Corpsman: Earning Advanced Degrees ‘Pays Dividends’

Naval Air Station Pax River’s Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Quinton Dotson. (US Navy photo)

Pax River Corpsman Earns Doctorate

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Quinton Dotson is a very busy man at NAS Patuxent River. Most days when you find him, he’s rarely alone.

In his position as a command climate specialist, Mr. Dotson is sought out by Pax River’s commanding officer, senior enlisted leaders, and even junior sailors for guidance on all aspects of equal opportunity policy and execution. He provides analysis and recommendations regarding all informal, formal, and anonymous harassment and prohibited discrimination complaints to the command while adhering to, and informing of, all changes in the US Navy’s harassment prevention and military equal opportunity policies.

In addition, he provides program oversight and assist visits and training to the command and subordinate commands across the region. He also interprets the unit’s climate status through the Defense Equal Opportunity Climate Survey using statistical quantitative data to detect, identify, and understand risks/strengths within command.

And he helps improve the organization’s health and performance, evaluates the effectiveness of initiatives and programs, and predicts and drives organizational outcomes.

He also just earned his Ph.D. in research psychology.

“I have always been that person to ask the ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions,” Mr. Dotson said about what drove him to earn his advanced degree. “I started my academic journey with a simple goal – understanding how to be good at being human.

He said that led him to pursue an associate degree in human biology, a bachelor’s degree in sociology, and a master’s in psychology.

“During these years, I realized that my commitment to the field was rooted in a genuine curiosity about the human mind and a belief in the transformative power of research, so I made the deliberate choice to pursue a Ph.D. in research psychology,” he said.

Earning a degree of any kind, let alone a doctorate, can be difficult. It can be doubly so when you have a full-time commitment as an active-duty sailor in the Navy. But for those in similar positions, the hospital corpsman said, “Making the time to earn an education pays dividends.”

“I have been a hospital corpsman for 17 years and have been lucky enough to experience shipboard operations, Afghanistan deployments, program management, and have led anywhere from two to 200 sailors at one time,” he said. “During my time as an enlisted sailor, I have earned three warfare devices from three different communities – Seabee Combat Warfare, Surface Warfare, and Air Warfare. And just like earning a qualification on top of your regular duties, one of the biggest challenges is just finding the time to dedicate to it. However, you will find that it is possible to make time for what is a priority to you.”

If you make school a priority then you will find time to chip away at it and eventually, over time, be able to obtain an advanced degree, he said.

His advice: “Just do it, put yourself first, give yourself permission to be successful, and grab what you deserve.”

He already has plans for his new credentials. He intends to commission as a naval research psychologist and bring his skills back to the sailors.

Mr. Dotson added that he credits his nearly two decades in the Navy and his exposure to a range of different personnel and communities at sea and ashore with his ability to collaborate with and strengthen teams, which he hopes to continue as an officer.

“I am genuinely excited about the possibility of contributing to the resilience, performance, and well-being of naval personnel through cutting-edge psychological research,” he said. “The prospect of being part of the Navy’s commitment to excellence is both an honor and a challenge that I am ready to embrace wholeheartedly. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring my skills, dedication, and passion to the esteemed team of professionals we call naval research psychologists.”

To learn more about academic programs in the US Navy, visit the Navy College website.

This article was provided by the Patuxent River Public Affairs Office.