Set yourself on a path to post-military success with VA’s intermediate care technician (ICT) program.

Kristina Snell, national ICT program manager, recently joined our weekly “Talk About It Tuesday” broadcast on LinkedIn to discuss the program she has helped guide from pilot phase to a national success.

“Our intermediate care technicians have a wealth of military backgrounds, experience and training,” Snell said. “They are an amazing go-between with all of these skills that they get to bring to the table.”

There are plenty of opportunities for former combat medics, medical technicians and corpsmen to work as allied health professionals in:

  • Emergency medicine.
  • Critical care.
  • Geriatric care.
  • Primary care.
  • Specialty surgery.
  • Mobile medical care.

As what Snell calls a “jack of all trades,” you’ll augment the work of licensed clinical staff and be a key player in helping us provide high quality health care to other Veterans.

A new career path

The ICT program is a perfect bridge from a military career to a post-military health care career, a sometimes difficult transition for former military with medical training but no professional license.

Once you’re hired at VA, you’ll be encouraged to explore where the job can take you – from licensed clinical care to administration to research.

“We really like our ICTs – during their training time – to not only feel out the role but feel out where the role can go, and feel out where they can go in VA,” Snell said.

Pilot training programs and scholarship opportunities are available to help you get to where you want to go.

“VA is one of the… best kept secrets. The organization has so much to offer employees, especially Veteran employees,” Snell said.

‘An amazing ride’

Snell, a former air evacuation flight medic, was one of the first 45 people hired through the ICT program.

“I moved my whole family from California to Cleveland, Ohio, for one of these positions and I do not regret it at all. It’s been an amazing ride,” she said.

Today, there are more than 300 ICTs working throughout VA, and we’re seeking to hire 100 more at 30 medical centers around the country.

Snell’s rise from a newly hired ICT or program manager is a perfect example of the kind of employee-led innovation that VA encourages.

“It doesn’t matter what credentials are behind your name or that there’s none,” Snell said. “Anyone is an innovator in VA.”

Join us for our next LinkedIn Live broadcast

VA Careers goes live every Tuesday at noon ET on LinkedIn for “Talk About It Tuesday,” where we answer your most pressing questions about working at VA and how to land a VA job.

Once a month, host Mike Owens is joined by a VA staffer for a live Q&A session. Previous topics have included remote job opportunities, improvements to the job application process and career opportunities for Veterans.

Work at VA

If you’re a former military combat medics, medical technicians or corpsmen looking to take your next step after the military, look no further than VA. Our ICT program will help you on your way to a fulfilling post-military career.

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One Comment

  1. SW February 19, 2021 at 16:34

    B.S. The va discriminates against older people who apply for work there and hire less qualified younger people to fill positions over more qualified older veterans, especially if their mommy or daddy works for the va. The guy in the piv office at my va hire a RETAIL CLERK instead of me and I had State Police background because she was younger. Maybe, she hiked her skirt up for him. The personnel person needs to be fired too, she still has NOT sent me a letter telling me I wasn’t hired. The guy from the piv office pulled me aside in the cafeteria two days after the interviews and told me he hired the store clerk. NOT PROFESSIONAL!!!!!!! He should have been fired!!!!! So quit lying about how great the va is to work for.

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