Health Care Specialist (91W)
- Enlisted
- Active Duty
- Army Reserve
Injured or wounded Soldiers need immediate treatment, so when Army physicians aren’t available, the Health Care Specialist is authorized to step in to provide basic and emergency medical treatment.
The Health Care Specialist is primarily responsible for providing emergency medical treatment, limited primary care and health protection and evacuation from a point of injury or illness. Some of your duties as a Health Care Specialist may include:
- Administering emergency medical treatment to battlefield casualties
- Assisting with outpatient and inpatient care and treatment
- Interviewing patients and recording their medical histories
- Taking patients’ temperature, pulse and blood pressure
- Preparing blood samples for laboratory analysis
- Keeping health records and clinical files up-to-date
- Giving shots and medicines to patients
- Preparing patients, operating rooms, equipment and supplies for surgery
Training:
Job training for a Health Care Specialist consists of nine weeks of Basic Training, where you’ll learn basic Soldiering skills, and seven to 52 weeks of Advanced Individual Training, including practice in patient care. Part of this time is spent in the classroom and part in the field. Some of the skills you’ll learn are:
- Patient care techniques
- Emergency medical techniques
- Methods of sterilizing surgical equipment
- Plaster-casting techniques
Helpful Skills:
Helpful attributes include:
- An interest in helping and caring for others
- An ability to communicate effectively
- An ability to work under stressful conditions
- An interest in chemistry, biology, psychology, general science and algebra
- Attention to detail
Advanced Responsibilities:
Advanced level Health Care Specialists supervise and train other Soldiers within the same discipline. As an advanced level Health Care Specialist, you may be involved in:
- Administering emergency and routine medical treatment to battle and non-battle casualties
- Assisting with outpatient care and treatment
- Supervising field and clinical medical facilities under the supervision of a physician, nurse or physician’s assistant
