Questions for anyone in the military in BATTLEFIELD MEDICINE?

Question

Including army medics, fmf corpsmen, pj's, anything like that.

I'm a high school senior and for part of a project, I need to conduct a 15 question interview someone with a job related to my career of choice (which I'm sure you've figured it out). Since I don't personally know anyone who is one of these, I turned to the internet. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Please, don't write a few words per question. It needs to be just like an interview in person.

Thank you.

1. What would a typical day or month be like?
2. Would I chiefly work with data, people, or things?
3. Would I travel? Where and how often?
4. Would I sit all day? Stand? Get outside the office?
5. What do people in the job say they like most about their job? The least?
6. Is the occupation one that would depress you or lift your spirits?
7. How long does the education and training that is required for the job take?
8. What does that include?
9. How did you get this job and what kinds of experience and preparation helped you the most?
10. What are your responsibilities in this position?
11. What kind of stress do you deal with?
12. Knowing what you know now, what advice do you have for getting into this work?
13. For you, what part of the job is most satisfying? Most challenging?
14. What personal qualities or abilities are important for doing well in this kind of work?
15. Is there any danger to my health or physical safety?

Answer 1

A LOT of those depend entirely on where you end up. Not necessarily your job title.



One of my very good friends was my platoon medic. That man was an excellent soldier, one of very very few that I trust with my life. He has a LOT of personal demons from his experiences as a Combat Medic. He sees the men that he lost around him all the time. To the point where he has conversations with them.. His PTSD is as bad as I have ever seen. Just something to think about.



On the other side, you could end up in a hospital or aid station checking for STDs and giving flu shots.

Answer 2

All the career fields you listed ( Army Medics, Corpsmen, and PJs ) are all completely different things. PJs are not combat medics, although they are trained intensely in combat medicine their main purpose are personal recovery specialists. If you did research on those three fields and labeled it down to one position, then your question would get answered.

Answer 3

My brother was an army med tech. He hated it. I'll try and answer your questions by relating what my brother told me.

1. typical day: you do what they tell you to do. Mostly non medical related duties. If they hand you a broom you sweep. A shovel, you dig. etc.

2. You'd work with people and things, like any job

3. Travel, yep. Right now especially, still have troops in afghanistan. If we are still at war, expect to go there. Otherwise, military moves personnel around often. That part I liked, my brother didn't like.

4. A lot of military life is hurry up and wait. Meaning, they tell you to hurry up and get there, and when you are there at lightning speed, you sit and wait. Really boring.

5. My brother didn't like anything about being a medical tech. He told me he wasn't allowed to do hardly any medical work. The quoted "we put bandaids on people fingers".

6. It depressed my brother. Thats why he left the army after only one term of service.

7. I don't know how long the army med techs trained. But in the Air Force if I remember correctly it was almost a year.

8. I don't know

9. My brother just chose it. When I was in the Air Force, my recruiter tried to talk me into the medical field, but it didn't interest me. However, I think the air force med techs do a lot more than put bandaids on fingers. I see them working in hospitals doing actual medical work! So you may consider the Air Force rather than the Army if you want the real deal.

10. Supposedly, you assist doctors, nurses in patient care. In war, you would help stabilize wounds until doctors can see the patient, i.e. apply splints, stop bleeding, help carry patients for transport, etc.

11. Stress depends on the situation. In battle, high stress. In peace time, depends on who you work for. A bad supervisor can take all the fun out of a job.

12. If its your passion, do it. Its not difficult to become a medical technician. However, you may wish to specialize in something, rather than a generalized med tech. Such as, Xray tech, physical or occupational therapist. Mental tech. There are tons of jobs specialists that would probably be more in demand when you leave the military.

13. My brother hated all aspects of the job. When he left the military he did not continue in the medical industry. He said there was nothing challenging in army medical tech. He was bored and told me the army offers you training, but they don't guarantee thats what you will do. So beware.

14. Just the desire to do it. Be prepared to work long hours with little rest. Be prepared to live in a tent. Be prepared to wear hot chemical warfare gear. Be prepared to do things other than medical duties. In other words, be patient. But no special prerequisites are required. What you might consider is 2 years of nursing training prior to enlisting in the army. The army has programs to help pay for further nursing school, and you could leave the military later, if you chose, as a Registered Nurse.

15. Yes. The military is not for the meek. Once you swear in, you are pledging your life in defense of your country. If you are needed on the battle field, thats where you'll go. If you are ordered to pick up a rifle and fight, thats what you'll have to do. There is no "no", in the military.