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Lest We Forget
On November 11, as we gather to honour the courage and sacrifices of Canadian Servicemen and Women, it is important that we remember the vital role that pharmacists and medical professionals play in providing safe and effective care for our armed forces and those they have sworn to protect.
| “There is no greater boost to a soldier’s morale in battle than the certain knowledge that should he be wounded he will receive quick and adequate medical attention and early evacuation from the battlefield.” |
General C. Foulkes, CB, CBE, DSO, CD
Canadian Army Journal, July 1954
Canadian Forces Medical Service: Introduction to its History & Heritage
Canadian Forces Medical Services
The Canadian Forces Medical Services (CFMS) is almost as old as Canada itself, born out of the requirement under Canadian Confederation for the new Dominion to develop both its Militia and accompanying Medical Service. Up until the end of the 19th century, Canada’s Militia had no centralized medical services, instead leaving individual Canadian regiments to recruit their own medical practitioners. It wasn’t until The South African War of 1899, that the Canadian Army recognized the need for a permanent, overarching medical service, beginning with the formation of The Army Medical Department as well as The 10th Canadian Field Hospital.
The need for centralization, coordination and collaboration to provide first-rate medical care prompted the creation of The Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) and, by extension, The Canadian Forces Medical Services in 1904.
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“We are the Forces’ Medicals, |
Excerpt from lyrics composed by Major-General (Retired) J.W.B Barr, CMM, CD QHP for “The Medical Branch March”.
Canadian Forces Medical Service: Introduction to its History & Heritage
The Role of Pharmacists in the Canadian Forces
As part of the CFMS, military pharmacists have served Canadian Servicemen and Women since WWI as part of general hospitals and deployed field hospitals around the world. Having been initially enlisted as non-commissioned officers holding the rank of private or staff sergeant, military pharmacists quickly obtained the status of commissioned officers as the military community began to recognize how integral they were to the successful functioning of the Canadian forces.
Today, Pharmacy Officers provide comprehensive pharmaceutical care to Canadian Forces members. No longer confined to the distribution and prescription of medication, Pharmacy Officers consult with patients, physicians, surgeons and other health care professionals on the treatment of battlefield injuries and disease, as well as on medical countermeasures against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. They also provide guidance to pharmacy students and interns, and manage medical supplies and equipment.
For over 100 years, the CFMS – now known as The Canadian Forces Health Services team – has played an indispensable role in conflicts throughout Canadian history, including WWI, WWII, and Korea as well as modern deployments in regions such as Bosnia and Afghanistan. Through World Wars, local disasters and countless peacekeeping operations, Canada’s military medical community continue to grow and evolve, setting the standard for the next generation of medical Servicemen and Women.