Correct!
There is Navy EP and Walter Reed, Portsmouth and San Diego. However only Walter Reed maintains sufficient volume to retain full time EP techs; this is where I was trained.
I did didactics with Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences and did all clinical hours and hands on training via Walter Reed.
Most new techs coming out of Walter Reed are being absorbed by Biosense Webster or Medtronic. This is due to a program called skillbridge. It allows service members to effectively get up to 6 months of FREE leave to cross train with future employers and complete orientation while still on active duty. This benefits the company, who basically save on 6 months worth of free pay/benefits and the servicemembers who jump start their careers.
Establishing skillbridge is sort of a regulatory headache for the companies; so only J&J and Medtronic are signed up.
-Robert
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Robert Gillis RCES, RCIS, FHRS, CEPS, CCDS
Cardiovascular Technician
US NAVY
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-02-2024 07:55
From: Mr. Frederick Williams, CEPS, CCDS
Subject: For the old timers :-)
That's an awesome story!
Was there for the Teletronics Accufix, we called it the Accuperf! The lead had a metal wire that made the lead into a J shape with the constant movement in the heart the wire would eventually wear through the outer lead casing and then perforate the atrium. Really nasty and trying to extract the lead before we had excimer lasers was a high-risk procedure. Lots of underwear changes after those procedures if you catch my drift 😊
Saw that you are NAVY when I started in EP Navy had a Corpsman training program for EP at Walter Reed and in San Diego.
I could be wrong but I think they ended that a few years back...
Anyhow, when the Corpsman left Navy most were immediately scooped up by industry.
This was before there were any training programs for device specialist, back then it was all OJT, very sink or swim (pun intended) 😊
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Currently no scheduled PTO
Fred Williams, CCDS CEPS
Cardiac Device Specialist – Kaiser MAS - Tysons Cardiology
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Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes, Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow forward in whatever way they like – Lao Tzu
You must be the change you wish to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
NOTICE TO RECIPIENT: If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are prohibited from sharing, copying, or otherwise using or disclosing its contents. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments without reading, forwarding or saving them. v.173.295 Thank you.
Original Message:
Sent: 5/1/2024 11:42:00 PM
From: Mr. Robert Gillis, RCES, RCIS, FHRS, CEPS, CCDS
Subject: RE: For the old timers :-)
I'm not that old. I had a neighbor once that randomly pulled out one of the first Telectronics devices to be explanted along with its corresponding preformed J. Turns out the guy was one of the lawyers involved in the litigation and kept the system to commemorate his victory. It is a small world.
-Robert
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Robert Gillis RCES, RCIS, FHRS, CEPS, CCDS
Cardiovascular Technician
US NAVY
Original Message:
Sent: 03-27-2024 12:20
From: Mr. Frederick Williams, CEPS, CCDS
Subject: For the old timers :-)
Just had to share with those who could appreciate 😊
I don't know how this got in the kitchen drawer by my wife has been using it for shopping lists...
I got this from my Medtronic Rep in 2002, Insync was the 1st FDA approved market release CRT device.
Seems like just yesterday but wow have we come a long way!
Fred Williams, CCDS CEPS
Cardiac Device Specialist – Kaiser MAS - Tysons Cardiology
-------------------------------------------------------
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes, Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow forward in whatever way they like – Lao Tzu
You must be the change you wish to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
NOTICE TO RECIPIENT: If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are prohibited from sharing, copying, or otherwise using or disclosing its contents. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments without reading, forwarding or saving them. v.173.295 Thank you.