The medical training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas is designed to save lives in combat. Medics go through the courses and then ship out, some to battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan, others to bases around the world.

But the Army says skills gained here can also be used for a civilian career in healthcare after a soldier's military commitment is finished. That's the plan for a West Virginia soldier who is going through the program.

"I plan on proceeding to pre-med, then med school, eventually becoming a general practitioner, sir," said Private Gerald Fitzwater from Hurricane.

Educators from across the region recently got an up-close look at the training and opportunities available for those interested in medicine. They say the Army's programs fit very well into the plans of some students ready to enter the medical field full-time.

"I think it just opens so many doors for them," said Debra Hodge, a registered nurse working with the Raleigh County Board of Education. "There are so many options. Many of our students don't have the capabilities to continue their education. They can do that through the military and have cutting edge technology in the process. Again, so many of them are interested in trauma and ER and this is it."

The tour's coordinator says although information about Army programs is readily available from a number of sources, the educator tours are one of the most valuable tools to get the Army's message out to the people working on the front lines with students.

"Educators are viewed upon by students as mentors and it's a phenomenal opportunity for these educators to get first-hand knowledge and experience and see the day-to-day activity of what goes on on an Army installation," said Tommie Baker, an Education Specialist with the Army's Beckley Recruiting Battalion.