Air force: Starting Education- IPAP- PA

[buechleink]

Hello!

 

So I am 22 years old and I am just starting my education towards an eventual career as a Physician's Assistant. My husband will be getting out of the military (marines) in October of next year, so I have been looking more into the military, myself, as an option to aid in my pursuance of said career. However, I am not sure if it is a viable option as of yet. I have just been recently certified to work as an EMT-B in the state of North Carolina and I am currently working on my paramedic. I have some college credits, but I do not have my bachelors degree.

 

So my question is: 

 

Is is possible for me to join the air force, and in doing so, get my bachelors degree and acquire all of the prerequisite courses needed for a PA program? IPAP has been mentioned to me before, but I do not entirely understand the process or all of what it entails. Any and all information pertaining to this topic is welcome. I am in the dark when it comes to the college process, and even more so when looking into the military. And I don't know exactly what to ask recruiters in regards to my particular situation. 

 

 

Thank you!

[Firefox777]

The only way I foresee you being able to join the Air Force and also be able to knock out a Bachelor Degree is to join either the Air National Guard or the Air Force Reserves. I am not sure what specific requirements the Air Force has for pre-requisites, but for the Army it is 60 semester hours in your basic humanities, social sciences, government, etc. and the pre-requisite classes in Anatomy/Physiology, Chemistry, Medical Terminology, etc. I don't think the Air Force requirements would be much different.

 

Best things to ask recruiters would be what the education benefits are like, what AFSCs are available for you (best bet would be to try to get something medical-related) and to see what the timeline would look like in terms of your Basic Training and Tech School.

[cop to pa]

I would take a look at the multiple threads discussing IPAP and joining the military specifically to go to IPAP.

[ventana]

Physician Assistant

 

NOT

 

Physician's Assistant

 

 

We are not their possession....

[ExcitedForPASchool]

I'm a little late to the party. Firefox777 is partially correct. It would be easier to join ANG or Air Force Reserve to get a degree. However, it is possible to obtain a bachelor degree while active duty Air Force. Like Firefox777 said, try to get a job that is medically related, so you can get more hours and more connections for letters of recommendation. Once you complete your technical training, you can use Tuition Assistance to complete your CCAF (Air Force's associate's degree), by taking courses at a local community college. Once you have completed your CCAF, you can participate in something called the AU-ABC program. Basically the Air Force as a cooperative with many different universities, so you can earn your bachelor's degree, once you have completed your CCAF, in less than 60 credit hours. Now, this could take a while, but you can get paid while you get your degree. The best part is that you will not use any of your GI bill, so you can save it all for PA school.

The only way I foresee you being able to join the Air Force and also be able to knock out a Bachelor Degree is to join either the Air National Guard or the Air Force Reserves. I am not sure what specific requirements the Air Force has for pre-requisites, but for the Army it is 60 semester hours in your basic humanities, social sciences, government, etc. and the pre-requisite classes in Anatomy/Physiology, Chemistry, Medical Terminology, etc. I don't think the Air Force requirements would be much different.

 

Best things to ask recruiters would be what the education benefits are like, what AFSCs are available for you (best bet would be to try to get something medical-related) and to see what the timeline would look like in terms of your Basic Training and Tech School.