Any of you know anything about the Health Services Administrator career field in the Air Force? With my ongoing effort to return to service via OTS, recruiting pitched the MSC option today as something to think about.

The qualifier is my Master of Public Administration degree. I have been working in municipal public works for the last nine years, and I was a SIGINT analyst when I was on active duty. I'm curious to see if there are opportunities in the Health Service Administrator field that could fit in with my governmental experience because this was something that wasn't even on my radar. When I think of the MSC, I think doctors, PAs, nurses, etc., not people like me.

Honestly, I'm not sure if it's a field I would like. What opportunities are there for growth and leadership as a junior officer? Are there opportunities for command or other leadership down the line? If it basically entails little more than running the front office at a clinic or scheduling the rotation for the ER, I'm not particularly sure I want to consider it.

The upside is that I would not have to compete for OTS or complete it, and I would direct commission probably as a 1Lt. The downside is it's not at the top of my list for things I want to do if I return to service.

[This message has been edited by Ryan the Temp (edited 12/16/2013 7:04p).]

As noted in earlier response to your query, I retired from the AF as a 9016H Chief MSC Officer - Regular Air Force.
It is (was) the hospital administration specialty code number when I was on active duty.
It does not require OTS as it is a direct commissioning program into the Medical Services.
It is a career in the service that truly does have a civilian parallel.
Advancement to and beyond Major will require a masters in Healthcare Administration or membership via board certification in ACHE (American College of Healthcare Executives)
...which also requires active (and demanding) continuing education to remain actively certified regardless of your assignments.
General Officer grade is possible.
It is a very tight, closed group - everyone knows everyone else - and everything about them. Very cliche'...

[This message has been edited by Aggie1 (edited 12/17/2013 1:20a).]

"Hospital administration" could be a lot of different things. That's what I'm trying to wrap my hands around. The Air Force website doesn't do much to say what people in the job actually do.

My fear is that I'll find myself in a dead-end with nothing to aspire to or work toward. That's the problem with my current job - I've been in a terminal position for almost four years.

My dream has always been to be a squadron commander because that is where you get to have the greatest positive impact on the lives of the people you lead. My understanding is that command opportunities in the MSC require a MD.

Please pardon my ignorance in not knowing anything about the field. There is a real possibility this becomes my only path back to service and I want to be able to make an informed decision with which I can be comfortable.

[This message has been edited by Ryan the Temp (edited 12/16/2013 10:57p).]

MSC - MEDICAL SERVICE CORPS is Hospital Administration.

Depending on your specialty - you will be placed in the Corps you are qualified to be in - or that they expect you to become proficient in.
I don't know where you get that "it can mean a lot of things" stuff...
In your case, you say someone is recruiting you to be an MSC (Medical Service Corps) - which is "Hospital Administration" and can be a Resource Manager, a Materiels Officer, a Squadron Commander, etc., all of which fall under the heading "Hospital Administration".

Now, in an AF military hospital, there are Squadron activities (Commander, First Sergeant, Training NCO, etc.) just like in an Army Hospital there are Company units, etc.

The Squadron Commander is usually a 2nd or 1st Lt getting some "experience" in an AF Hospital - at an entry level position - and has to perform the duties for the Hospital just like any other Squadron Commander on an installation - but I assure you, regardless of his/her day-to-day job, his/her "career progression" is via the Hospital Administration [civilian counterpart] ACHE career field as noted above.

Obviously, you don't get to be a "Hospital Commander or Administrator" as a junior MSC officer. You take staff positions such as mentioned and work your way up to the real deal - Administrator of the Hospital.

BSC - BIOMEDICAL SERVICE CORPS is Bio-environmental engineering, and Board Certified Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, etc... (each of whom have their own respective certifications to keep current via continuing education as well)

MC - MEDICAL CORPS - Board Certified Medical Doctors, M.D.s - Board Certified in whatever specialty - Family Practice, Emergency Medicine, OB/GYN, Internists, Psychiatry, Surgery, Radiology, etc., and such... (at junior grades in a teaching hospital may be interns or residents).(each of whom have their own respective certifications to keep current via continuing education as well)

NC - NURSE CORPS - Board certified Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, etc.

DC - DENTAL CORPS - Board certified dentists.

