Lee High School

How can experience as a combat medic specialist contribute to a civilian career in

medicine?

Rough Draft

Guadalupe Arlett Gonzalez-Villanueva

Lee High School Senior Capstone

Brian Cahoon

March 28, 2017

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Guadalupe Arlett Gonzalez Villanueva

Lee High School Senior Capstone

Brian Cahoon

March 28, 2017

Combat Medic Specialist

A combat medic specialist is filled with readiness when it comes to providing first

aid to the injured soldiers in the battlefield with a safe evacuation. All combat medics learn

patient care techniques, emergency medical techniques, advanced medical care, and plaster-

casting technique which these skills can lead to a career in a civilian life. Extra study and

programs for retired combat medics are offered,some graduates from these programs have

gone onto jobs as paramedics often with agency that they intern with as part of the program

while others have gone to nursing school or physicians assistant programs according to (How

military medics can transition to civilian EMS). A combat medic specialist experience can

contribute to a civilian career in medicine as a registered nurse, paramedic, and

physician assistant.

Civilian life should not discourage retired military medics to continue their education. A

combat medic hands on experience puts a veteran in a unique position to make good use of

their medical knowledge. (Vinson. 2017). In the healthcare career about more than a half a

million nursing jobs are expected to be open in between the years of 2012 and 2200 reported by

the, Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing

have anticipated that the national nursing will go through a shortage caused by aging

population, the aging workforce, the lack of sufficient staffing (Transitioning from Military

Medics to Registered Nurses). Therefore, the Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing is one of

the programs that help retired combat medics to build ahead their unique leadership skills,

clinical education and to assure a successful achievement of the program. There is also Herzing

University that is one of a institutions that encourage veterans to use their medical backgrounds
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completion of programs such as Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing prior on clinical

education experience and skills of military personnel to fill these jobs could significantly help to

reduce the projected nursing shortage (Transitioning from Military Medics to Registered

Nurses). The Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will increase the supply and

demand and motify nursing workforce by recruiting, retaining and graduating more than ninety

and above veterans. As medics enforce their education in medicine they are able to earn an

Associate Degree in Nursing, and accelerate the pace of their study. Military Medics become

part of the growing healthcare system in this country. (Vinson, 2017)

Military medics have obtain their EMT- Basic certification from the National Registry by

initiating right of where they started to complete the same education and training that they have

previously completed. Some states will certify or license them as basic EMTs right off. (Making

the transition from military medic to paramedic should be painless). A infantry combat medic and

a paramedic have a very similar function level, but some of the advanced skills military medics

learn are not able to apply while working in an ambulance because they go through different

procedures at times it was frustrating while working on the ambulance, knowing what to do and

how to do it and could have been tremendous assets to my partner, but it felt as if my hands

were tied, as I was licensed as a EMT-Basic. (Making the transition from military medic to

paramedic should be painless). For this reason combat medics seek colleges to practice further

skills as a EMT, and the career growth of a paramedic, to ensure the right understanding of a

paramedic and how to provide first aid in an ambulance. Many of the professors acknowledge

military combat medics for their transcripts and as they are reviewing their list of experience.

Some think it's senseless to make a military combat medic repeat everything again (Making

the transition from military medic to paramedic should be painless) Mr. Gay from the Community

College of Batesville . The reason why combat medics decide to repeat everything is empower

their medical education as EMTs, to be prepared as they were in the battlefield. Its quite a

process transitioning from an infantry medic and a flight medic to a to a civilian paramedic.
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Some military medic veterans may want to reach the ultimate goal as a physician

assistant UNC research shows many veterans with medical training are more interested in

becoming physician assistants than doctors. (Tomsic, 2016). The physician assistant training

program in the University of North Carolina recruits nontraditional students especially veterans.

It is tough to find something like a physician assistant in the medical field without any licensure

or certificate. The program from the University of North Carolina welcome veterans because

they know that the medics are often very skilled in medical care of younger people. (Tomsic,

2016). Military combat medics are excessively skilled in trauma care, which physician assistants

practice during their study. Military medics lack the ability to diagnose and manage chronic

illness (Tomsic, 2016). It is a very important part of their career because a physician assistant

works under the supervision of doctors to diagnose and treat patients, itt is a great part of the

civilian health care. That is why medics go on and take the education they are missing. Mostly

all veterans who reach the program graduate in two years.

In conclusion to this, it takes a process for military medics to stabilize back to a civilian

lifestyle. Military Retired combat medics are able to transition from a battlefield to a clinic or

hospital as a registered nurse, paramedic, or physician assistant. With the extra study that

programs offer specifically for veterans. Retired combat medics can contribute to the civilian

medical field and fill up empty spots in the medical field and pursue their career.

Works Cited

"How military medics can transition to civilian EMS." EMS1. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr.

2017.

Keita, Mohamed D., Valerie J. Diaz, Audrey P. Miller, Maria Olenick, and Sharon R.

Simon. "Transitioning from military medics to registered nurses." Journal of

Multidisciplinary Healthcare. Dove Medical Press, 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

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Keita, Mohamed D., Valerie J. Diaz, Audrey P. Miller, Maria Olenick, and Sharon R.

Simon. "Transitioning from military medics to registered nurses." Journal of

Multidisciplinary Healthcare. Dove Medical Press, 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

"Making the transition from military medic to paramedic should be painless."

Military1.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

"Making the transition from military medic to paramedic should be painless."

Military1.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2017

"Making the transition from military medic to paramedic should be painless."

Military1.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

Tomsic, Michael. "Making The Most Of Military Medics' Field Experience." NPR. NPR,

12 Jan. 2016. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

Tomsic, Michael. "Making The Most Of Military Medics' Field Experience." NPR. NPR,

12 Jan. 2016. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

Tomsic, Michael. "Making The Most Of Military Medics' Field Experience." NPR. NPR,

12 Jan. 2016. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

Vinson, Bill. "Transitioning Military Medics to Rewarding Careers in Nursin." Herzing

University. Herzing University, 12 Apr. 2017. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

Vinson, Bill. "Transitioning Military Medics to Rewarding Careers in Nursin." Herzing

University. Herzing University, 12 Apr. 2017. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

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Resources

1.) https://www.ems1.com/labor-issues/articles/1977838-How-military-medics-can-

transition-to-civilian-EMS/
2.) http://www.mayo.edu/mayo-clinic-school-of-health-sciences/careers/physician-

assistant
3.) https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/emts-and-paramedics.htm
4.) http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/army-medicine/army-combat-

medics.htm
5.) https://www.herzing.edu/blog/transitioning-military-medics-rewarding-careers-

nursing
6.) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4664494/
7.) https://www.military1.com/products/medical-supplies/aeds/article/270812-

making-the-transition-from-military-medic-to-paramedic-should-be-painless/
8.) http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/12/462787557/making-the-

most-of-military-medics-field-experience