Surgical Technologist with follow on to NEC 8486

[USN HM 350Z]

I am currently attending school at NSHS Portsmouth for the dual NEC of 8483 and 8486. If anyone is interested in getting some first hand information on the course feel free to ask. I am also more than willing to make copies of the LTG's and my notes for anyone that will be attending the Surgical Technologist portion of the school.



Peace,

HM2 Young

[Da-Chief]

Hey HM!
Can you post a bit of what it is like? I have students at "A" school who are asking all the time. Do you know where your follow on orders are sending you? Have you already been through FMSS? My students who go to Surgical Tech "C-School" have follow on FMSS, or go prior to your school.
Any and all info is appreciated.. (I.e schedule, tests, PT, Liberty Policies.. Anything..)
Thanks!
Da-Chief

[USN HM 350Z]

The school is nothing like "A" school. It is very fast paced. We average 1 test per day covering 2 or 3 topics per test. The didactic portion of the class is almost 3 months long during that time you cover Physics, sterilization, lab, instruments, Anatomy and Physiology and much, much more. This is also where you work in small groups going through the practical labs side of things doing hands on work within a practice lab.

The second half of the course is the clinical rotation where you will actually "scrub cases over at the Naval Medical Center. If you are lucky enough to go to Portsmouth for the school you will also be able to scrub cases at 2 civilian Hospitals as well. During this time you will also be tested every friday.

PT is 5 days a week as per the Commanding Officer. We muster at 0630 and it consists of 30 minutes of upper and lower body exercise followed by 30 minutes of running. Everyone in the Command does this from the CO down to the PSI's. You must be within body fat standards upon checking into the school house. If you are not with in standards you made available for orders.

Liberty is after 1615 everyday and on the weekends. E-3 and below stand Fireand security watch in the BEQ and E-4 and above stand MOD watch in the school house.

When it comes time to select orders the selection process goes by spouse co-location, rank and the by grade point average. So the E-5's compete against each other for orders with thier GPA's and the E-4's do the same, and then all E-3 and below's compete.

I attended FMSS back in 1997 at Camp Lejeune so I really cannot comment to much on what happens there now or how things have changed. I know that ALL the pipeliners have gone through previous to their arrival to NSHS Portsmouth.

As for my follow on orders I will be following on to 8486 School (Urology) which is here also. I am also a Spouse Co-location so my orders after that are still up in the air. My wife is an HM3 with 2nd FSSG at Camp Lejeune and she will be allowed to transfer to whatever duty station I select. Thatis what her detailer told us (fingers crossed that he holds true to that).

HMC, if any of your students would like copies of the information for the class have them e-mail me and I will try and get the stuff scanned (after I buy a scanner) and loaded onto CD rom and then I can just mail it out. That way if they are motivated they should have a leg up on the class once they get to the school.

Peace,

HM2 Young

[USNSCOMFORT0000]

HM2,

HN(SW) COHAN here. My girlfriend who is also a corpsman just got word that she is going to surg tech school. I am trying to go 8401 as soon as my detailer gets back to me. Can u help me out with any info that i can pass on to my girl, HN McGriff? thanks man

HN(SW) COHAN

USNS COMFORT

[USN HM 350Z]

What info would she like? I can burn a copy off all the LTG's from the class for her.

Peace,

HM2 Young

PS: I was attached to the USNS Mercy T-AH19 previously.

[USNSCOMFORT0000]

Yeah the LTG's would be great HM2...I will send some money your way if need be for postage or whatever......do u know anything about 8401 or know anyone who does cuz my detailer aint tellin me jack...

HN(SW) Cohan

[crazycajun]

HN(SW) Cohan,

As far as 8401, what I do know from being stationed down in P'cola a while ago, is that these guys PT like crazy and like to play in the water. Though, I do know that there's still talk of a possible merging with the AVT 8406 NEC and this could be part the reason.

What exactly would you like to know? I'll see if the ones I know are still at II MEF and maybe able to get you answers.

Semper Fi,

crazycajun

[USN HM 350Z]

I don't need any money. I will try and burn a copy of them next weekend.Hit me up with an e-mail with your address to send itthough.

