Army Enlisted Job 68G Patient Administration Specialist

These soldiers don't treat patients directly, but are a key part of their care

A patient administration specialist fills out paperwork.

 Lt. Col. Angela Wallace / US Army Reserves

Patient Administration Specialists in the Army act as clerical assistants in medical facilities. These are the soldiers who keep Army hospitals and doctors' offices running smoothly and are responsible for most of the patient administrative duties. This Army job is categorized as military occupational specialty (MOS) 68G. If you're interested in a career where you'll be helping patients, but without being involved in medical procedures, this could be the MOS for you.

General Duties

Many of the responsibilities of this job are similar to its civilian counterpart. These soldiers will compile data and prepare reports on outpatient visits, inpatient visits, admissions, and dispositions. It includes reports on births, deaths and any other reportable conditions, which need to be submitted to military and civilian authorities. 

Other duties of MOS 68G include initiating correspondence concerning medical records which may be needed for medical board proceedings or line of duty investigations. They'll need a working knowledge of patient medical eligibility programs like the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS), and should be well-versed in medical terminology, particularly as it applies to anatomy and physiology.

Medical records prep is another key part of the patient administration specialist job, as is maintaining a medical records tracking system. MOS 68G helps patients complete admissions paperwork for medical facilities and reports any seriously ill soldiers. They oversee any funds deposited in medical services accounts to ensure their safekeeping and prepare patients' documentation in the event of a medical evacuation.

Training

To train for the job of patient administration specialist you'll take ten weeks of Basic Combat Training (also known as boot camp) and seven weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. As with all Army enlisted jobs, you'll divide your time between the classroom and on-the-job training in the field. 

To be prepared for a career as MOS 68G, you'll learn the basics of preparing forms and correspondence according to military protocols and style and get a refresher in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It will be helpful to have some of these skills before you being work in this job. 

Typing, clerical skills, filing, and maintaining publication systems are also part of your AIT instruction for MOS 68G. 

Qualifications 

Not surprisingly, you'll need a high score in the clerical (CL) aptitude area of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) tests; a 90 is required. There is no Department of Defense security clearance needed for this MOS, but you'll need to be able to type at least 20 words per minute. 

Similar Civilian Occupations

It is a military job that will prepare you for a variety of civilian careers. You'll be well-qualified to work as medical records and health information technician and could likely find work as a medical assistant. It may be the first step toward a career in medicine, should you wish to pursue higher training