Should I stay as a 68W or go to 68C?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 08:51:30 -0400

I served in both the NG and active duty as a 68W and I've been in a total of 3 years, going on 4. I worked Ems on the civilian side and I can say with confidence that I do not want to make a career out of it. My end goal is physician assistant, but I believe becoming a Charlie would benefit me. The reason being is because it puts me in a clinical setting much more frequently than being a medic allows. It's also a better life as an enlisted soldier. What do you all think?

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2018 9:27 AM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 09:27:11 -0400

I think it sounds like a plan. But, If you want to be in a clinical setting as a medic, go to a duty station like Fort Belvoir or Walter Ried where operation skills are the emphasis over institutional training (i.e. Tactical Comabt Casualty Care) As I understand you need about 100 hrs shadowing a PA and to be frank, what you need more than anything is just time with a PA irrespective of the location (clinic or field). However, in a hospital, being either 68W or 68C will benefit you in this regard and PA’s are very welcoming when soldiers want to shadow them, as most were enlisted too. Personally I don’t think the switch is necessary so much as you prefer to work in a specific kind of environment.

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made Aug 13 at 2018 9:32 AM

SPC Sheila Lewis — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 09:32:43 -0400

Sounds like you have made your decision to become a PA, now go out and make it your reality. Best of luck in your endeavor!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2018 9:32 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 09:32:44 -0400

In addition to taking your prerequisites, I would recommend the C route over W. Make sure you get a good mentor that’s already done it and look into your service options. IPAP is a great program you may be able to take advantage of!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2018 9:38 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 09:38:54 -0400

Don't waste your time reclassing, you'll be adding years to your path of becoming a PA. The 68C course is a year long and it may be at least a year till your class date. By the time you finished school you could have instead finished your pre-reqs and been accepted into IPAP.

Response by CPT Enrique M. made Aug 13 at 2018 10:07 AM

CPT Enrique M. — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 10:07:11 -0400

don't reclass.. Just go become a PA. As much as a clinical setting and practice might be good on paper. You will be relearning everything. To be honest its more impressive that you are a 68w especially during your application process to PA school. Good luck!

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Aug 13 at 2018 10:14 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 10:14:09 -0400

It'd help to know your object, though you explained a good deal...also, have you done am assocs, have you started or done a Bach, also, what:d you ultimately want? Senior enlisted, though I'm assuming warrant or commissioned? Next, also, what specific aspect of nursing would you want? ER? OR? Surg? If you want psych at all, look at USPHS, there got extensive psych usage by the svcs, Army,Navy, USAF, with a whole assignment page...also, look at their COSTEP, Jr and Sr, their analogue to ROTC, also, USUHS, the school, has a grad school of nursing for a PhD and/or DNP to pet active duty commissioned in all!svcs for RN go doctoral, trust me, if I'd have known USPHS existed, I'd never have gone USAF instead or tree to go Army to begin with, I honestly think you'd find USPHS far more flexible, in terms of being assigned !upt places in the Federal world, honest, ifmyoud want to chat more, just say, OK?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Aug 13 at 2018 10:15 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 10:15:18 -0400

http://www.isphs.gov

Here's the USPJSmsite, look at nirsingnamd COSTEP, cappmtheir toll free [login to see] , you'll see it, trust me, OK?

www.isphs.gov

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Aug 13 at 2018 10:17 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 10:17:21 -0400

http://www.usuhs.edu/gsn

Here's the USUHS nursing doctoral program!, look also at their other PhD bioscience programs, civil svc can also attend those, theuve also got clinical psych PhD or Psy.D., I forget which, if you'd want that, at all, also....

Uniformed Services University

The mission of the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences is to educate, train, and comprehensively prepare uniformed services health professionals, scientists, and leaders to support the Military and Public Health Systems, the National Security and National Defense Strategies of the United States, and the readiness of our Uniformed Services.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Aug 13 at 2018 10:24 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 10:24:27 -0400

http://www.ocsfoundation.org

Look through this, though RNs generally go through an OIS, for direct commission, not an OCS, USPHS also does hat as well, using OIS program!s, they also as you might've heard, send all the clinical for USCG, other than PAs, USCH has their own of those, look also at the imtersvc PA program at I think Ft Sam Houston, I know the svcs started that program to encourage enlisted who want med as opposed to allied health, I forget the name, it'd depend if you'd want that, if not, it'd be up to you, however I'm !erely suggesting it...also, if you want med, look at DO as opposed to MD, USIHS is MF only for !ed, the DO programs are toalpy separate, the allopatic MDs are under AMCAS, the DO programs are under AACOMAS, long story, just trust me, look all that up and digest it, if you want more, just let me know, I got to doctoral allied health, we shut !y license off sevl years ago, I'm total perm disabled, which stinks, it:s just there:s no way to change it now, however, I trained under a USPHS O-7, that was why I'd wanted to GH USPHS, trust me, look at it, you won't be sort, honest, give me your thoughts, I'd be curious, OK?

OCS Foundation

SERVICES FOR: Candidates Alumni Officer Families

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2018 11:08 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 23:08:06 -0400

Go straight to PA. No point in wasting time if that’s your ultimate goal.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2018 1:09 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 13:09:47 -0400

You aren’t benefiting yourself. You’ll be adding on a year on top of the fact it won’t help much towards completing your prerequisites for PA school. Being a medic will be more beneficial because you’ll have a mixture of field and clinical experience that Charlie’s simply won’t have. You’ll just be shooting your self in the foot if you tried to switch.

Response by CPL Audrey Selking made Aug 18 at 2018 11:58 AM

CPL Audrey Selking — Sat, 18 Aug 2018 11:58:21 -0400

As a current 68C student I highly discourage you from going Charlie. I also want to do IPAP or something similar, and I thought having a license so I could regain experience would help but honestly the program is completely discouraging and the classes aren’t exactly taught well. You get what you pay for essentially, and it’s free. I would instead shadow PAs and nurses. If you learn how nurses support their docs, it will help your future work relationships and you’ll get an insight on total patient care some docs forget about. But please don’t waste your time. Good luck!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2018 1:33 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Aug 2018 13:33:30 -0400

If your goal is to become a physician assistant then use TA and get your pre reqs finished up and go straight to the IPAP. Trust me as a 68w going through 68C school right now it’s not worth it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2018 12:20 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Aug 2018 00:20:22 -0400

Thank you very much!

Response by SFC Sarah Garcia made Aug 25 at 2018 5:27 PM

SFC Sarah Garcia — Sat, 25 Aug 2018 17:27:54 -0400

Go for Registered nurse.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 10 at 2018 3:03 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 15:03:32 -0400

68C is not easy. 12hr shifts and as an NCO, you can tack on the responsibilities of taking care of your soldiers, assisting your Wardmaster more as you learn to be a Wardmaster yourself. And if you have an additional duty that requires reports and meetings to attend, the days can seem endless.

Response by SFC Bob Johnson made Oct 9 at 2018 10:41 PM

SFC Bob Johnson — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 22:41:11 -0400

SPC Smith, I would agree with all of the other comments on here about reclassing; don’t waste your time, if you want to be a PA then just apply to the The Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP). Follow this link for more information... https://crdamc.amedd.army.mil/med-ed/ipap.aspx

ipap.aspx