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Transitioning from Navy HM to Navy PA - Need some Info


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I'm currently leaving for Great Lakes this Spring. My rate will be HM. I currently have my bachelors degree (b.s.) but it's not in anything healthcare related.  I was wondering what steps I have to take if I want to become a naval officer and eventually become a PA? Do I have to get another bachelors degree and have it science related, before I apply for PA school? Any information would be greatly appreciate it. 

 

Thank you all in advance.

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The instructions and requirements for the Navy PA Program (really is is the TriService PA Program) is here:

 

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmpdc/professional-development/SitePages/Medical%20Service%20Corps%20Program%20MSCIPP-PA.aspx

 

 

In short you are going to need the prerequisite science courses but not necessarily a new degree. The TriService program is very competitive. You probably have better odds of getting accepted to a civilian school. Also it will be quite difficult to get the science classes with labs once you are on active duty. You can do it but it will not be quick or easy.

 

If you really want to be a PA in the military my suggestion would be to complete your first tour and then get out and use your GI bill to go to PA school. Once you graduate you can apply for a commission and re-enter the military if that is still what you want. Be sure that you do not utilize your GI bill while you are on active duty though because it is a time based benefit. If you use it while on active duty to take a single class for a prerequisite then that counts a a full semester of use. Maybe you got $600 or so to pay that single class of tuition. Once you get out that same semester would have paid for a full semester of PA school or about $20,000! It is much more valuable once you get out.  

 

For what it is worth I was an HM in the NAVY for 25 years. I retired a couple years ago and now I start PA school in a few weeks. My GI Bill will pay my full expenses of $22,000 per semester for my entire 28 month PA Program and I will still have 8 months of GI bill remaining when I am finished. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I agree with the above comment. I was active 9 years, and then joined the reserves and have been there for a few years.While a reservist, I finished my BS in Bio and a minor in Chem. I also challenged my states nursing license while going to school and became an LPN. Those all strengthened my application and I finished my first semester of PA school a couple weeks ago. If you really want it while you're in, look into the inter-service PA program. I think it's in Texas. Besides that, get out and go for it. If you have any questions let me know. Besides that, listen to the guy above because that is seriously good advice!

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I'm going to go ahead and disagree that acceptance into IPAP is more competetive than a civilain program. I would argue that it is less so, but frankly the applicant pool is so different that the two routes almost defy comparison. IPAP is a totally achievable route of entry into this profession, but as others have said, it is neither quick nor easy. My standard response when asked about this (and it is often, as a prior-enlisted Navy PA that went through IPAP) is that it only really makes sense if you're committed to doing 20 years of active service. Realistically, you will probably have to have at least a couple of duty stations under your belt before matriculating into IPAP, and will be lucky to be commissioned as a PA at your 10-year mark. Factor in 4 more years of obligated service as a PA, and you see it becomes increasingly foolish to walk away before your 20 years are up. So no, it is not a quick back-door into the profession by any means. But it is a debt-free one, and if you're okay with doing 20+ years in the military anyway (I am), it can make a lot of sense. Good luck with your decision.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

I would disagree to the other member with a similar name to mine. Only 14 or so students are accepted into the Navy IPAP program and a lot of it relies on your command and on there recommendation and evals. As a new guy going in your going to have to wait a while to apply because you must be E4 with a waiver or E5. You are competing with hundreds of people who are IDC's or seals. The benefit of the applying to civi programs is that there is about 150 of them and as long as you meet the prereqs and dont have a terrible gpa, they're going to like you being a former corpsman. If you can get into IPAP its a great way to go, if not the 1st civ div life is pretty great and the GI bill will pay for you in school, while your fellow students bury themselves in debt. I got out of the Navy after making E5 in 3 and a half years and coming in as an E1. I completed most of my degree from online school, and night/weekend school when I was at shore duty. EP all the way through. I was with a clinic at Miramar and then with 1/5. Although I do miss the greenside Navy I recommend to all my old corpsman I knew to get out and take your chances at PA school out here. Just my 2 cents. Either way you chose the best rate in the Navy, and PA is the best career in America. 

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How about this. Once you get in the Navy and get through Corps school, then start assessing the situation. Like HMtoPA mentioned IPAP is more of a long term commitment. You stated that you have a BS but I would imagine you still need to knock out some pre-req classes? If so, then start using your education benefits while you're in. At your 4/5 year mark you can see if you want to stay in and start thinking about IPAP; or start applying to PA school while your still in the Navy, get accepted, then start PA school directly after the Navy and the GI bill should pay for the whole thing.

 

Also, while you are spending your time in the Navy you may want to create a relationship with both PAs and MDs and talk to them about the differences of each profession. Keep in mind that in the military these providers are offend more closely related then in the civilian world, but its good to get their point of view. I personally would advise you to strongly consider going to medical school once you get out.

 

Good luck

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IDCtoPA: You can use your GI bill on active duty? For what its worth I applied for education benefits at both of my commands and was able to take classes with tuition and books paid by the Navy. When I got out, I had a fresh, untouched, full GI Bill.

 

Also, another note. For whatever reason if you decide to get out and apply, and are given a rating by the VA then apply for voc rehab benefits BEFORE you use your GI Bill. I wish someone would have told me that when I was in.

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I would disagree to the other member with a similar name to mine. Only 14 or so students are accepted into the Navy IPAP program and a lot of it relies on your command and on there recommendation and evals. As a new guy going in your going to have to wait a while to apply because you must be E4 with a waiver or E5. You are competing with hundreds of people who are IDC's or seals. 

 

So you're going to disagree with the guy who actually has the experience of being accepted into IPAP (and graduating), and form an opinion based on what, exactly?

 

You are definitely not competing with "hundreds" of other applicants when you apply for IPAP through the Navy. I'm not saying it's not competitive, but it's not that competetive. FWIW, in my cohort of 15, less than half of us were IDCs, and none of us were SEALs. The biggest obstacle to getting a seat is being able to complete the pre-reqs, IMO. Yes, you have to get good evals and recommendations, of course, but that's the easy part.

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  • 1 month later...

I'm a first year PA student who got out after 8 years and I don't regret going the civ route. One thing to keep in mind is that completing the number of prereqs when in will be super difficult. I mean the bare minimum is about 6-7 science classes to apply. IMO the fastest route would be to try and get a shore command first at a naval hospital and try to KO 2-3 science classes during that time. If you can do like Anatomy 101, Chem 101 and maybe a genetics or Biology 101, then you could get out and only have a hand full of classes left that you could do in a year and apply to PA school and have the GI Bill pay for it. 

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