Would it be possible for a medical officer to join the Special Forces?
Dread
LE
How special do you want to be?
There are airborne and commando trained medics.
If you really want to go further then selection for the SAS is open to everyone (it used to be after minimum 2 years service, don't know if it has changed). Most medics are happy in a RAMC unit where they get to play with men's balls as they are told to cough, or poke recruits' rusty starfish with their fingers.
There are airborne and commando trained medics.
If you really want to go further then selection for the SAS is open to everyone (it used to be after minimum 2 years service, don't know if it has changed). Most medics are happy in a RAMC unit where they get to play with men's balls as they are told to cough, or poke recruits' rusty starfish with their fingers.
Hi thanks for the reply
In regards to airbone/commando medics are they medical officers?
Also, if I applied for selection for the SAS and got in (very hypothetical) what would my role be?
Appreciate you replying and helping me out
Dread
LE
Wherever the commandos or airborne infantry go, so to do their supporting arms. There are badged medical officers and soldiers who deploy as medics/field hospital/etc.
As for a possible role within the SAS: no idea, and I suspect any answer given would be well out of date by the time you have finished your studies, passed RMAS and served 2 years at regimental duty. I can guess that it wouldn't be as a deployed medic though: they have highly qualified patrol medics within their squadrons and they don't deploy with formed medical units (e.g. a field hospital). I'm guessing that it would be as a 'normal' troop commander... but by the time you get to that stage of having the conversation you'll know far more than me.
As for a possible role within the SAS: no idea, and I suspect any answer given would be well out of date by the time you have finished your studies, passed RMAS and served 2 years at regimental duty. I can guess that it wouldn't be as a deployed medic though: they have highly qualified patrol medics within their squadrons and they don't deploy with formed medical units (e.g. a field hospital). I'm guessing that it would be as a 'normal' troop commander... but by the time you get to that stage of having the conversation you'll know far more than me.
crustyrusty
LE
Yes, you could be attached to the SAS as are REME/RLC/AGC to name 3.
However after MB & ChB/BS, FY1 & 2, RMAS PQO, RAMC training & 2 years as a RMO that = 10 years at least.
You might decide by then to specialize on something else like RCGP/RCS/RCP?
If keen join the UOTC and see how you like it?
If at the end of the MB &ChB/BS training you are still keen then you will have a better understanding of life as a UOTC cadet and will have gained an insight in being an officer & then decide if you wish to be an RAMC Doctor.
By then you will be highly trained, more mature and might have a better understanding of what you want to do.
However after MB & ChB/BS, FY1 & 2, RMAS PQO, RAMC training & 2 years as a RMO that = 10 years at least.
You might decide by then to specialize on something else like RCGP/RCS/RCP?
If keen join the UOTC and see how you like it?
If at the end of the MB &ChB/BS training you are still keen then you will have a better understanding of life as a UOTC cadet and will have gained an insight in being an officer & then decide if you wish to be an RAMC Doctor.
By then you will be highly trained, more mature and might have a better understanding of what you want to do.
@3CB - there are two routes to consider
If you are studying Medicine at Uni, there is an Army Reserve Unit recruited from across the UK which works with Airborne Forces.
16 Medical Regiment
144 PARACHUTE MEDICAL SQUADRON
144 Parachute Medical Squadron is part of 16 Medical Regiment and is the only Reserve Medical Unit with a parachute capability. We provide vital medical and secondary healthcare support to both soldiers and civilians all over the world.
Our qualified medical professionals are trained in both military and medical skills to provide vital medical support to Airborne forces.
As well as trained medical, dental and healthcare professionals, we also have a number of support roles such as chefs, technicians and drivers.
We currently have Detachments in London, Cardiff, Nottingham and Glasgow.
If a cherry berry is all you're willing to settle for, fine.
(ducks...
)If you prefer to attempt the green lid route , and serve with 3 Cdo Bde, then you will need to undertake the All Arms Commando Course.
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/medi...ining/05_03_rm_all_arms_commando.pdf?la=en-gb
My understanding is that the Reserves All-Arms is shorter- you won't be asked to commit to a 13 week effort.
