Medical sailor.

[ukulelesreggae]

Not sure if this is where I'm suppose to be posting, but it seems like the right place for me.

I'm 18, I want to apply for medical sailor... Love medicine, but also love the idea of the Navy.

My knowledge is, after your first 11weeks at Cerberus, you STAY another 40 weeks at Cerberus. I'm originally from Sydney. I was constantly explained that the idea was, after 11 weeks... you basically have a high possibility to get posted BACK to Sydney, and start from there... traveling overseas, studying your medic course etc.... Someone emailed me and told me that you are there for your 11 weeks... then another 40... you get 12 months of being a sailor on a ship as a medic, than back for another 14 weeks??... I don't exactly want to join the Navy... to stay 51 weeks in Cerberus to complete a medic degree....

I would go to uni if I wanted that.... So what is the deal with being a medical sailor?? I'm joining regardless... if that is the case with a medical sailor.... I'll apply for something else, did my yousession, and got endless amount of jobs... I'm not meaning too come off as a jerk, nor do I want people abusing me.... But when I bring this question up to the recruitment center I get a constant response of "this is a full-time job... once you join the Navy, you have to be willing to have no social life, and lose close relationships with friends and family, and focus on nothing else... but work" ... my uncle served 8 years, I have 8 friends in the military... they ALL love it... it's either being a medic isn't exactly the navy type experience I wanted.... or the recruitment people just don't like me

thanks.
Matt

 

[ukulelesreggae]

I thought this was an aussie forum... apparently not.

 

[Todjaeger]

I thought this was an aussie forum... apparently not.

No, this is an international defence forum. With that caveat though, there is a large and active contingent from Oz so this potentially could still be a good place to ask such questions.

Now, I myself have some questions as to what you mean by a "medical" sailor? At least in the US, medical care is provided by four types of personnel. Pre-hospital care is provided by medics, paramedics and EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians). Hospital care is provided by doctors, nurses, technicians and assistants. Out of hospital care is provided by doctors, nurses and assistants. This general breakdown is applicable to both the civilian and military medical establishment.

Now the Australian medical community is setup somewhat differently from that in the US, and the educational system is also configured differently, I would imagine that there are similarities between the two (as far as medical care).

This then raises the question of what sort of medical care do you wish to be responsible for providing? Since you do not seem to want to spend a year in training at Cerebus, I am assuming that you do not wish to become a nurse. A year does not sound long enough to provide a higher level of care than that, since a Doctorate of Medicine degree is normally ~3 years for just the medical portion. This would then leave the role of medic/corpsman as an option.

Now again, I do not know what the arrangement is in Australia, but such a program takes about a month here in the US if one goes full-time. I would imagine that Australia would have something similar. But that would only be applicable if that is what one was interested in.

-Cheers

 

[kato]

Now, I myself have some questions as to what you mean by a "medical" sailor?

It's [a specific job name]. The job is the Navy equivalent to a [Medical Assistant] with virtually the same training. The listed training courses and their lengths are correct. See above linked pdf.

The military version of a Medical Assistant/Medical Sailor course is actually far shorter than the civilian counterpart (in Australia). The civilian version takes about 18 months fulltime. The scope of the job is not comparable to simple US medical assistant courses, which only take 4 to 8 months, but more to an Associate degree in Medical Assisting, which some US universities offer.

 

[sandman]

Sorry to burst your bubble but its better you accept it now.

Regardless of what category you join as, be prepared to spend alot of time at Cerberus from the start. Thats the way it is. And Medics spend more there than most seeeing as how thats where thier initial category course is and also where one of the larger medical centres in the RAN is (providing a great place for SMN Medics to learn and apply thier trade).

But be thankful that you are from Sydney and have a terrific chance of being posted there for the rest (or at least most) of your career. Most of us from elsewhere in the country do not have that luxury.

with regards to what the recruiters told you, well its not ALL work work work. But when you are living on a navy base interstate, working full time, all the new friends around you are Navy, so you spend all your off time with other sailors and you live in each others back pockets, then it certainly can seem to consume alot of your life. And some of the weaker relationships you have in your hometown may not last.

Its a big commitment, but I'm glad I made it because I love my job, the oppurtunities that its given me and the people I now surround myself with.

 

[CopterNadle]

Not sure if this is where I'm suppose to be posting, but it seems like the right place for me.

I'm 18, I want to apply for medical sailor... Love medicine, but also love the idea of the Navy.

My knowledge is, after your first 11weeks at Cerberus, you STAY another 40 weeks at Cerberus. I'm originally from Sydney. I was constantly explained that the idea was, after 11 weeks... you basically have a high possibility to get posted BACK to Sydney, and start from there... traveling overseas, studying your medic course etc.... Someone emailed me and told me that you are there for your 11 weeks... then another 40... you get 12 months of being a sailor on a ship as a medic, than back for another 14 weeks??... I don't exactly want to join the Navy... to stay 51 weeks in Cerberus to complete a medic degree....

I would go to uni if I wanted that.... So what is the deal with being a medical sailor?? I'm joining regardless... if that is the case with a medical sailor.... I'll apply for something else, did my yousession, and got endless amount of jobs... I'm not meaning too come off as a jerk, nor do I want people abusing me.... But when I bring this question up to the recruitment center I get a constant response of "this is a full-time job... once you join the Navy, you have to be willing to have no social life, and lose close relationships with friends and family, and focus on nothing else... but work" ... my uncle served 8 years, I have 8 friends in the military... they ALL love it... it's either being a medic isn't exactly the navy type experience I wanted.... or the recruitment people just don't like me

thanks.
Matt

i am sure someone here would help you with it
goodluck matt

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-Preceptor