Corpsmen (enlisted) - may be Medical Techs, Lab Techs, Rad Techs, Pharmacy Techs, Physical Therapy Techs, etc.) (each of whom have their own respective certifications to keep current via continuing education as well)

ALL are part of the "Medical Service"... and go into the Medical Service with a "direct commission" and do not have to go through OTS.

You seem to want to make things difficult when there is no difficulty to be had once you know the organization chart of a military hospital - which is very similar to most civilian institutions.

Again, there are not really that many USAF installations - and each typically has it's Clinic or Hospital, etc., with a "medical staff" - all of whom belong to the "Medical Service" and each of whom has their (certifiable specialty).

As noted earlier, this is a close-knitted group of people who all know and work together to provide the best care possible. As such, they typically do things both on duty and off - together and get to know each other very well - families, and such.

I am a Healthcare Architect as well as a Hospital Administrator with Board certifications in both.
The AF Surgeon (and Army, and Navy...) has a small cadre of professionals who represent his interests in the design and construction (via the Corps of Engineers and NAVFAC) of AF Clinics, Hospitals, Dental Clinics, etc. There was no "Corps" for those of us Architects/Engineers so they either put us in the MSC or BSC COrps with a shredout to our AFSC for personnel and promotion.
As such, I not only had my AF progression to worry about, but also ACHE and my ARchitectural Boards and Texas state licensing to maintain.
Before I retired I worked for the SECDEF as Chief of DEsign for DoD - all AF, ARMY, Navy, Marine Corps, COast GUard, etc., facilities fell under my jurisdiction for design and construction... it was a Colonel billitt and I was just a Major. Afterwards, and as a BRigadier, I was the Hospital Administrator of a 486-bed "contracted" military hospital in the Middle East.
As a retired "consultant", I wear whichever hat I choose to get work - usually as an intermittent consultant for the JCAHO - which in this day and age is more and more difficult as one ages...
For what it's worth the COast GUard promotions are (were?) not in the same cycle as the AF, ARmy, Navy, etc., and they get promoted much MUCH faster.
FWIW, Squadron Commander is just about the lowest job you can have as an MSC officer in an AF Hospital and is an entry level position on the org chart. You make it sound like a good job with prestige - har har... - but, it's only as good as your Airmen and NCO's and the First Shirt and the Education NCO...
But regardless, it is generally the entry level in an AF (any military) hospital. From there you might go to Resource Manager, or Materiel (Supply), etc., - all are MSC "Administration" jobs...
And yes, they DO have civilian counterparts - if you get your ACHE, you should have no trouble transitioning from an AF Hospital into a Civilian healthcare setting...

AAAAAAAAAAg - Air Force Aggie Architect & Hospital Administrator from Amarillo, Altus, Austin, Arabia, Africa, Seoul, Amman, Arkansas (ret) '65, '69, '73. Track Letterman
"The most potent weapon against basic human decency, in the armamentarium of pure evil, is the self-imposed ignorance and moral decay of the people themselves."



[This message has been edited by Aggie1 (edited 12/16/2013 11:53p).]

I am referring to a specific AFSC - 41A

quote:

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Air Force Officer Job Descriptions & Qualifications

41AX - HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR

AFSC 41A4, Staff
AFSC 41A3, Qualified
AFSC 41A1, Entry

Specialty Summary. Manages health services activities, including plans and operations, managed care, human resource management, logistics management, patient administration, budgetary and fiscal management, medical manpower, medical facility management, biometrics, medical recruiting, and aeromedical evacuation. Directs the hospital accreditation program and management improvement studies. Related DoD Occupational Group: 6I.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Formulates, interprets, and implements policy. Plans and organizes activities associated with peacetime and wartime health services administration, such as manpower, medical logistics, medical food service, hospitalization and aeromedical evacuation of patients, medical facilities repair, maintenance, construction, modification, and housekeeping, equipment maintenance and repair, information systems, clinical engineering, inpatient and outpatient records, and morale and welfare services for patients and medical personnel.

Coordinates health services programs. Coordinates with comptroller, civil engineering, civilian and federal agencies, and other Air Force functions and activities to execute health services programs. Advises the medical professional staff and other staff health services officers on administrative matters pertaining to health services programs. Maintains liaison with civilian, military, and other federal activities to keep current in areas of interest to health services administration.

