June Gower recently discussed potential civilian jobs for combat medics after the army.
Returning to civilian life is not easy for all veterans. Dr. June Gower is a veteran who spent 20 years serving in the U.S. Army and Air Force. She is a former Executive Nurse who was deployed, receiving numerous military awards. Dr. Gower recently discussed potential civilian jobs for individuals who performed military jobs similar to hers.
“Finding a job after the military isn’t always easy, and it can be even harder to find one you love,” Dr. June Gower said. “Many professionals in healthcare don’t know all the job opportunities available to them. My goal is to help those leaving the armed services to find work without the trial and error I underwent.”
Government Healthcare Opportunities
An advantage of serving as healthcare professionals in the military is that the federal government often hires prior service personnel into civilian classifications. From medic to Nurse to Executive can typically work at the Veterans Administration, Department of Defense, and other government organizations with little to no additional training. There are several employers who prefer to hire someone with a prior service record. When additional training or completion of a degree is required most Universities and trade schools will work directly with the VA student department to defer the expense of education.
The Health.mil website is a centralized job board offered by the government. Opportunities available at Health.mil and USAJobs.com include occupational medicine, medical support assistant, supervisory physician assistant, nurse, and more.
Intermediate Care Technicians (ICT)
The Department of Veterans Affairs hires individuals as Intermediate Care Technicians at VA medical centers. Individuals in this role will need to offer paramedic-level care and technician-level treatment and diagnosis.
Medical Support Assistant (MSA)
Medical Support Assistant is another VA position. The VA prefers former medical troops for this position because veterans can comfort one another. Navigating the VA healthcare system can be difficult, and the job of a Medical Support Assistant is to help.
Nurses
There is an endless list of LPN and RN jobs working directly with patient care in federal, state, and public health. In addition to the abundance of opportunities for the degreed Nurse to advance in practice and leadership. Most of these skills are readily transferable upon separation from the Armed Services.
Dr. June Gower’s Post-Military Success
Dr. June Gower is a real-life example of the job opportunities available to prior service personnel in the Healthcare arena. After retirement from the military, Dr. Gower has held numerous positions like Senior Director for an International Medical Center, Chief Nurse, Chief of Operations, Executive Consultant, and Executive Director. Dr. Gower now holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy & Administration in Health Services where she has utilized her years of military service and civilian experience to help transform the U.S. healthcare system.