Where’s Doc now? The Post-Navy Journey to Success for Independent Duty Corpsmen​

By Jose Alonso, Lucy Siwko, Gabrielle Messmer

How do you translate 20+ years of military medical practice when there is no transferable civilian equivalent? To answer this question, a team at Ancilla Technologies and Services sat down with three retired Independent Duty Corpsmen (IDCs) to explore their experiences in the Navy and after leaving active service.  

IDCs are often viewed as the United States Navy’s medic equivalent, operating as Navy Medicine’s “Swiss Army Knives” due to their employability as independent healthcare providers across all domains. Unlike the other services’ enlisted medics, however, IDCs serve as independent providers with the ability to order studies, diagnose, treat, and prescribe independently of a physician. These physician extenders were created out of the necessity to have medical care coverage across every naval platform and unit, a task that would be impossible to achieve using physicians alone. IDCs serve as the Senior Medical Department Representatives on submarines, cruisers, destroyers, Mine Countermeasure Ships, and Littoral Combat Ships. 

Before becoming IDCs, selected personnel undergo fast-paced and rigorous medical training to prepare them for service as either complements-to or the sole medical department representatives for various platforms across the Department of the Navy: including the U.S. Marine Corps, Naval Surface Warfare, Submarines, Recon, Expeditionary, Fleet Marine Force, and Dive operations.  

The title “Doc” does not stem from doctoral-level degrees but rather is a title of trust that has been earned throughout history by IDCs, and corpsman alike, answering their comrades’ cry of “Doc!” on the high seas and on the battlefield. Despite the sterling reputation of IDCs within the Navy medical community, their specialized expertise, skills, and professional training are often under-appreciated in the post-military service job market. 

IDCs in Training and at Sea 

IDCs serve as medical personnel, fierce protectors, attentive listeners, and loyal supporters. To many sailors, IDCs are lifelines, their work finished only when every individual entrusted to their care returns home safely. 

Master Chiefs Vincent Chustz (Submarine), Jose Alonso (Surface), and Nathan Marsh (Surface) all agreed that serving as an IDC requires both confidence and humility, describing the role as one of the most rewarding in the Navy.  

Jose Alonso noted, “As Doc, you are on call 24/7. You will see patients at any hour, whether on your ship, in a remote environment, in a hotel room, or escorting them to an overseas hospital. Being called ‘Doc’ means being a steadfast figure, loyal to your crew.” 

The sacrifices, according to Alonso, are worth it, partly for the camaraderie that exists: “We stand on the shoulders of giants.” He attributed his success to the mentors who supported him and emphasized the importance of giving back by mentoring others in turn. “You try to look back, carry others with you, and pay it forward,” he said, noting the legacy of support within the IDC community. 

Alonso offered valuable advice to aspiring surface IDCs navigating the intense 13-month curriculum: “Be humble, ask for help, talk to the instructors, focus.” He remarked that IDC school is not like the beach volleyball scene in Top Gun. Training occurs at naval bases in Connecticut, California, or North Carolina where there is little time for leisure activities. Instead, Alonso stressed, “The rewards are there; you just have to put in the work and go get them.” 

Vincent Chustz echoed Alonso’s sentiment, stating that confidence is essential for aspiring IDCs. He credited the tightness of the IDC community, reminiscing, “with the support system behind me, I knew I could do it.” 

During Chustz’s time as an IDC, he developed a prioritization model to manage the pressures of the job, categorizing tasks into three groups: “What could get me fired, what could get me in trouble, and what I need to do but no one will beat me up over.” When lives are on the line, clarity as to which tasks are essential can often be the critical line between success and failure. 

One such task sacred to IDCs is simply providing a space to talk, despite it not being specifically coded in Navy instruction. Sailors can feel isolated while deployed, spending months away from family and friends, leaving sick call as the designated space to unwind and relieve some of the pressure that builds up on the job. 