As for the 8401 I don't know much, but like crazycajun said be ready for that PT and the water I know that much.


Peace,

HM2 Young

[USNSCOMFORT0000]

Hey whatever info u can get me would be great. I think I have to go to AirCrew school and then 8401. Can you tell me how long the training is and what is involved before I get myself into jumping out of helos. i wouldnt mind doing that though sounds like fun and i get to be a corpsman....being on the comfort i dont do anything but clean toilets and move stuff around cuz we dont have patients unless we deploy which never happens. thanks

HN(SW) Cohan

[Hart]

I am currently in DEP in Boston, MA. I ship 20060517 w/ the rate HM. I have been working intwo of Boston'slevel1 trauma centers for a few years and am very interested in working with the marines. I was wondering what the sequence of schooling would be? A-school, FMSS, C-school?

[USN HM 350Z]

Hart wrote: I am currently in DEP in Boston, MA. I ship 20060517 w/ the rate HM. I have been working intwo of Boston'slevel1 trauma centers for a few years and am very interested in working with the marines. I was wondering what the sequence of schooling would be? A-school, FMSS, C-school?

I would recommend you go with the standard 8404/0000 for starters. That is just go to "A" school then while you are there request to go with the Marines. There will be no problems getting those orders. You will be sent to FMSS upon grad from Hospital Corps. "A" school. Once you have been on board with the Marines for 18 months you can start looking into the possiblity of some sort of "C" school and submit a package. This allows you to test the waters and see what is out there without commiting to something right out of "A" school which I see a lot of people doing.

I always think it is better to find out what it is like to be a General Duty Corpsman first, then specialize. Just my opinion though.

Peace,

HM2 Young

[crazycajun]

HN Cohan,

I was informed by a buddy of mine for you to go to http://www.sarcorpsman.com HM2(AC) Munn told me that there are people there that will answer your questions that you have. Hope this helps!

Still attempting to get him here!

Semper Fi,

crazycajun

[Hart]

Thanks for the thoughts. My only concern is that I have worked in healthcare for alittle over 7 years in several specialties and I'm afraid I may get bored with general duty. Could you give me some examples of what general duty jobs would be like? I'm always looking to learn new things. I really apperciate your reponse, thanks again.

[USN HM 350Z]

Hart wrote: Thanks for the thoughts. My only concern is that I have worked in healthcare for alittle over 7 years in several specialties and I'm afraid I may get bored with general duty. Could you give me some examples of what general duty jobs would be like? I'm always looking to learn new things. I really apperciate your reponse, thanks again.




General Duty will cover the whole spectrum of things to do. You will patrol with the Marines, conduct sick call, you are the DOC. Once you commit to a "C" school that is it. You speak of becoming bored, a "C" school is a specialist you concentrate on one specific thing and that is it(X-ray, Lab, Surgical tech, pharmacy, etc). The most fun and experience you will have will be as an 8404/0000 (in my opinion). This allows you the time to look at the different "C" school options and decide if one is right for you. Many HM's go their entire career as 8404/0000's and never pick a "C" school because they find it restricts their scope of practice. You have a lot of freedom to do things as a general duty Corpsman with the Marines and it is an excellent learning experience. If you only plan on doing you 5 and getting out, that may not be for you though and a "C" school might be what you would want to do, but you are going to be limited to your choices coming out of "A" school to the "needs of the Navy" not what you want. So you have to keep that in mind.

Peace,

HM2 Young

[Hart]

Sounds good. Does that allow me to request being stationed abroad if there is a need?

[USN HM 350Z]

Hart wrote: Sounds good. Does that allow me to request being stationed abroad if there is a need?
You do everything they do. When they deploy, you deploy.Anywhere there are Marines there are Corpsman.

[USN HM 350Z]

HN(SW) COHAN,

New plan, I actually found all the Student Training Guides on my computer at school. I will try and download them to a CD rom and mail that to you.

Peace,

HM2 Young

[USN HM 350Z]

HN(SW) COHAN,

I have the LTG's burned to a CD Rom now and will be mailing it off to you this weekend.

Peace,

HM2 Young