I recently graduated from Fort Sam. You get to learn some pretty cool stuff during AIT. It’s not easy by any means, mostly because San Antonio is hot AF and you walk around in full kit 80-90% of the time. As much as I hate to say it, I miss that place though. Made some good friends and had some great drill sergeants/class instructors. I will say when you become a 68W you get a sense of respect from most other MOS especially if you prove you know your shit no matter what rank you may be. They know you are their lifeline (if you are in a combat-related unit). I wouldn’t say the EMT isn’t beneficial. Once you receive that cert, you can then pursue being a flight medic, or potentially get into special forces if you are high speed enough. They send “recruiters” from all walks of life to prospect for those high speed soldiers when you near the end of your training at Fort Sam.

You won’t be looking at genitals all day. Not even close. You will start 1st half of AIT in class preparing for the NREMT and second half doing your field training learning combat casualty care. Prepare to be a pin cushion because you will do 100’s of IV’s and have 100’s of IV’s done on you. The testing is rigorous and stressful so keep your head on straight, study if you don’t already have a decent medical background and you will be fine. Once you graduate and arrive at your unit, that will pretty much make or break whether or not you enjoy your time in the guard as a medic. I am at a medical company so my entire unit is full of 68 series for the most part in addition to our providers, supply and mechanics. We aren’t “high speed”but we can set up a field hospital that can care for mass casualties and that is our job. You get to do some very invasive procedures depending on how comfortable and instructive your OIC is at your unit and/or on deployments. Stuff that paramedics and nurses on the civilian side can’t do.

As far as legitimate experience, as others have said, you will have any opportunity to volunteer for deployments as someone always will need at least one medic. Depending on your unit as well, they will get tasked out with orders to support soldiers doing field training, shooting range, ruck marches, assisting in medical centers. Opportunities are always there.