quote:

Originally posted by WannaBeArmyPA:
I am not exactly qualified to answer, not yet Army PA. Officer class starts in less than 2 weeks. I am already a PA, so somewhat looking at your lofty aspirations with admiration and skepticism. First off, I have friends in the civilian world that started as Army medics and did PA both through the Army and through civilian world. And I have worked with Army medics as a contract PA. I also know physicians who went through the loan payment program – Air Force, Navy and Army. A good medic is a great stepping-stone to further goals.

OK, you said keep your negative comments to a minimum, so please do not take this as too negative – medic is a step to a further medical job, PA is NOT a stepping-stone to MD. Physician Assistants are highly educated advanced medical providers who can do up to 80-90% of what a doc can do. I write my own prescriptions, admit my own patients, and do hospital consults for surgical patients. All with supervising docs available, but not always called every decision I make. When I was in rural medicine, I was on call as the only thing for a 150mile radius, MD back up by phone only. However being a PA gets you no closer to being a doc. If your end goal is to be a doctor, than study, take classes, take MCAT prep, polish your grades, and be a doctor. You will not get any easier access to med school having your PA, and some med schools will ask you the same question, “If you wanted to be a doctor, why did you become a PA.” You are neither yet, so do more research on your end goal before you dive into it.

Big differences – not just money. In private world, PA’s can make as much as $150,000. PA’s have more freedom to be part time and with our lack of board certification for specialities, you can change easier – I’ve done rural family practice, urgent care and hospital medicine. As a woman, I do eventually want family, and PA’s transition easier to part time. Less malpractice issues (but not zero). One comforting thought for me, there WILL be patients that are out of your league, no matter how long you’re in practice. No one ever faults a PA for getting advice from a specialist MD.

MD’s are the top dog, the ultimate boss. (but even MD's need help once in a while) They obviously make more money, have more responsibilities. More promotion possibilities both in Army and in civilian world. If you want to be the boss, don’t want to be the ‘assistant’, than pursue MD from the start.

Going the medic route is not the question – just please consider MD or PA. I personally don’t think its wise to pursue both. Another thing – please do not set a time line when you’re talking about the Army. Their time is not your time and they won’t give a crap about your time line. I started my transition from civilian PA to Army PA in February and I only got orders for officer basic 14 days before the class starts. If they waited any longer, I would be waiting till February before officer class. If you don't like their time line... too bad.

My opinion is not gospel truth, so take it what you will, study for your own and make your own decision.

quote:

Originally posted by 22599402:
As I'm getting ready to enlist in the Army pretty soon, I just had a few questions regarding the Army PA position and IPAP program. I read a few posts already, but had some specific questions that I would like to get some insights on.

I'm 29 year old and I currently hold a BA in non-science major. I know about the OCS, but as a perm resident, it's not an option for me at this moment. My plan is to first enlist, get naturalized and then apply for IPAP and get commissioned as an officer. The good news is that I started my college as an engineer, and have completed most of the academic requirements for the IPAP program. The bad news is that my GPA can use some help.

Now, my plan (preliminary, unconsulted as to its feasibility) was to:
Step 1: Enlist as a 68-series soldier (A29)
Step 2 (Yr 1): Re-take classes to improve my GPA and obtain citizenship (A30)
Step 3 (Yr 2-3): Begin and complete IPAP (hopefully time-in-service waiver will be granted) (A31-A32)
Step 4 (Yr 4-7): Serve my 4 year commitment as Army PA & prepare for med school (A33-A36)
Step 5 (Yr 8-11): Attend med school & residency under HPSP (A36-A40)
Step 6 (Yr 12-19): Serve as Army MD and retire from military after 20 yrs (A41-A49)
Step 7 (Yr 20+): Private practice & medical missionary until retirement (A50-A65)

I understand that this plan may be a bit far-fetched and unrealistic. But bare with me for a moment here and give me the benefit of the doubt that I will stick through with this plan. That being said, I have some questions:

Step 1 Questions: Does being a 68-series solider improve my chances of admission into the IPAP program? Any difference between 68W and other 68 series(regarding IPAP admission)? Is 68W what you call a combat medic that moves with the infantrymen?

Step 2 Questions: Would I have enough time to study for and take classes in my first year? What would be a good MOS that would allow me some time to accomplish what I need to get done? For IPAP students and graduates, what was your GPA, overall & science, at the time of admission? If you retake a class, do they replace the old grade with the new, or just average in all together?

Step 3 Questions: Will I be stepping on anyone's foot by choosing to get out so early from my originally enlisted duties? (I don't wanna get smoked for the rest of my stay as enlisted if I can't get into IPAP.) Do I really have to take the god dang SAT again?????

