[Ricochet]

How long is the game you're going to? If it's long and you need to carry all of your food, water, ammo, jacket, ranger blanket, etc, on you, then I reccomend a lightweight plate carrier, such as the JPC style. Plate carriers are best for weight dispersal as they don't hang down like a vest or harnessed rig. Modern, low-profile plate carriers cam weight only a pound or two naked as well, so they are super mobile and easy to fight in.

As a medic you still generally fight, but you're last guy through the door. The idea is not to get yourself killed. You still want to be useful however, so make sure your gun is a good performer, but if at all possible avoid long or heavy weapons, especially heavy. You can always put your weapon down to medic a player if needs be though.

Each game, organizer, milsim, etc, may have their own methodology on how you must medic players back in; such as one hand touch, two hand touch, tie a bandage, one minute, two minute, there may be bleed out times, etc, so you'll just have to adjust for that. If you're counting, count out loud so the patient can anticipate when he's back in the game. I don't mean shout it, just loud enough that he can hear.

Try to stick with larger groups or squads. A medic in a suicide squad or infiltration group is wasted. You can do the most in a large force, which will attract the most attention and get in the most fire fights, medics belong near the front line, but just behind it. Remember, you're keeping players in the fight, not playing doctor back at a mock infirmary.

Most games allow you to only medic each player in once per life, or else they must go back and respawn. As for you, if you get shot, you need to hussel your ass back to respawn and get back to your squad ASAP, as you're relatively valuable.

Your team, or a few players, can give you some quick cover fire to move you up to a downed ally, but don't throw your life away on one that's hopelessly pinned down, or too far up alone. Tell those players to get their asses to respawn, or your group will just end up losing more players, and possibly a medic, trying to rescue them. Respawn a are there for a reason. Having your medic pinned down is really dumb and enemy played would love to just pick one off, but you're more of a target of opportunity than an outright target. It really depends also on wether you are noticeable. At one game I had to carry a giant satchel with a big Red Cross on it, so medics stuck out like a sore thumb. At others it was just a designation, so you look exactly like everyone else and the enemy can't tell.

Most importantly, medic can be fun and exciting or it can boring and grueling. Remember that you are there to have fun too, so find a balance. Get some trigger time in, or you'll be like most people and never want to do it again.