Enlist with DUI as E4 Specialist (Bachelor's) — IPAP Prospects?

[shakeNblake]

I've been talking to an Army recruiter about joining and I take the ASVAB on Tuesday. I would guess that I am likely to get a 97+ on the test based on practice. I have a Bachelor's degree with a 3.44 GPA with classes like chem, ochem, physics, calc, human phys, etc etc. The rub is that I got a DUI in December (8 months ago). 

I understand that this largely disqualifies me for the civilian-to-OCS path, and my recruiter has made it clear that I would join as an E4 Specialist. This is a sacrifice I understand I need to make in order to serve. He is currently working on my waiver and checking on security clearance. I am meeting with him next week to discuss various MOS's. My main interests are 68W, 68C and 18D. My END GOAL is to be a physician—I don't care if it's not until I'm 35. I say that to give context for the kind of knowledge base I'm trying to build.

I have two primary question categories. I don't understand many military acronyms, so could you give acronym and meaning in answers if you know it?

(1) Would 68W, 68C, or 18D give me more clinical experience and education through AIT and after? Which would be the best track to become an officer? When is an appropriate time to put in a packet for OCS?

(2) What is the likelihood of being accepted into IPAP with my education and criminal background (nothing in addition to the DUI)? Could I skirt the OCS restriction by doing BT>AIT(68W?)>IPAP in a row or would IPAP be while I'm in service as a 68W? I'd ideally not be an E4 with my qualifications, but I understand the mistake I made has consequences and the military has regulations. Do you need to serve as a 68W for some time prior to applying to IPAP in order to be considered, like you do for the M6? Is the PA cert transferred over to civilian life?

Any other helpful information would be amazing. Thank you so much in advance for your answers and (presumably) your service!

[PharmD]

On 8/11/2017 at 10:07 PM, shakeNblake said:

I've been talking to an Army recruiter about joining and I take the ASVAB on Tuesday. I would guess that I am likely to get a 97+ on the test based on practice. I have a Bachelor's degree with a 3.44 GPA with classes like chem, ochem, physics, calc, human phys, etc etc. The rub is that I got a DUI in December (8 months ago). 

I understand that this largely disqualifies me for the civilian-to-OCS path, and my recruiter has made it clear that I would join as an E4 Specialist. This is a sacrifice I understand I need to make in order to serve. He is currently working on my waiver and checking on security clearance. I am meeting with him next week to discuss various MOS's. My main interests are 68W, 68C and 18D. My END GOAL is to be a physician—I don't care if it's not until I'm 35. I say that to give context for the kind of knowledge base I'm trying to build.

I have two primary question categories. I don't understand many military acronyms, so could you give acronym and meaning in answers if you know it?

(1) Would 68W, 68C, or 18D give me more clinical experience and education through AIT and after? Which would be the best track to become an officer? When is an appropriate time to put in a packet for OCS?

(2) What is the likelihood of being accepted into IPAP with my education and criminal background (nothing in addition to the DUI)? Could I skirt the OCS restriction by doing BT>AIT(68W?)>IPAP in a row or would IPAP be while I'm in service as a 68W? I'd ideally not be an E4 with my qualifications, but I understand the mistake I made has consequences and the military has regulations. Do you need to serve as a 68W for some time prior to applying to IPAP in order to be considered, like you do for the M6? Is the PA cert transferred over to civilian life?

Any other helpful information would be amazing. Thank you so much in advance for your answers and (presumably) your service!

With your bachelor degree, you're supposed to be recuited as an officer, at least a 2nd LT ( 2nd lieutenant); with my little knowledge, most recruiters would want to recruit you for the Es, I guess because they have a quota to meet. I would suggest you tell your recruiter your degree should be factor into recruitment. However, if you end up as E4, the army has a free PA program for army personnel  (Interservice).Good luck.

[IdahoPA]

I don't understand why you'd try to get into IPAP if your end goal was to be a physician, rather than a PA.

Are you going active?  I was a 68W in the Guard, but understand that positions can vary quite a bit depending where you end up.  You should still get plenty of hands-on experience.  I think the 68C course is LPN, right?  I didn't do that but when I was in, it added a year to your AIT.  (You went through 68W first, then continued one for another 12 months.)  As an LPN, you'd also get plenty of experience.  18D is a Special Forces medic, so you'd have to go through that training, too.  I'm female so I never even looked into it since it wasn't a viable option.  

I feel like you really need to talk to either your potential unit some more or someone at IPAP who can better answer these questions.  I can't imagine you'd go from BT-->AIT--> IPAP given that there's an application process for IPAP and you're not going to have time to do it in your other training or the right contacts.  You also don't go from enlisted to officer that way.  All new officers have to take some sort of basic course. 

[HMtoPA]

I don't know how much a prior-service DUI will hurt you. I would guess not as much as getting one while on Active Duty. Almost everything is forgivable, depending on circumstances - how you've conducted yourself since, what current manning and projected needs look like, number of applicants, etc. I will say that the Army makes a lot of PAs per year (many times more than the Navy), and I'd bet that moral waivers are not as uncommon as you might think.

But, really, what's the point of putting yourself through all of that if your ultimate goal is to be a physician? Glutton for punishment?

[GrunttoPA]

You probably already have your answers, and are in or decided to go a different route, but I'll answer your questions anyways, as I am a current Recruiter.  

1.  Your Recruiter is correct, for the most part.  When I have an applicant that wants OCS and is otherwise qualified, I tell them that I will work OCS packet, but if the board denies, they have to be willing to enlist.  This is true for moral waivers, med waivers, or really any applicant.  OCS is a beast of a packet, and if you get denied, its a drain on the process as a whole.  
PharmD, OCS actually counts better than enlisting someone for us, so that's not accurate as of 2016-current.  As well, there are plenty of enlisted folk with degrees, they just don't want the officer path.

2.  Getting into IPAP or OCS after enlisting still requires a waiver as far as I know (I would require one if I went IPAP as well).  The incident is scrutinized a little less once your in, because you have served.  IE.  2 favorable years of service and drop an OCS packet, your chances of being approved is a lot higher.  This all depends on Army needs however.  During a downsize, waivers are the first to go.

3.  Applying to IPAP is done after 3 years of service.  To my knowledge, there is no waiver for time in, you must complete 3 years before dropping the packet.  

4.  I cant really answer the clinical questions, as I am not 68 series or 18 series, but I know for IPAP the MOS is immaterial.  you need 80 hours of shadowing with a PA.  That can be completed in any MOS, you just need to speak to a PA and have them allow you to do it.  From my semi pursuit of IPAP, I found multiple PA's that would allow it, just by asking.  if you google Army IPAP, the website will give you all the info needed to submit a packet.

If you are still in the process or still wanting more info, message me and I will look up all the current regs for OCS and IPAP and send them to you.

Hope this helps

 

[narcan]

Is your end goal to be a physician or to be a physician in the military?

In either case, not sure why'd you try to go to PA school first.

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

Old thread. Question has been answered. OP hasn't logged on since a day after he posted the question.