Does a DD-214 substitute for any civilian credential on a healthcare resume?

No. The DD-214 proves service and separation status -- it is a personnel document, not a clinical credential. What it enables is the NREMT Military Challenge pathway, which accepts documented military training hours toward examination eligibility. The resume lists the civilian credential (NREMT, CRT, etc.) once earned, with the military training pathway acknowledged in the education or training section.

Should I list my deployment locations on a healthcare resume?

Generally no, unless the location speaks to a specific clinical context relevant to the role. Deployed to Eastern Europe, 2019-2020 is context. MEDEVAC coordinator during high-intensity operations is the clinical evidence -- lead with that. Location detail belongs in a cover letter if at all.

How do I address the supervision gap -- that I practiced independently in the military but civilian credentialing requires supervised practice hours?

Directly, in the cover letter or interview. Frame it: my military training included independent decision-making under austere conditions. I understand that civilian credentialing requires documented supervised hours, and I am committed to the bridge program requirements. Acknowledge the structure honestly -- panels that hire veterans appreciate the transparency.

Is it worth getting a CNA before completing the NREMT pathway?

Potentially, for immediate income. A CNA credential (typically 4-6 weeks of training) can generate employment and civilian clinical reference letters while NREMT bridge documentation is processed. If the end goal is paramedic or RT, it is not a prerequisite -- but it is a practical bridge for candidates who need income during the transition window.

How do I list Special Forces medical training (18D) without a civilian credential yet?

List the qualification course by its full name: Special Forces Medical Sergeant (18D) Qualification, 57 weeks, Fort Bragg -- and note the scope explicitly: training equivalent to EMT-Paramedic with additional surgical, dental, and austere-medicine components. The 18D course is well-known to military-affiliated healthcare employers and PA program admissions committees. For a civilian ED panel with no military background, the scope description does the translation.

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Military Medic Civilian Resume: 68W to Healthcare

June 12, 2026 · By The Pharm Editorial

The gap between a 68W medic's actual competency and what civilian hiring panels immediately recognize is a translation problem, not a skills problem. An Army 68W who ran a BAS in a forward operating environment has clinical breadth that exceeds many civilian emergency technicians -- but a resume that says performed sick call and MEDEVAC support reads thin without the civilian vocabulary layered in. The translation work is systematic and learnable.

What civilian healthcare roles are realistic for a military medic?

The most direct civilian pathways depend on the branch, MOS/AFSC, and whether credentialing bridge programs have been completed. Realistic first-year targets:

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) / Paramedic: Army 68W and Navy HM are the strongest direct-credential bridges. National Registry (NREMT) offers a military-specific examination pathway for candidates who can document military medical training hours.
Respiratory Therapist (RT): Air Force 4N0X1 IDMT candidates with ICU-rotation documentation have entered RT bridge programs at community colleges. The CRT and RRT credentials (from NBRC) are the civilian landing zone.
Surgical Technologist: 68W candidates with OR-rotation documentation have used the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) bridge pathway.
Medical Assistant / Clinical MA: The lowest barrier to immediate employment. NCCT or NHA credentials validate clinical skills for office-based practice.
Emergency Department Technician / ED Tech: Often a non-credentialed role at entry level; military medic backgrounds are frequently preferred.

Military designation	Branch	Closest civilian credential	Credentialing body
68W Combat Medic	Army	EMT-B / AEMT / Paramedic	NREMT
HM Hospital Corpsman	Navy	EMT-B / LPN bridge	NREMT / state BON
4N0X1 Aerospace Medical	Air Force (IDMT)	EMT / RT bridge	NREMT / NBRC
SARC (18D) Special Forces Medic	Army	Paramedic / PA bridge	NREMT / NCCPA
Navy Independent Duty Corpsman (IDC)	Navy	Paramedic / PA bridge	NREMT / NCCPA

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Military Medic Civilian Resume: 68W to Healthcare

What civilian healthcare roles are realistic for a military medic?

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How do you structure the Education and Training section for a military medic?

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