Monitors and directs health services programs. Interprets and directs the implementation of policies governing health services programs. Directs the management of health services functions such as medical logistics, fiscal management, managed care, human resource management, patient administration, aeromedical evacuation, medical facility construction, modification, and design, and medical research administration. Develops financial plans and budget estimates for Air Force health services programs. Directs the preparation of biometric reports, directives, correspondence, and memoranda pertaining to health services administration. Controls utilization of health services program funds in collaboration with the medical commander and comptroller. Prepares and exercises emergency, disaster, and defense plans, and monitors readiness training. Integrates cost management, quality and access to care issues into health services programs.

Specialty Qualifications:

Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of: Air Force health services management; hospital administration and practice; contractual and accounting fundamentals; quality management; human resource management; and biometrics.

Education. For entry into this specialty, one of the following is mandatory:

A graduate degree in health care administration, hospital administration, public administration, business administration or management, information systems management, or equivalent.

An undergraduate academic major in accounting, business administration or management, computer science, information systems, economics, finance, health care administration, marketing, public administration, clinical or health systems engineering, or other related business field.

Training. For award of AFSC 41A3, completion of the basic health services administration course is mandatory.

Experience. For award of AFSC 41A3, a minimum of 4 years’ experience is mandatory in health services management assignments. Experience must include planning, organizing, and directing such health services management activities as medical logistics, medical facilities management, food service, medical records management, medical reporting and biometrics, and budget. Equal time spent in Air Force Institute of Technology sponsored graduate education in Health Care Administration may be substituted for the minimum experience requirement.

Other. None.

Specialty Shredouts:

None

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Well, they have changed the AF Specialty Code, but yes, that's it.
The basic healthcare administration course used to be at Sheppard, but some of those activities have been consolidated with the Army at BAMC, San Antonio (so I'm told).
And, there used to be shredouts in spite of what it says in the job description for those who focus in a particular area.
Obviously, Command HQ positions that control certain specialty activities - such as "disaster planning" don't work in a hospital per se as a for instance.
And, you could end up in an R&D facility or contingency hospital in Pusan Korea or some such...
But as a jeep 2nd Lt you will probably start out as a squadron commander (don't let that term Commander go to your head) at some place like FE Warren AFB Wyoming or KI Sawyer, Upper Michigan or Little Rock, Arkansas, or Altus or Enid, Oklahoma... You will have to start somewhere...

[This message has been edited by Aggie1 (edited 12/17/2013 1:06a).]

quote:

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FWIW, Squadron Commander is just about the lowest job you can have as an MSC officer in an AF Hospital and is an entry level position on the org chart. You make it sound like a good job with prestige - har har.

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This sounds like a big difference between the MSC and other specialties in the USAF. In other fields, squadron command is competitive and often an O-5 job. And many who have held the position will tell you it was the best job of their career.

Ryan, are you interested in hospital admin? I think MSC is going to be very different than the Air Force that you were in.

I have never considered hospital admin as a career path. I've looked at the VA a few times, but all the openings are MD, PA, RN, etc. so I never had a chance to seriously consider it. I am not opposed to it because right now I want two things:

1. A chance to return to the service of our nation; and

2. A career in which I can be happy and make a positive difference in the world around me

I've been in a terminal position for almost four years. There is zero chance for me to advance or grow in my career unless I make a departure from what I am doing now and start something new. Something new could be similar to what I am doing now or something totally different like hospital admin.

Aggie1 and some other folks I've talked to have really helped me open my mind to this and look at it in an encouraging way. Essentially, I am a lot closer to saying yes today than I was yesterday.

quote:

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I think MSC is going to be very different than the Air Force that you were in.

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I get the impression that MSC might be consider the "softer" side of the force - more professional than military. If that's the case, perhaps I could explore opportunities like Honor Guard to get in some of the "harder" side of the force from time to time to balance it out. When I was enlisted I was chief of training for HQ AIA Honor Guard at Kelly.

Sounds like you're potentially going into this with your eyes open which is important. As you probably know, having a military job that you hate can make for a miserable life since you can't just quit and move on like you could if you were a civilian. I know you were intel so this will be really different but maybe you'll love it!