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I started my dive certification with PADI, but just before the last day of Rescue Diver course, the medical doctor have forbid me to continue as I will need to made a cirurgy in my spine.
The cirurgy was a success and after 1 year I was looking forward to complete the rescue course, as I have never stopped to read the manuals and made the exercices over and over.
So I as very disapointed as they told me I will need to start all over again (and paid for it). My buddy (a former CMAS instructor) think that I have all the knoledge and trainning need to be a Divemaster (or P3 in CMAS language).
We give me the advice that the better thing to do is to change from PADI to CMAS and jumping over the Rescue diver (as this degree no exist in CMAS).
Carlos - You friend is correct as to the lack of a rescue diver rating in CMAS. As with much of the training it is built into the two qnd three star diver programs. Since you live in Portugal you need to contact someone from that Federation and get set up with a club instructor. Here is the contact information from the main CMAS webpage:
As soon as possible I will contact FPAS to try to solve this problem. I don't know if is possible to make just the exam, skipping the course, because is very boring listen all the things all over again.
I know that some times is useful to make a reload, but since I spending all the time of recovery studding and as my buddy is a former dive instructor, it's very frustrating spend time and money in a course.
I am not sure what the requirements are from PADI that you actually pay the local dive center for the training. I know of some dive centers in the US that offer free training if so many other divers join the class with you, etc. You may want to see if they will work with you on the cost, especially since you seem to be dedicated to the training. As far as the redo of the actual class, if you have the time I think it would benefit anyone as we all know the more practice makes you better.
Anyway, good luck on whatever you decide for your career and glad to see that you recovered and able to dive!
Carlos - I cannot tell you what they will require but I can tell you that you will be surprised at how much more you will learn in the CMAS course than you will in a PADI course.
Just this past long weekend we went diving and a friend of ours who is OW certified through PADI did her 2 Star cert through CMAS on the trip. She kept commenting on how much more interesting and thorough the CMAS course was.
Deefstes - That is the usual response from people who have taken most any other organization then taken a course from CMAS. Others have abandonded proper training for the sake of speed and money.
I know me answer comes a bit late, but I hope is still useful.
Although there isn't a specific Rescue course in CMAS, there are usually rescue specialities included in the CMAS diver progression. And when someone tries to cross over from one agency to another all the previous training and experience is taken into account. In the specific case between PADI and CMAS there is a formal agreement. And in it you can see that only a PADI Rescue Diver can access the CMAS P3 course.
A few friends of mine have gone from PADI DM and are only working under CMAS guidelines now. the classes are much more thorough than in the resort type schools...IMHO...
I'm Glad to have learned under CMAS...my wife learned PADI...and she didn't really learn much.
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