Physician Assistant

Be a Physician Assistant (PA) in the Virginia Army National Guard and fulfill a higher calling in the medical field – caring for the men and women of the United States military. As a commissioned officer in the Army Medical Corps, you will be a respected, invaluable member of the National Guard team, caring for the sick and injured during peacetime while preparing to provide health support for the Army in times of war. In this position, you will train part-time to be ready full-time, should your state or nation call you to serve. The Army National Guard is based in communities in every State, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. When you join the Guard, you’ll do your monthly training close to home so you’ll be ready to serve wherever your skills are needed.
The Army Medical Specialist Corps is composed exclusively of commissioned officers who have specialized degrees from accredited higher educational institutions and licenses to practice in their respective medical specialties. PAs in the Army Medical Specialist Corps are critical to the United States’ military force, maintaining the health of the Army and conserving its fighting strength. Unlike other Guard members, these special officers do not participate in typical combat training or activities including basic training. They are commissioned to do what they have already been trained to do – provide high quality medical care.

Professional Duties

Physician Assistants in the National Guard provide medical care to patients at each echelon of the health service support system. They prescribe courses of treatment and medication when required and consistent with their capabilities and credentials. They interpret information in health records for application to current conditions and make entries into the health record as primary care providers. In the absence of a physician, Physician Assistants are the primary source of advice to determine the medical necessity, priority, and requirements for patient evacuation, and initial emergency care and stabilization.

Benefits

•$10,000 Per Year Bonus
•A Monthly Paycheck
•Healthcare Professionals Loan Repayment Program – Up to $50,000 for existing medical school loans
•Retirement Benefits for Part-time Service
•401-K-type Savings Plan
•Low-cost Life Insurance (Up to $400,000 in coverage)
REQUIREMENTS
•Must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or University acceptable to the Department of the Army
•Must be a gradate of a Physician Assistant program at an accredited institution
•Must be certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
•Must be 42 years old or younger (50 years old or younger with 10+ years of prior military service)
•Must be a U.S. Citizen
•Must be able to pass a physical exam and meet legal and moral standards