Donaldson-Forty some years ago, author Bill Hunt was a young, newly promoted, US Army Staff Sergeant who returned from a tour in far off Southeast Asia. He signed on the waiting list for an assignment to the, US Army Recruiters School in Indiana. He then applied as a Physician Assistant (P.A.). At one point in time, the lowest thing on the medical food chain was the medical student, commonly known in the world of medical training as, the “Scut Monkey.” That all changed with the introduction of the P.A. student.
The US Army began its first endeavor into the use of Physicians Assistants in 1971. “The Inaugural of the US Army’s P.A.Scut Monkey” (published by AuthorHouse) written by Bill Hunt tell their story. Beginning with the selection of the first 60 (out of 1300 plus applicants) to their sometimes mundane and sometimes pretty hairy experiences. It is told by Hunt, one of the original P.A. Scut Monkeys.
To apply as a P.A., Hunt had to meet certain requirements and take a proctored test at the education center. The tests then went to the Office of the Surgeon General for grading. The candidates with the highest scores go to Ft. Sam Houston for more intense testing and oral boards. From those evaluations, the Surgeon Generals’ Office selected the first class of Warrant Officer Candidates (WOC). Hunt passed the evaluation and has been selected for the first class of Physicians’ Assistants.
Today, Army physician assistants serve as their unit’s primary health care provider and responsible for everything from prescribing medications to teaching military medics. “The Inaugural of the US Army’s P.A.Scut Monkey”reflects on the critical role the P.A. has played in recent years. Army physicians have come to rely on them more to assist with their ever-increasing patient loads and healthcare responsibilities.
Bill Hunt will be on the “What’s Your Opinion Show” October 28th at 9:45 a.m.
