Feb 13, 2013 2:35 AM
68W the right choice?
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Hi all, I am about to enlist as a 68w combat medic, my ultimate goal is to become a P.A. Is the 68w the best medical job I could choose to pave the way to reaching my ultimate goal?
Health Care Specialist (68W) is the right choice for you if you're interested in health care.
However, as for a Physician Assistant (68D) you'll need a Bachelor's degree and to complete a accredited physician assistant program approved by the Army Surgeon General.
Physician Assistant (65D)
Active Duty
I know I would have to have a bachelors degree in order to be a P.A. My current degree is Nurse Anethesist but I keep going on/off at schoo due to bills. Being 23 and raising a child along with bills forces me to work 6 or 7 days a week as a bar tender and I need something more solid. I was just making sure that 68W was the right enlistment in the medical field for my ultimate goal. Thanks for the response.
You're welcome.
Also, just so you know about:
Preventive Medicine Specialist (68S)
You maybe also interested in the following:
If your CURRENT degree is Nurse Anesthetist (a degree/certification above a BSN), then you should already have a bachelors. You don't have to be a medical MOS/AOC or have a degree to apply to the Army's PA program. There is a cross section of Army PAs who've never had patient contact prior to applying to the program.
@Colossus AND Tyler:
68S is a great MOS. but not recommended if you want/expect regular patient contact. If your CURRENT degree is Nurse Anesthetist, then I recommend applying to be a Nurse Corps Officer. If you don't have a BSN and you want to experience Army medicine on the enlisted side of the house, 68W is my recommendation.
Best of Luck!
-Dr. G
Hence why I also added the other link:
https://www.goarmy.com/amedd/education.html
From that:
https://www.goarmy.com/amedd/education/undergraduate-health-care-education.html
U.S. Army Nurse Corps
http://armynursecorps.amedd.army.mil/
Nurse Corps Officer (66)
Active duty and Army Reserve must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited school.
hi I am a graduating senior this year and i am going to enlist into the army immediatly after graduation and i am highly interseted in the army medical field. is there any certain medic job that i could enlist in being that i just graduated from highschool and not have any type of degree but work my way up to a degree after being enlisted? I was thinking about 68W but do i need to have anything before i enlist??
thankyou
No, you can enlist in it right out of high school. There are also some other MOS's in the healthcare section that you could enlist into. If you have any specific questions, I'm sure Dr. G could answer them for you.
68W combat medic and 68D OR tech are my two recommendations. If you're REALLY interested in the general medical field, to include gross anatomy, then I would look into 68D. 68Ds work with highly skilled medical officers on a daily basis (surgeons, OR nurses, nurse anesthetists, etc...). 68Ws are taught basic emergency/trauma medical techniques.
There are a few lifestyle elements to consider as well. A 68D is in essence a corps level asset (CSH, FST, etc...) verses a 68W which can be seen on the frontlines. I'm partial to both, but you have to choose the MOS that fits your lifestyle and medical interests. There are plenty of 68Ws floating around these forums, but I hope you get a chance to speak to a 68D. They're a small MOS, but they're a much needed component of the AMEDD.