{"id":3331,"date":"2026-08-25T20:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=3331"},"modified":"2026-08-25T20:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T20:30:00","slug":"intermediate-care-technicians-continue-to-serve-at-va","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=3331","title":{"rendered":"Intermediate Care Technicians continue to serve at VA\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Through the SCOUTS (Supporting Community, Outpatient, Urgent Care, and Telehealth Services) program,\u00a0Intermediate\u00a0Care\u00a0Technicians (ICTs) at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) help ensure Veteran care never stops, even between appointments. <\/p>\n

Air Force Veteran and ICT Randy Snider knew that he wanted to provide hands-on care to his fellow Veterans, and now as a SCOUTS\u00a0ICT, he can do just that from the comfort of a Veteran\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0ICT Program<\/a>\u00a0provides a\u00a0unique\u00a0opportunity for\u00a0former corpsmen and medics\u00a0to take on healthcare support roles without any\u00a0additional\u00a0licensure.\u202fVA is\u202fhiring ICTs<\/a>\u202fin\u00a0almost every\u00a0clinical setting, from emergency departments and primary care to specialty and\u00a0community clinics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read on to learn more about how Randy Snider builds a \u201cbridge of care\u201d and see if a career as an ICT\u00a0is the right move for you.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n

What enticed\u00a0you\u00a0to join the\u00a0ICT program?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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\u201cIt gave me the ability to\u00a0utilize\u00a0more of my military training and do more clinical work. I was working as a medical support assistant at the\u00a0Michael A. Marzano\u00a0VA\u00a0Outpatient Clinic in Hermitage,\u00a0Pennsylvania, but my role was slowly becoming more administrative. I met a nurse who worked at the community clinic in Youngstown,\u00a0Ohio,\u00a0and she shared that they were\u00a0utilizing\u00a0their ex-military medics in the ICT role. So, when an ICT position\u00a0opened up\u00a0at the\u00a0outpatient\u00a0clinic about six years ago, I applied, and now\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0able to do more of the hands-on patient care that I really enjoy doing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019d\u00a0never heard of the SCOUTS program before! Tell me about it.\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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\u201cSCOUTS is a\u00a0really cool\u00a0program!\u00a0You\u2019ll\u00a0find that, especially in rural areas, there are Veterans who need follow-up\u00a0care but\u00a0have difficulty getting to a VA clinic due to the distance or mobility issues. SCOUTS\u00a0helps\u00a0build a bridge of care. The ICT will\u00a0actually go\u00a0to the Veteran\u2019s home, set up video appointments with care providers, provide hands-on care, and do a home evaluation to see if there are other VA services that might\u00a0benefit\u00a0the patient. Sometimes, it\u2019s the home environment that might lead to an emergency room visit\u2014there are uneven steps that cause a Veteran to fall, for example, so we might help\u00a0coordinate getting the steps\u00a0fixed, or get the Veteran a cane.\u00a0We\u2019ve\u00a0even set up adaptive equipment for a Veteran who is hearing impaired.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What has it been like to work with other Veterans?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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\u201cWe all understand each other. I may not have the same\u00a0background\u00a0as\u00a0some of my\u00a0patients, but we all speak a similar language.\u00a0The Veterans know that\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0take care of whatever they need, and that I understand.\u00a0I often say\u00a0I think I\u00a0have one of the best jobs in the world because I spend all day talking to other\u00a0Veterans.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

How has VA supported your career growth?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0had tons of support and not just with my direct supervisors. I have the freedom to explore different care areas in service of Veterans. One of these areas of expansion is acupuncture to help the Veterans we see at the community clinics manage\u00a0pain. And being a Veteran, I am plugged into the local Veteran community, and I have my\u00a0leadership\u2019s\u00a0support in attending community meetings or joining committees to see how we can partner with other groups in the area. I realize this type of support\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0happen everywhere, so I feel\u00a0pretty lucky.\u00a0I think leadership\u00a0just wants a balance for us employees while making sure our Veterans are getting the best care. And I\u00a0actually see\u00a0that\u2014I\u2019m\u00a0not just saying it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What advice\u00a0would\u00a0you\u00a0give to someone thinking of applying to the ICT program?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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\u201cIf\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0a medic who has the desire to continue to serve and take care of your brothers and sisters, apply for it.\u00a0I\u2019ve been an ICT for over\u00a0five\u00a0years, and it\u2019s been nothing but rewarding.\u00a0VA has given us an amazing avenue to\u00a0utilize\u00a0the skills and education we have.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Continue the mission\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n

If the desire to serve still runs strong, consider a rewarding career at VA.\u00a0We\u2019ve\u00a0got openings across the nation that just might be right for you. Learn more\u00a0at\u00a0VA\u00a0Careers<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Topics in this story<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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intermediate care technician<\/a>transitioning military personnel<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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