Best person for up to date info on this would probably be @Ninja_Stoker
Suggest you talk to the University Officer Training Unit/URNU (depending where you are headed) for further info on these two options.
This is a long road - good luck.
Last edited:
Jimmy_Green
LE
Tired_Tech
LE
if you're a trained doctor, once you've joined request a shot at 'Black Mamba'.Hi Ive just finished college and will be going to uni for medicine this fall IA
I was just exploring the pathway of becoming a medical officer in the armed forces and therefore was wondering if a medical officer could join the special forces.
Many Thanks
British Special Forces Medics
for cdo role you'd be better joining the navy.
Only the attached army units (arty and engrs) have army medics.
Hi Ive just finished college and will be going to uni for medicine this fall IA
I was just exploring the pathway of becoming a medical officer in the armed forces and therefore was wondering if a medical officer could join the special forces.
Many Thanks
In terms of medical officer, you have basically two pathways, join before qualification (year 3) and then get small salary at university and tied to military for set number of years (used to be 6, not sure now) or qualify as doctor first and then join, (used to be for minimum of 5 years)
After joining you do some training with RAMC on basic stuff before moving onto Sandhurst for a month to complete the PQO (Professional Officers' Course) before back to more courses with RAMC.
Depending upon role you will then be working as an RMO or in a hospital.
There are various units you can be attached to, some of which would class as special forces. However you may also be attached to a medical centre where special forces are, so may be treating them without actually being part of that unit.
In terms of joining special forces, each such unit will have their own RMO, so yes you can serve with them, but in that capacity it will be purely in medical role.
I have, I the past, met a TA dentist, who was SAS rather than RADC.
But the military is usually more interested in using the skillset that you have to the best advantage, therefore a doctor will usually be deployed in a medical role. Plus there can be all sorts of issues around Geneva Convention and technically being a non combatant that limits what RMOs and the likes can do in terms of offense action rather than defence and personal protection
That route has now stopped.
For the OP - I'd suggest you join the OTC, AR or RNR at university and see what happens out of that.
Andy Farman
LE
I admit that I cannot tell you what colour the doors are at Hereford MRS but I am pretty sure they have a doctor there and that there is no requirement for the doctor to do anything other than do doctor stuff and sign a Medicine & Duty chit.Hi Ive just finished college and will be going to uni for medicine this fall IA
I was just exploring the pathway of becoming a medical officer in the armed forces and therefore was wondering if a medical officer could join the special forces.
Many Thanks
Without breaking OpSec, I can neither confirm nor deny that they also may or may not have dentists there do teethy things!
Dread
LE
It is however public knowledge that the dentists at Lympstone and the various permanent homes of the Commando units are all in possession of little black cocktail dresses (frequently worn during working hours), despite all being male, over 6'2", 14 stone, and normally required to shave their lantern jaws twice a day.
Tired_Tech
LE
the nurse at limestone that I had to see covered in sh*t was got as...
QRK2
LE
There have been several medical students and qualified doctors what have been SAS(R) soldiers, though once qualified the powers than be do prefer that they transfer to the RAMC and commission some avoid it. As an example:
SAS doctor Richard Villar wins £800,000 battle against the taxman
SAS doctor Richard Villar wins £800,000 battle against the taxman
Last edited:
I've taken teeth out of paras and commandos.
Does that make me special?
Does that make me special?
D
Deleted 3147
Guest
Hi Ive just finished college and will be going to uni for medicine this fall IA
I was just exploring the pathway of becoming a medical officer in the armed forces and therefore was wondering if a medical officer could join the special forces.
Many Thanks
UKSF Med Group includes GPs and specialists, who then support the wider UKFG group. UKSF operators undergo medical training , some to greater degrees than others, they then operate with the close support of UKSF med group.
There really isn't a need for a medic to undergo full SF training which I what I took from the OP.
Which is true they're not kicking in doors but certainly for SBS the attached medics can and do deploy to forward locations and there are numerous Doctors attached.
Similar threads