 Chustz shared stories of how he looked out for his crew, listened, and provided support in impactful ways. In the 1990’s, a hospital corpsman approached Chustz and admitted he was contemplating throwing in the towel because of the discrimination he was facing as one of the few people of color in the field. Chustz asked if he could meet him for dinner and there, he said something life altering: “if you quit, they win.” 

After speaking with Chustz, the corpsman didn’t quit. He went on to become sailor of the year and received a medical M, a unit-level award for medical department excellence. Years later, Chustz heard him tell the story from a podium as he was giving a speech. 

At the end of the interview, Chustz summed up his career: “It was the hardest job I did in 30 years and the only one I’d go back to today.” 

Nathan Marsh also highlighted the mental aspect of the role. While IDCs may not deal with severe medical conditions daily, they consistently handle sick call, an invaluable asset to the wellbeing of the crew. “The crew relies on you for that. It’s your time to sit down with them and make them feel better,” Marsh explained. 

What made the job most rewarding for Marsh was the successful treatment of crew members, whether through physical care or by simply lifting their spirits. He noted, “You knew what needed to be done, and you used your tools, knowledge, skills, and abilities to make things better. Sometimes it’s unconventional, but if you succeed, that’s what matters.” 

Bridging the Gap to Post-Service Employment 

Perhaps due to the unconventional nature of their practice and the lack of an analogous position in civilian medicine, most IDCs do not continue working in the medical field after retirement. Their high level of training and qualification while in uniform do not translate into civilian medical certifications or licensure, leaving them without the necessary credentials to be hired in the civilian healthcare industry. 

Many IDCs shift gears and work in government contracting, using their experience to continue impacting Navy Medicine and the IDC community. As Alonso, Chustz, and Marsh noted, the mentorship and spirit of looking out for one another is part of what makes IDC careers rewarding. Yet, for such a fulfilling career and the wealth of experience IDCs hold, why is there such a disconnect to civilian medical careers? 

Alonso pointed to “documentation and civilian equivalent [credentials]” as the main issues. 

A recent study reported that IDCs found the roles of Physician’s Assistant (PA), Nurse practitioner (NP), and Paramedic to be the closest civilian equivalents in terms of career path and experience to their military role. However, when IDCs retire, there is no initiative in place to help them quickly transition into these roles, despite their education and experience. During their careers, IDCs are only certified to provide medical care to active-duty personnel. While they are technically able to provide medical care to others, a physician must be present. IDCs hold no licensure to provide independent medical care to civilians once they leave the military.  

Ironically, the Physician’s Assistant role was largely modeled after Navy IDCs due to their outstanding combat performance during multiple war campaigns, at sea, on submarines, and with their Marines. In 1965, Dr. Eugene Stead Jr., chairman of the Department of Medicine at the Duke University Medical Center, set out to establish a new professional pipeline to address the lack of medical doctors in both the military and civilian sectors. During this time, tried and tested Navy Corpsman were returning from Vietnam, looking for work and finding no clear path to enter the civilian medical field. Out of this atmosphere rose Duke’s “Lifesaver Then… Caregivers Now” initiative, which saw four Navy Corpsman make up the first class of Physician’s Assistants. Duke’s program was a great fit for these veterans because it built on their existing knowledge and experience and allowed them to continue to provide medical care to civilians after leaving military service. Today, IDCs can attend PA school but like any other student, they must start from scratch, throwing their prior military medical experience out the window.  

This is only one example of how vital it is to document the years of experience, and the wide range of highly sought-after skills IDCs possess that clearly translate to integral civilian roles. Alonso noted that IDCs have successfully leveraged their skills in organizations like NASA and Amazon, thriving in senior business roles and entrepreneurship. The typical IDC is well-versed in leadership skills, strategic planning, program management, data analysis and research, training and development, and safety protocols, and is highly experienced in human resources, healthcare, time management, and communication. These skills are honed in the field while interacting with senior leadership, training peers and juniors, planning and leading their own programs, listening attentively to patients, and operating under rigid safety and sanitary requirements, all while under strict time constraints. 

