One experience during a patrol has stayed with him. A trainee approached Maj Jardine struggling with anxiety during their first time at sea on a submarine. "It would have been easy to medicate them or recommend landing the member," Maj Jardine says. "That likely would have ended their career in submarines."

Instead, Maj Jardine chose a different approach. He took time to sit down with the trainee, talk things through, and encourage them to take the experience one watch at a time. "It wasn't about medication," he explains. "It was about being there, offering human support, and understanding how unique that environment is."

Within a couple of days, the trainee's condition stabilized, they completed their qualifications and went on to serve successfully. "I later had the chance to sail and work alongside them for years," Maj Jardine says.

For Maj Jardine, that moment captures the true value of the PA role in the CAF. "Being a PA means being versatile," he explains. "We bring medical care to our members wherever they are, whether that's in garrison, in the field, at sea, or on deployment." Sharing the same conditions and challenges as those they support helps build trust and improves access to care. "They see us going through the same hardships," he says. "That makes it much easier for members to come talk to us."

The Military Physician Assistant Training Plan offers fully funded education and training, allowing eligible CAF members to earn their PA qualification while continuing to receive salary and benefits.

Interested in learning more? Health Services will hold a one-hour general information session on the Military Medical Officer Training Plan (MMTP) on June 25 at 12:00 p.m. EDT. Contact [email protected] to register.