Step 4 Questions: What do the army PAs do exactly? Are they just better and more educated version of combat medics, living and dying out in the field amongst infantrymen? Are they more of backfield personnel treating injured and providing care? I know that they're usually in charge of combat medics and provide leadership and training to them. If you can describe your experience, that would be awesome!

Step 5 Questions: Is this even possible? Will HPSP cover my tuition costs even though I've already done something similar to become a PA? Who provides the residency and felloweship training, civilian or military?

Questions for all steps: Is it possible to get stationed at a overseas base for a extended period of time, specifically Korea? How often do you have to move? If my family decides not to follow, and stay, how does that work as far as housing allowance is concerned? Can I live on-base housing and still receive housing allowance for my family?

I know that some of the questions that I ask may be just a military question in general, but if you can help, I'd appreciate it. Somehow, all my prior service friends ended up as 11 or 18 series folks, and I guess the army PAs are a bit of mystical figures to them. Thank you again in advance for your help.

Please keep the negative comments to yourselves.

Thank you.

quote:

Step 1 Questions: Does being a 68-series solider improve my chances of admission into the IPAP program? I believe that it does help for your admission. Not so much because of the medical aspect, but since I worked in the hospital as a medic I was able to make easier contact with Nurses (in my example) who were very very helpful with filling out the paperwork that has to be completed, who helped with my essays that I had to write for my program ( AECP) and who gave me some great advise in how to approach my career. If I had another MOS I likely would have not found that many people to help me out to be right away accepted. [/COLOR

Any difference between 68W and other 68 series(regarding IPAP admission)? Is 68W what you call a combat medic that moves with the infantrymen? [COLOR:RED]68 Whiskey is either HealthCare Specialist or Combat Medic. Depending on your first duty station will tell you which one you are. I was stationed at a hosptial and only went into the field exercises when I volunteered with the Rangers. Luckily being stationed at the hospital allowed me to aggressively approach my studies so I could complete my pre-reqs so I would not loose time to be accepted for the progam. Now, if you are in a field unit you likely will deploy and your time will be more limited. However, I am a firm believer that if you want something bad enough you make it happen.

Step 2 Questions: Would I have enough time to study for and take classes in my first year? Already touched on this one, cant answer for other MOS's
What would be a good MOS that would allow me some time to accomplish what I need to get done? Personally I would pick a MOS that is in the medical field. Since this way you get at least exposure and some prior knowledge in the field.

For IPAP students and graduates, what was your GPA, overall & science, at the time of admission? If you retake a class, do they replace the old grade with the new, or just average in all together?I did AECP, but it should not differ to much from GPA's. Medical schools are competetive. For Nursing and the school that I went too I had to have a min of 3.28 GPA. You should have in your science classes no less than a B and the last I heard you have to have this B the first time around. They likely will not pick you if you had to retake a science class to achieve the B, while another student hit it on the first attempt. If you would retake a course, the new grade would replace the old one. However, you better of not even thinking that way and get that B the first time around.



Step 3 Questions: Will I be stepping on anyone's foot by choosing to get out so early from my originally enlisted duties? (I don't wanna get smoked for the rest of my stay as enlisted if I can't get into IPAP.) Do I really have to take the god dang SAT again?????
I do not know about other MOS's, but if you are in the medical field they do not get upset with you, because you are doing something to better yourself and I found that most people were very helpful and really worked with me to get my goals accomplished.

Step 4 Questions: What do the army PAs do exactly? Are they just better and more educated version of combat medics, living and dying out in the field amongst infantrymen? Are they more of backfield personnel treating injured and providing care? I know that they're usually in charge of combat medics and provide leadership and training to them. If you can describe your experience, that would be awesome!I am not a PA so I cant answer this directly, but as a Medic I had PA's who supervised me and from whom I learned a lot and most of them truly teach you as much as you want to learn. So make use of that and dont be lazy in learning. I had a wonderful PA and I learned so much from him.

Step 5 Questions: Is this even possible? Will HPSP cover my tuition costs even though I've already done something similar to become a PA? Who provides the residency and felloweship training, civilian or military?

For PA I believe it is all Military. I think as a PA you go for one year to Fort Sam and I heard that the training is crueling. They study every hour of the day, because you will learn in one year, what most people learn in two. The second year you will be going to a military hospital were you will then do your preceptorship( not sure what that is called for PA's) the hands on I guess.

Questions for all steps: Is it possible to get stationed at a overseas base for a extended period of time, specifically Korea? How often do you have to move? If my family decides not to follow, and stay, how does that work as far as housing allowance is concerned? Can I live on-base housing and still receive housing allowance for my family?