The PADI MSDT Prep program is a course that is variable in length, from 3 days up to two months. Many people opt to take this after the PADI IDC and IE when they certify as a PADI OWSI. PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) is the next level of instructor up from OWSI and there are two components to the course - learning to teach and upgrading your Specialty Instructor ratings.

PADI Instructors - Learn to teach diving

During your DM course you will have assisted other instructors with students in training, but after completion of your IDC, you will see teaching in a whole new light. Many people say it is similar to the change you feel when you go from being an Advanced to a Rescue Diver.

Now that you are an OWSI you will have learned all about the PADI system and will have all the tools necessary to teach, but you can never really know how to teach without first hand experience.

Instead of being 'thrown out' to discover how to teach for yourself, the MSDT program at Thresher Shark Divers offers you a way to become a competent instructor at your own pace and under the nurturing eye of our instructors.

You can start this program as soon as you wish after the IE. As it takes 1-3 weeks for your instructor certification to come through from PADI HQ, you cannot actually teach as an instructor during this time. You will be eager to start teaching and as a PADI Divemaster you will be able to do everything that a Divemaster can do. So you will start by assisting with other instructors. You will watch and learn from them. You will see how they teach in a completely new light with the hindsight and experience of your IDC.

At the end of each session you will get a debriefing from the instructor, similar to the ones you received during your DM assists. These will include what you did well and what you can improve on as well as ideas for next time, feedback on how well you dealt with the task at hand etc. As you get more confident you will slowly start taking over teaching from the instructor, although the instructor will always be there with you.

Eventually, once your instructor rating has come through, you will be able to start to teaching students yourself and certifying students. One of our instructors will always accompany you on courses whilst you are on this program so you will still have the opportunity to learn from them.

We also offer the 'Learn to Teach' program as a stand alone program.

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

Once you are a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor you will be able to teach all of the PADI core courses. But you will want to continue your education and branch out to teach other courses. Not only will this make for a more varied teaching experience for you, but it will increase your marketability to potential employers and enable you to sell more courses to your students.

After certification as a PADI Instructor we can immediately offer you Specialty Instructor courses. Choose from a wide range of PADI Specialty Instructor ratings. Some of the more popular are Nitrox, Digital Underwater Photography, Wreck, Deep and Night.

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer - MSDT

To earn the MSDT rating you will complete 5 Specialties Instructor Ratings with our Course Director. After you gained 25 certifications (you have personally certified 25 people), you will be able to apply directly to PADI for the Master Scuba Diver Trainer rating.

You will then be able to certify divers completely up to Master Scuba Diver level, which is Open Water, AOW, EFR, Rescue and 5 Specialty certifications.

Once at MSDT level, it's time to take the next step and start on the path to teaching instructors by becoming a PADI IDC Staff Instructor!