Any advice for a soldier reclassing to 68C with no prior medical experience?

I had loads of medical experience before going (M6) 68C. I also did phase 2 at Fort Gordon. It was a very nice and quiet post. You will PT each M,W,F at 0500 if nothing has changed. Your days will end between 1600-1800 typically. My advice, 1. Join a study group with half the people being smarter than you. 2. Don’t have a ton of fun at phase one. It moves too fast. You need to save your retests for phase two where things are less black and white. 3. Study study study. If you master A&P and pharmacology, you can critically think your way through most problems you don’t know the answer to. That is not a free ticket to slack off though. 4. Don’t chase tail or get married while you are there. 5. Try to get Walter Reed when you graduate. It will suck while you are there but it will build the foundation you need to be “the” expert. Every assignment after that will be very easy. Good luck. And if you can, Excelsior College does credit by exam for nursing courses if you are already a LPN. After you graduate and pass the NCLEX-LPN, do every nursing course exam Excelsior requires as quick as you can. You will probably pass most or all of them the first time without much effort. Then knock out some electives after that, finish off with the Clinical Performance Nursing Exam, and you will be catapulted towards an associate degree in nursing.

I would invest in a stethoscope. You don't have to go all out and get something crazy expensive either. ADC has some good ones on Amazon that work pretty well. Read the textbooks! Not all of the information is in the power points like in phase one. Knowing medications can be the difference between passing and failing (a lot of people in my class failed exams for that reason). When doing any practical exams, IE nursing assessment or drug administration, follow the grading rubric they give you. 68C is a school that's not too difficult if you study correctly. I know that's a generic statement, but it's true. Study every night so you don't have to cram for the actual exams. If you want a leg up, just read ahead on the material before that particular subject starts. For instance, if you're going to be going over Neuro on Tuesday, read up about it the day prior. I suggest getting an NCLEX-PN book before taking the actual exam. The practice questions will give you an idea on how tricky some questions will be worded. Remember, this course can set you up for future success in the medical field both in and out of the military. Best of luck!

-SGT S

I am currently at phase II at JBLM (second to last rotation 2 months away from NCLEX). Fort Gordon is still an active phase II site. From what I can tell from my friends at Gordon, it is far more relaxed than JBLM. So long as you stay focused the course is easy. The only people we've had fail out either did so to reclass, or because they spent too much time getting wasted/fraternizing to focus. Do no buy a NLCEX book as one will be given to you. Phase I was hard at first but looking back at it now, it was easy. The hardest part about phase II is the drug knowledge. We're basically pharmacy techs for the first 5 months of phase II. If you can make it past the half way point you'll be golden.