65D (PA) position in the 19th SFG(A) inquiry

[Scutmonkey]

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[The Reaper]

Lots of 18Ds go on to become PAs.

Every former 18D I have ever met who is a PA is trying to get back to Group.

There are a couple of those guys on here who can speak to that.

Nothing personal, but if I were making those decisions, I would put an SF qualified PA in an SF unit.

NG might be different though.

Best of luck.

TR

[Eagle5US]

First- you are not yet a 65D and it is highly frowned upon to represent yourself as such prior to qualification (i.e. your SCREEN NAME). With 16 months left...you have a LONG way to go and school is in no way at the "it's a gimme" stage.:rolleyes:

Second- though there are people who skip directly to a Special Forces Unit as a PA, it is highly discouraged in the community to do so. Even for those people who have an 18 Series Enlisted background. We (the Senior PA/SF community) are currently in serious and high level discussion to prevent this practice from continuing.

You are currently in "Basic Training" for medicine. If and when you complete that training, the folks who you "practice on" while you are trying to put into play the things you learned in school should not be folks in a Special Operations Unit.
These soldiers deserve a provider who has already seen hundreds of hours of sick call, had the benefit of learning from physicians and PA's who have been around the block and taught them the ins and outs of MILITARY MEDICINE, tricks of the trade in order to quickly and efficiently diagnose and treat the little things as well as the big ones.
While it is "cool" to be in a Special Forces Unit, the patient population has priority to your experience level. Additionally, you will be teaching, mentoring, and overseeing treatments by the 18D's in the unit. Without the experience of a few years of patient care, they will be at a significant disadvantage with an inexperienced provider such as yourself.

Take a few years to learn your craft, then offer that craft for service.

Medicine is a practice, how you practice makes it an art.
You have to start somewhere, it will be "paint by numbers" long before it becomes "art". SF Guys deserve the art.

A few things to think about.

[Scutmonkey]

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[alright4u]

I recall 1975 very well. The PA course was starting up. At least I was told so. A CPT, who was a great A Team leader, was being RIF. He was a former SSG, so; he came back as an E-6 in that PA scool. I am certain he did very well. He was just that type of man who had to excel. However he lost the one thing he cared the most about. Being the leader of the finest men to ever serve.

In one's life a man can lead a fortune 500 company, a gold medal olympic team or an SF TS unit conducting cross border OPS or maybe just merely command an HF platoon that takes an enemy company in their bunker complex.

I'd rather be that man with great SF NCO's when WE took that bunker complex.

[wanda]

I was in the 2/19th medical section in Kenova, WV all our PAs were SF qualified. Most being former 18Ds. With that said, I don't see a future for you in 2/19. Maybe at the group support medical section in Utah.