8506 - Medical Lab Tech

[Corpsman_Billy]

Hey everybody. Lately I have been looking into things I might possibly like to do after the Navy [that is, if I don't stay in for 20], and one of my co-worker's has a husband that is a Medical Lab Tech down at the VA and he got that job after he got out as a Corpsman.

So then I thought I might go search for a degree in Medical Technology afterwards, then I realized that I should look up the NEC codes and BOOM! There it was, 8506. So, can someone (probably going to be 8404, lol) tell me how I can get this C School?

The only drawback is, if I got that my odds of ever getting on a CVN are probably slim to none, aren't they?

[8404]

Billy;

'C' schools are not written on your enlistment contract! However, if you do well academically at Corpsman 'A' school, you could be offered a 'C' school at graduation, providing their are openings. There is no guarantee of what or which one will be offered though.

If you are not offered a 'C' school at the end of 'A' school, you can apply for one, such as 8506 at the end of your first tour of duty (2-3 years). You would do this with the assistance of your chain of command and your Command Career Counselor.

Advanced Medical Laboratory Technician School: (http://navmedmpte.med.navy.mil/nshs-ps/schools/index.cfm)
Course Length: 52 weeks.
Contact Hours: 556 Didactic, 404 Lab/Practical, 840 Clinical
Classes Per Year: 2
Class Capacity: 48 students

[dvldocjoe]

Considering the number of HMs that work in the medical department of a CVN, which this also counts those from flight medical units when assigned, it is possible to get assigned to a CVN. Your best bet would be to put a CVN on your dream sheet for detailers and just assigned to the fleet without the "C" school.

Another option is the medical department of the mini carriers (Amphibs) like LHDs or LHAs which become mini hospitals after deploying troops.

Don't forget the hospital ships Comfort and Mercy would have full lab compliments during a cruise.

[Corpsman_Billy]

Billy;

'C' schools are not written on your enlistment contract! However, if you do well academically at Corpsman 'A' school, you could be offered a 'C' school at graduation, providing their are openings. There is no guarantee of what or which one will be offered though.

If you are not offered a 'C' school at the end of 'A' school, you can apply for one, such as 8506 at the end of your first tour of duty (2-3 years). You would do this with the assistance of your chain of command and your Command Career Counselor.

Advanced Medical Laboratory Technician School: (http://navmedmpte.med.navy.mil/nshs-ps/schools/index.cfm)
Course Length: 52 weeks.
Contact Hours: 556 Didactic, 404 Lab/Practical, 840 Clinical
Classes Per Year: 2
Class Capacity: 48 students

No, I completely understand that I won't get it in my contract and that my odds of getting offered it out of Corps School are very slim to none. I was just wondering when I could send a request in once out of corps school and if I need to take/can take any classes towards a degree in it when I am in.

[dvldocjoe]

As previously stated, you can request a "C" school at the end of a first duty station (2-3 years) or try to get the OJT through the means I suggested above. School for college credits would depend on availabilty near your duty station, through the command, or online.

[Corpsman_Billy]

As previously stated, you can request a "C" school at the end of a first duty station (2-3 years) or try to get the OJT through the means I suggested above. School for college credits would depend on availabilty near your duty station, through the command, or online.

Can't you take online classes either through NKO (I'm not really sure all that it does, I can't log in and my recruiter says he e-mailed them asking why I couldn't get an account and told me he never got one back) or through some online college while in my first duty station? I mean, obviously if I get FMF and get deployed I won't be able to but say if I got lucky, and got Bethesda or some hospital then I could, could I not? Heh, there are just so many options.

[8404]

True that;

Attending college has so many options to choose from.

Simply google the college or university of your choice and you will find that most of them offer 'online' courses. The Navy has a tuition reimbursement program and you can work on these courses on your 'own' time.

See your Recruiter about NKO, with regards to 'content' or course availability.

In the Navy, continuing education is encouraged and helps you get advanced in rank quicker.

You can find additional answers at the Navy College Program (https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/) website.

Me thinks something is not right with your statement. The Navy Knowledge Online (https://wwwa.nko.navy.mil/portal/home/) site, clearly depicts a telephone number to call for "New User" support!

Additionally, the NKO site has very clear instructions about 'how' and 'who' can 'access'!

An excerpt:

For use by current members of the DoD community ONLY. If you are a guest user, please complete the Guest User Registration (https://wwwa.nko.navy.mil/gear/profilemanager/html/registerPart1.jsp?guest=true) process.

NKO will not obtain personally identifying information about you when you visit our site unless you choose to provide such information to NKO. However, you must provide such information in order to register for an account on NKO.

To access this web site, you must first be authenticated as an authorized user. The information you submit below is encrypted and sent to a Department of Defense agency database and matched against up-to-date DoD personnel information.

View Further Information (https://wwwa.nko.navy.mil/gear/profilemanager/html/furtherInfo.jsp) for categories of authorized users.

[dvldocjoe]

College will depend on command and aviliability. The naval hospitals such as Bethesda and San Diego regularly use their staff to staff the hospital ships Comfort and Mercy.

You need NOT be with a Marine unit to be deployed and can be deployed WITHOUT the 8404 on these and other ships. Take advantage of this to get the on the job training to decided if you really want that NEC or explore various different jobs is my point in this. Don't limit yourself to one possibility.