The job of Health Services Technician is an important one in the United States Navy. They are in effect the first line of defense in the military healthcare system for Servicemembers in the Navy. They deal with routine healthcare as well as emergency situations that present themselves. They tend to work in smaller locations ashore, or on board ship. Services provided by a Navy Health Care technician can include assisting dental and medical officers, performing routine and other diagnostic care, helping with testing, x-rays, and clinical lab work. They can at times perform direct medical care to Servicemembers and their families, and even in some cases are required to prescribe lesser medications.
The first duty station for a Health Services Technician in the Navy is normally at a larger Navy or Navy base to help a person learn and work under direct supervision. This is both as training and as a method of helping the Health Services Technician learn from more qualified and experienced medical doctors, nurses and other personnel. This is fantastic at helping sharpen the skills necessary for the Health Services Technician to do their job. As an individual Health Care Technician for the Navy becomes more proficient, then they are assigned to duty stations that can be independent. As a smaller base, a Health Services Technician can literally be responsible for the basic medical care of the personnel at their duty station.
Training begins following boot camp. Additional training is provided with a thirteen week Class A school where there is extensive training in biology, physiology, evaluation and patient examination, anatomy and other medical related skills. The instruction is intensive, both hands on and in the classroom.
To perform as a Health Services Technician in the United State Navy you should be a people person, and someone who enjoys helping people with dental or medical needs. You should be able to use exacting and meticulous attention to even the smallest detail. Coursework in biology, hygiene, mathematics, chemistry and physics is also desired.