Hi Guys,

Maybe a silly question but I was told that when you are a MD you do not need to do the first aid course necessary to get your driver's license in CH. Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks!

The Nothelferkurs / First Aid is obligatory as are eight hours of road-traffic awareness (Verkehrskunde) with a certified organisation.

Exempted:
Doctors, Dentists, Vets, Nurses with a Certificate of Competence and Instructors of the Nothelferkurs.

Obtaining a Swiss Driving Licence

The steps to obtaining a Swiss licence are:

• Complete ten hours of first aid instruction (Nothelferkurs)
• Successfully complete the driving theory test
• A provisional licence/learner's permit is issued
• Complete eight hours of road awareness theory courses (Verkehrskunde)
• Successfully complete the practical examination
• Obtain a Swiss driving licence (for new drivers, two further training courses will be necessary over the next 3 years)

Basel form for the Learner Permit.

Basel RTA.

Wow J that was fast AND thorough, thanks a lot.

I tell you, that guy is a walking book of knowledge for the sort of things folk here need to know - not that he has time to walk anywhere as he is too busy giving folk helpful information.

An old post but maybe you guys could help:

I used to teach a first aid qualification (EFR - its an american qualification, used by PADI) a couple of years back before I moved here.

By any small chance, do any of you know if this is relevant?

Cheers,

Mike

Welcome to the forum Mike. I'm inclined to think that it will not be recognised. When I did the course, the instructor gave many examples of how different it was over here when compared to courses and contents as provided in the States, as well as with Australia.

Your best bet would be to enquire directly with registered course provider and / or the local RTA in whichever canton you reside in CH.

This qualification has recently been accepted but as a trainer you need to have attended a special course prior to training it. Try contacting EFR switzerland -

Emergency First Response Europe Ltd.
Oberwilerstrasse 3
8442 Hettlingen
Switzerland
Tel: +41 52 316 3535
info@emergencyfirstresponse.ch

They speak english.

Hi Mike,

It won;t hurt to ask go to the office and ask them really. I had to do the course and it was a day and a half, paid 100 CHF, not bad.

And helpfull he is Thanks J

Just wanted to add that while the EFR courses are generally accepted they are NOT accepted for the Driving License! Swiss authorities only accept the one particular first aid course called "Nothelferkurs" (First Aid for the Swiss Driving License) as it's specifically geared at the road environment.

Vets?!

I hope I never break my leg in a traffic accident

Yeah, they're trained to set the leg and neuter you at the same time. Then they'll clip your ear to show that you've 'been done'.

Just to shed some light, I did the first aid course because it was easier and faster (not to mention cheaper) than having my MD translated legalized etc etc.
The course was in German and it BORE ME TO DEATH, nothing new I learnt except for the emergency numbers

I was woried about getting shot, but now you've pointed out the alternative...

I recently did the same course in German, for Ski Instructor requirements rather than driving licence, and was similarly underwhelmed. The set pieces like a car crash or a collapsed person were perhaps amusing at best, but as the majority of attendees were kids taking their driving test the level of seriousness wasn't very high. At one point, on day two, a new instructor tried to pick me up because I was doing mouth-to-mouth instead of mouth-to-nose, but was quickly checked by the previous instructor who I'd spoken to about this, given that I was actually more up-to-date qualified in CPR by virtue of two-yearly AED courses run through our company.

Complete waste of time? Well yes, it was. But then again, a lot cheaper and less time-wasting than flying to the UK and doing the Ski-Patrollers course that we've done in the past, so not so bad I guess.

Yeah, I can see how the clipped ear can be a real setback for you.

A shame you took the First Aid for the Swiss Driving License course. I am a MD (and am accredited by the Swiss authorities; speaking German fluently helps) and offer many different types of first aid courses in English here in Switzerland, including that particular one and indeed, it's primarily attended by teenagers wanting to learn to drive. It's not a bad course but just not really geared at athletes who usually have a good base of first aid already. Amongst my courses, which I offer on a regular base (www.healthyandsafe.biz), is an outdoor sport first aid course, which includes CPR and AED. That course was recently advertised here on the English forum. All my courses can be custom-tailored and I do travel across Switzerland to run the courses for privately organised groups if people cannot travel to the courses I offer mostly around ZH.

Hopefully in the future, you don't have too search too much if you need to update your knowledge again, here in Switzerland, anyway.