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4N0x1-Trouble finding civilian job!


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To the 4N0x1 vets,

 

I was wondering if you guys had any trouble finding a job on the outside once you got out? Currently I am going to school full time and completing pre-reqs for PA school but I'm getting very cash strapped since no one seems to be interested in hiring me. I have applied for medical assistant jobs, emt-b jobs and even physical therapy aide jobs. You'd think employers would love to hire someone with a military medical background but no dice. I know we don't get an official medical assistant certification, but as you know, we did much more in the military then we would be allowed to as a civilian. Honestly, I'm thinking about just finding a job as a server/bartender if I don't get any callbacks. However, I really don't want to lose the skills I learned in the military and have a significant lapse of time in my HCE when I apply to PA schools. If anyone has been in this position, would you be kind enough to share your experience and what you did to mitigate your situation?

 

Sincerely,

 

Matt

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To the 4N0x1 vets,

 

I was wondering if you guys had any trouble finding a job on the outside once you got out? Currently I am going to school full time and completing pre-reqs for PA school but I'm getting very cash strapped since no one seems to be interested in hiring me. I have applied for medical assistant jobs, emt-b jobs and even physical therapy aide jobs. You'd think employers would love to hire someone with a military medical background but no dice. I know we don't get an official medical assistant certification, but as you know, we did much more in the military then we would be allowed to as a civilian. Honestly, I'm thinking about just finding a job as a server/bartender if I don't get any callbacks. However, I really don't want to lose the skills I learned in the military and have a significant lapse of time in my HCE when I apply to PA schools. If anyone has been in this position, would you be kind enough to share your experience and what you did to mitigate your situation?

 

Sincerely,

 

Matt

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Hi! I don't know anything about the military, but thought I'd mention that I applied for 54 MA jobs. Ended up getting one of the first ones I applied for, but only one other even called me for a phone interview-it's tough! Have you had someone look over your resume and everything?

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Hi! I don't know anything about the military, but thought I'd mention that I applied for 54 MA jobs. Ended up getting one of the first ones I applied for, but only one other even called me for a phone interview-it's tough! Have you had someone look over your resume and everything?

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I hate to say it; from your icon I’m thinking you are a guy. No problem, but 99% of the hiring of medical assistants in private practices and hospital systems is done by women (office managers and nursing supervisors), and especially in the private setting, females outnumber males 99 to 1. Males in lower level jobs are perceived as being “pushy” and having the potential of being personnel problems. More are getting hired as nursing assistants (CNAs) esp in long term care, because of their ability to lift more (no kidding!). This is pretty blatant reverse gender discrimination, but I have heard it time and time again. Several docs in private practice have told me they do not like to hire men as MAs because they stand up for themselves (not considered a positive attribute in a small one or two doc practice) and are misidentified as a provider! Your military training might also be perceived as threatening. Focus more on hospitals, labs (phlebotomist), ambulance (EMT-B), “upgrade" your certification to include CNA, make sure to apply for off shift jobs, etc. Stick with applying with organizations large enough to enforce good non-discrimatory HR policies.

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I hate to say it; from your icon I’m thinking you are a guy. No problem, but 99% of the hiring of medical assistants in private practices and hospital systems is done by women (office managers and nursing supervisors), and especially in the private setting, females outnumber males 99 to 1. Males in lower level jobs are perceived as being “pushy” and having the potential of being personnel problems. More are getting hired as nursing assistants (CNAs) esp in long term care, because of their ability to lift more (no kidding!). This is pretty blatant reverse gender discrimination, but I have heard it time and time again. Several docs in private practice have told me they do not like to hire men as MAs because they stand up for themselves (not considered a positive attribute in a small one or two doc practice) and are misidentified as a provider! Your military training might also be perceived as threatening. Focus more on hospitals, labs (phlebotomist), ambulance (EMT-B), “upgrade" your certification to include CNA, make sure to apply for off shift jobs, etc. Stick with applying with organizations large enough to enforce good non-discrimatory HR policies.

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You might be able to get hired by a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), a Federally Qualified Health Center look a like, Rural Health Clinic, Community Health Center, or a health deivery system that recieves major federal funding (I'm not sure about the VA, but give it a shot maybe the Veterans preference hiring policy will help out). http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/25/we-can-t-waitsupporting-our-veterans

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/veterans/paprograms.html

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I honestly never thought of my gender as being a disadvantage in my situation but it is a possibility. I have tweaked my resume a little and did a better job of translating my military skills into civilian terms. The CNA route might be a good idea if I can knock out the training in a short amount of time. Thanks!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was in a similar position coming out of the Navy/Marine Corps. I was a trauma trained, Navy Hospital Corpsman who graduated with Distinction in my class. I figured the combination of military and medical experience would most certainly put me ahead of other applicants, however, it really didn't. It ended up taking me volunteering for 9 months in the ER (which I currently work at) and applying to nearly two dozen ED tech positions to finally get on. Truth be told, I think volunteering was the biggest sell because as they say, its not what you know but who you know. I really believe this, and I'm sure others will back that up. By volunteering I meet the staff, meet the management, and got my name out there. I made sure the ED manager knew my name and knew my face, week in and week out I was in her office asking about positions. Persistence goes a long way, especially when you have the skill set to back it up.

 

Just keep up nagging ;) Sooner or later someone is going to realize you really want a position and they'll see the value in you.

 

gl.

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  • 3 years later...

Any updates to this thread? I'm currently ANG air evac (X4N0) and my fiance is AD AF 4N0, I've challenged the program and got my CNA, considering challenging the LVN/LPN to get a higher pay job but I agree people are intimated by the military experience, even as a female. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to look for more medical jobs near bases?

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

 

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  • 3 years later...

Hey everyone,

I am a retired 4N091 with SEI496 (IDMT). I had absolutely no problem finding employment when I retired...in fact I was hired by a College before I was retired. I also have two CCAF degrees and taught at the schoolhouse when I was Active Duty. Anyone who says the CCAF degrees are worthless (I heard that a lot when I was AD) doesn't have a clue. CCAF is a SACS accredited College on equal footing with any other regionally accredited College.

As far as eligible credentials to test for in the medical field. Many certifying organizations have a Military pathway. Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCT & CRAT), National Healthcareer Association (CCMA, CMAA, CPT, plus others depending upon your experience) and American Medical Technologist (RMA) to name a few.

Go to as many job fairs as you can...Medical Assisiting is a career field that is bursting with opportunity. Just review the Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

My hope is that networking and research of the options were discussed during your TAPS briefings. if not, your senior 4N should have given you some advice about ways to proceed. 

You are welcome to reach out to me via linkedin.com  Thomas O'Brien

Wishing each of you the best of luck in your transition.

Tom

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One of the biggest mistakes medics and corpsmen do before getting out is not get certified, be it MA or CNA, or any certification you can get. Our skills does not translate directly to civilian world. They do not understand our scope of practice. 

I was lucky to get c school and get national certification before getting out and it helped to have the military background in that situation. But if you don't have that piece of paper to prove you can do what you say you can, people wont look at you. 

As a corpsman I know there is a test you can take to get MA certified. If you are still in, I highly recommend you do whatever it takes to get emt certified. Having something like that will give you a bump otherwise you don't get jack shit after you get out.

Another thing to consider is get BLS instructor qualification. That's should help you get maybe a teaching gig to get something started. 

Point is, there are many things you can do before you get out to ease your transition into civilian world. Don't think for a second that just because you were medic or corpsman the civilian world would be eager to hire you. Most don't even know what corpsmans are.

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