# Benefits of being a 68W in a civilian setting?



## SunshineCamo (Aug 22, 2013)

So this may be a bit of weird question, but I'm about to get out of the National Guard and I'm very slightly considering reupping to become a 68W (I'm previously an 11B).  As I'm trying to get into the EMS field I was wondering if there's any benefit to becoming a 68W in terms of medical knowledge and making me more employable.  Thanks guys.


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## rwik123 (Aug 22, 2013)

SunshineCamo said:


> So this may be a bit of weird question, but I'm about to get out of the National Guard and I'm very slightly considering reupping to become a 68W (I'm previously an 11B).  As I'm trying to get into the EMS field I was wondering if there's any benefit to becoming a 68W in terms of medical knowledge and making me more employable.  Thanks guys.



In general your veteran status will be an advantage to you no matter your MOS. There honestly isn't a huge jump in knowledge medically. You'll get your EMT already so you're able to exit your service and transition directly into the civilian sector. You'll be able to operate at a higher scope while in the military, but that doesn't increase you're abilities in regular EMS. From what I've learned through friends who are 68Ws, the medical background they get in training isn't in depth with physiology and anatomy, and it's all geared towards cookbook trauma management.


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## Akulahawk (Aug 22, 2013)

In the Army, you'll get certified as an EMT and you'll learn a host of additional skills that's above the typical scope of practice for an EMT. Unfortunately, there's not an equivalent skill-set in the civilian world so you won't be able get a job as an AEMT or a Paramedic with your 68W training. You'll be pretty good at doing trauma management, but it'll be cookbook-style and you won't necessarily know/learn the why behind the procedures you do. It's going to be basically stimulus-response. You'll something and your training will dictate a response based on that. 

I would expect that vet status and that you've had some EMT training and experience as a 68W should be somewhat enticing to an employer because you won't need too much time with an FTO to bring you up to speed for how they do things. If you want to re-up and become a 68W, do it because you want to do all the stuff that a 68W does, not because you might be more marketable later. That's a bonus. Also use that time to take A&P and stuff like that so that you can lay the foundation for a good, solid understanding for what you do and a possible future career in one of the many allied healthcare fields.


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## EMT11KDL (Aug 25, 2013)

Like stated above you will get your NREMT with the new guidelines from 2011.  But you will also get a lot of training with IV, basic pharm, some advanced airways, PHTLS, which can be very beneficial if you want to go on and get your Advanced EMT.   Also having that knowledge will help you treat your patients even though you wont be able to preform some of the skills.  But your skills will be identified per your local protocols.


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## zmedic (Aug 26, 2013)

You just need to remember there are opportunity costs associated with staying in. Yeah, more military experience might help, but so would getting out, doing a year paramedic program and getting 3 years experience as a medic v spending another 4 years in the military. 

If you are trying to increase your marketability as a medic there are other things you could do with your time that would look good on a resume (Firefighter training, search and rescue, high angle rescue etc) The question is if you are missing some of those chances by staying in the military. 

I'd stay in the military if you want to be in the military. But there are a lot faster roads to a civilian EMS career.


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## CFal (Aug 27, 2013)

zmedic said:


> You just need to remember there are opportunity costs associated with staying in. Yeah, more military experience might help, but so would getting out, doing a year paramedic program and getting 3 years experience as a medic v spending another 4 years in the military.
> 
> If you are trying to increase your marketability as a medic there are other things you could do with your time that would look good on a resume (Firefighter training, search and rescue, high angle rescue etc) The question is if you are missing some of those chances by staying in the military.
> 
> I'd stay in the military if you want to be in the military. But there are a lot faster roads to a civilian EMS career.



The National Guard is part time, one weekend a month type reserv e force.


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## SunshineCamo (Aug 27, 2013)

zmedic said:


> You just need to remember there are opportunity costs associated with staying in. Yeah, more military experience might help, but so would getting out, doing a year paramedic program and getting 3 years experience as a medic v spending another 4 years in the military.
> 
> If you are trying to increase your marketability as a medic there are other things you could do with your time that would look good on a resume (Firefighter training, search and rescue, high angle rescue etc) The question is if you are missing some of those chances by staying in the military.
> 
> I'd stay in the military if you want to be in the military. But there are a lot faster roads to a civilian EMS career.



CFal already said it, but yeah I'm talking about the Guard, not Active duty.  It sounds like there really isn't much a benefit in terms of knowledge or skills.  And since I've already got my EMT license, it wouldn't even help me in that regard.

Since I'm starting a paramedic program in January, I think I'll just get out.  I don't really enjoy what I'm doing, and I'd rather focus on my school and work.  Thanks guys.


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## Ace 227 (Aug 28, 2013)

As much as I like to see soldiers stay in(working in recruiting and all) I thinm you're making the right decision. You served your time and being a 68W won't help you at all in the civilian world. Get your paramedic and start your career. Good luck with everything!


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## mrhunt (Aug 30, 2013)

So im currently a 68W in the guard (who ironicly would like to be a dual MOS as an 11B!) but anywho...

yeah, you operate at a higher scope than an EMT-B so that can be frustrating taking a step back and not even being able to Do IV's on patients (at least in hawaii...)


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## unleashedfury (Aug 30, 2013)

You'll be a NREMT-B which depending on your state will accept reciprocity for the State certification as a EMT-B. 

if you want to be a 68W do so. If you want to be a EMT in the civillian world do so. 

The benefit is little. as far as what you can do outside of the ARMY I mean you learn some cool things as a Field Medic but like its stated before its cookbook trauma treatment. works great in combat dosen't apply to prehospital modalities of civillian EMS.

OTOH - I'd Love to go back into the Guard. but rediculous amounts of paperwork that seemed to disappeard has prevented me from doing so. I can't find a damn recruiter who is ballsy enough or in fact willing to help me put the work in to get the reup done. So I'm stuck.


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