What exactly does a Health Care Specalist do? Aka Mos 91W?

Question

I'm talking about army medics. Basically what I wanted to know is do they go with infantry platoons and fight along with them and then assist those that need it?


Anyone in the military please feel free to just give me a basic overview of what they do


thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Basically you will be a combat medic. You will be license as a EMT. This will give you a leg up to join the fire department in most big cities.

Modern battlefields feature highly mobile formations rapidly moving over a large area. Casualties are likely to be far from medical facilities and require sustaining care for an extended time before evacuation can be complete. The U.S. Army therefore is restructuring its military occupational specialty for enlisted combat medics, providing them more training to help them save lives on the battlefield and maintain care until the patient can be removed to a medical facility. These soldiers also provide more highly trained medics for service on hospital wards.

All 91W (Health Care Specialist) soldiers will be qualified as nationally registered Emergency Medical Technicians.
The course for training new combat medics has been extended from 10 weeks to 16 weeks.
Training includes theories and practices of Basic Trauma Life Support or Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support, Trauma AIMS (advanced airway, intravenous therapy, medications and pharmacology, shock management), and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
Medics in the former military occupational specialties of 91B (Combat Medic) and 91C (Licensed Practical Nurse) are reclassified as 91W. All active-duty 91W will complete the additional training necessary by Oct. 2, 2007, while Reserve 91W will complete training by Oct. 1, 2009.
Approximately 40,000 active-duty and Reserve 91Ws form the third-largest military occupational specialty in the Army.

Answer 2

There is at least one 91W on a patrol. They go with them to give aid to the soldiers. There have been many times that we allow the medics to treat locals if it's something we have the ability to treat. There are a couple of kids we have "adopted". They have been hurt or sick and our guys will go and check on them to make sure they are making progress.

It's a very rewarding MOS. I watched an E4 medic take charge of a situation with a sniper victim that truly made me proud. The training is great and the job is even better!

Answer 3

Got out before the 91W came out, but as a 91B Medical Specialist what you did depended on what unit you were assigned to, where you reenlisted for, and what additional training you had.

So, most of my time was as a line Medic in a Field Artillery Battery or a Light Cavalry Troop where I rode with them, did most of the same training, and went most of the same places.
When we were in garrison (out of the field) and not training, I was in the Battalion Aid Station where I did, indeed, push papers, do medical screening, and assisted out battalion's PA in minor medical procedures.

I also rotated through Clinics and a Hospital and had additional training, both tactical and medical.

Other 91B's I've met spent entire tours in one unit sitting around and pushing papers and doing paperwork.

Others volunteered Ranger or Flight Medic and did somewhat less paper pushing and more "high speed training".

So...

It's mostly where you're assigned,

Answer 4

i can only talk from an Australian point of view,they go out with the infantry,treat the wounded then get them choppered out,i can only talk on Vietnam.as a point of interest the highest awarded corpse in the army for bravery medals is the medic.it is completely different today,medic have direct visual contact with bases and doctors can tell them what has to be done

Answer 5

Most of them push papers around in the clinic. The MOS is also responsible for drawing blood for tests and administering vaccinations. That's what I've seen them do, anyway.

Answer 6

www.us-army-info.com/pages/mos/medical/91w.html

Here's the link to the Army's description of a Health Care Specialist, showing different skill levels, etc...