Question regarding combat medical jobs in the Army

[TLDR20]

I'm going to keep piling on because this is something I saw/heard a lot of when I was in the course, and while an instructor. Many guys assume because they are/were an 18D they are the same as a PA. Maybe it is because almost all the SFMS courses are taught by PA's and the refrain of, "this is the first year of PA school in 5 months" was common. But let me say this, an 18D is not a PA. They certainly aren't an acute care NP. A SOCM medic is nowhere close to either.

A SOCM medic isn't the same mid level provider an 18D is. They may think they are, but they are not. And it isn't close. An 18D by the end of the course probably has experience managing a human through anesthesia, placing and monitoring central lines, prescribing antibiotic treatment, and many other things. SOCM's aren't doing ANY of that.

That being said, the average 18D has a great deal of schooling initially, then goes to a team and forgets a lot of it. Yes he can still do sick call, do great trauma medicine, but the good 18D is consulting his PA for anything more than Motrin, or some STD shit. Why? Because that honestly isn't his primary job. The job of any SF guy is to wage unconventional warfare on our adversaries. Any SF guy is a shooter first. I don't need to go to schools to be a better sick call Doc, I need to go to schools to learn to drive better, shoot better, develop relationships better, and a myriad of other skills. Imagine trying to be the best shooter, foreign language speaking, explosives rearing, CIA agent, medical provider... there are priorities and medical stuff falls towards the lower end when two dudes on the team are already trauma gods...

 

[Muppet]

Ain't nuthin lowly about that, Brother.

Thanks bro, meant to kind of be tongue and cheek but thanks brother...

M.

 

[Devildoc]

I would say a 18D or Navy SARC IDC is closer to a PA than a SOCM medic but still a long long way off.

I would extend that to all IDCs, not just SOCM IDCs. Used to be, an IDC could waive/test out/credit applied year one of a PA program, but they did away with that some years ago. Some of the best mid-levels I have seen, anywhere, were ship IDCs. In fact it is a critically undermanned NEC.

Regarding advanced skills, one of my frustrations as a regular ol' corpsman, is our scope was dictated by the battalion surgeon. One of ours taught us central lines and chest tubes; when he left, the next did away with that for line corpsmen, but allowed the HMs assigned to BAS to do those (which was a good thing). At least as a SOCM, even though not a Delta, has a fairly expansive skillset.

 

[Gunz]

Thanks bro, meant to kind of be tongue and cheek but thanks brother...

M.

I know, bro...just a raised glass in your direction.

 

[Muppet]

I know, bro...just a raised glass in your direction.

Cheers bro. As I am for you...

M.