The skills are there. What is lacking is adequate documentation of experience gained by IDCs in military service, credentials that translate to the civilian medical world, and the initiative to help bridge the gap. 

In 2019, this lack of uniform IDC documentation prompted the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) IDC program management office to develop the IDC Reporting System (IDCRS). The system, comprised of a web database, documents each IDC’s training, certifications, and patient care quality assurance. Alonso and his IDC program management team at BUMED initiated IDCRS, leading it to become an enterprise-wide requirement for all IDCs in May 2024.  

IDCRS was designed to function like the Centralized Credentials Quality Assurance System used by Department of Defense healthcare providers. Alonso believes IDCRS will clarify civilian opportunities for IDCs by ensuring transparency and accurate record-keeping. Before its implementation by BUMED Notice 6400, records were often stored in physical files that could be lost or destroyed upon retirement. “I believe IDCRS will open doors for IDCs to earn civilian equivalent licensure in roles like physician assistants,” Alonso concluded. 

IDCRS could play a major role in establishing a bridge program with a credentialed post-secondary school. This program would facilitate IDCs participating in off-duty education to attain civilian licensure as PAs or NPs. This initiative represents a win-win scenario for both military and civilian sectors. Experienced healthcare professionals are in high demand with ever-increasing gaps and shortages, and IDCs possess the experience, maturity, and drive to continue their practice by transitioning to equivalent civilian roles.  

Alonso explained that “the idea would be to find a partner institution that could evaluate the IDC schoolhouse curriculums, evaluate how the IDC program is conducted under physician supervision, evaluate IDCRS to assess experience and gaps, and create a bridge program that affords IDCs a fast-track path to PA or NP licensure. An individual IDC would then be able to complete the due-out classes and clinicals identified by the school, during their shore duty tour, via off-duty education, potentially using the already-in-place tuition assistance.”  

Alonso added, “I wonder, if Duke University were [sic.] aware of the aforementioned, if they would be willing to yet again be a pioneer in a PA initiative to close the gap on healthcare provider shortages by creating a bridge to capitalize on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of these unique IDCs?”  

With access to the records provided by the IDCRS, partner schools could efficiently receive reports on each IDC’s record, quickly determine gap areas, and provide information for the fulfillment of requirements. Common gap areas for IDCs include pediatrics, geriatrics, and women’s health, all of which could be addressed in a matter of months through coursework and corresponding clinicals. This partnership would have the potential to transition IDCs into civilian PA or NP roles immediately after retirement, leaving a profound impact on both the civilian healthcare sphere and on retiring IDCs who want to continue the medical practice to which they have already committed decades.  

While the journey from IDC to civilian employment poses challenges today, initiatives like the IDCRS and the potential solutions they bring through PA or NP school partnerships pave the way for smooth transitions in the future. A mutually beneficial solution like the IDCRS in conjunction with medical partner programs would expand career possibilities for IDCs post-retirement and allow them to continue to impact lives long after they leave the military.  

Mr. Alonso retired from the Navy in March 2024 after a 20 plus year career, where he had the privilege of serving as a Navy Independent Duty Corpsman and advancing to Hospital Corpsman Master Chief Petty Officer. His capstone assignment was as the Independent Duty Corpsman Program Manager for the Navy at the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED). Upon transitioning from service, Mr. Alonso continues to support the headquarters of Navy Medicine and the Independent Duty Corpsman program as a Senior Consultant and government contractor with Ancilla Technologies & Services, Inc. 

Ms. Siwko recently joined the app development team at Ancilla Technologies & Services, Inc. in support of Navy Medicine across several lines of effort. While supporting the development of Military Sealift Command’s Force Medical app designed for the U.S. Navy’s Hospital Ships, she experienced firsthand the dedication and sacrifice that so many Navy Medicine personnel give without a second thought.  

 Ms. Messmer works in the app development team for Ancilla Technologies and services. She specifically works with the Military Sealift Command force medical app for the hospital ships, the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy. Talking to former independent duty corpsmen gave her an insight into the numerous obstacles that they face, but also the dedication and experience they possess.  

The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.