OPPATTM
Select Paramedic and Emergency Medical Services in Ontario require the Ottawa Paramedic Physical Abilities Test (OPPAT™) as part of their hiring process and/or physical demands testing of prospective recruits, paramedics returning to work, and special operations teams. Developed by Drs. Fischer, MacPhee & Sinden, the OPPAT™ is a
bona fide occupational test that emphasizes the tasks associated with being a frontline paramedic, including:
- lifting/lowering of a stretcher (with and without a weighted mannequin);
- performing CPR;
- walking a short distance while carrying a backboard with a weighted mannequin in place; and,
- loading/unloading of the stretcher from an ambulance (with and without a weighted mannequin).
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The OPPAT is owned and operated under agreement by Wilfrid Laurier University and is administered at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario and at the City of Ottawa Paramedic Services Headquarters. We do not provide training programs or other test preparation services. We are not affiliated with, and we do not support or endorse, any third-party physical training programs, preparatory courses, or any products or services that claim to train or prepare individuals for the OPPAT. We are not responsible for the quality, content, accuracy or safety of any third-party services or products. The use of any third-party services and products is at the sole risk and responsibility of the user. Enrollment in and use of such third-party services or products does not guarantee that you will pass the OPPAT.
