Ethan Rhodes
A hospital corpsman, or HM, is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit. The hospital corps was created in 1898, and hospital corpsmen work in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments, naval hospitals, clinics, ships, and submarines, and as the primary medical caregivers for sailors while underway. They are frequently the only medical caregivers available in many fleet or Marine units on extended deployment. Hospital corpsmen assist health care professionals in providing medical care to Navy personnel and their families.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy |
| Other Names | Corpsman, Health Services Technician (in the Coast Guard) |
| Creation Date | 17 June 1898 |
| Work Locations | Shore establishments, naval hospitals, clinics, ships, Marine Corps combat units, submarines, extended deployments |
| Training Location | Medical Education and Training Campus, Texas |
| Training Duration | 14 weeks |
| Training Topics | Emergency medical techniques, disease and pathologies, nursing techniques |
| Requirements | U.S. citizenship, high school diploma, sincere interest in healthcare and science, good communication and writing skills, physical stamina, normal color perception, correctable vision to 20/20, good hand use |
| Decorations | 22 Medals of Honor, 179 Navy Crosses, 31 Navy Distinguished Service Medals, 959 Silver Stars, 1600+ Bronze Star Medals (as of 2016) |
| Advanced Technical Field Roles | Search & Rescue Medical Technician, Dive Medical Technician, Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman |
| Advanced Technical Field Training Location | San Antonio, Texas |
| Advanced Technical Field Training Duration | 19 weeks |
| Advanced Technical Field Training Topics | Patient care, first aid, basic reconnaissance, airborne operations, combatant diving, demolitions, advanced trauma skills, veterinary medicine |
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What You'll Learn
Training
To become a US Navy Hospital Corpsman, one must be a US citizen with a high school diploma or equivalent. A sincere interest in healthcare and science is important, as well as good communication, writing, and arithmetic skills. Those seeking to become a Hospital Corpsman should also be competent with tools and equipment, work well in a team, and be dependable, trustworthy, and resourceful.
The basic training for Hospital Corpsmen is conducted at the Medical Education and Training Campus in Texas. The course is 14 weeks long and provides extensive training in emergency medical techniques, disease and pathologies, and nursing techniques. Upon graduation, the corpsman is given the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) code of HM-0000, or "quad-zero".
After basic training, Hospital Corpsmen may attend the Field Medical Training Battalion (FMTB) at Camp Pendleton or Camp Johnson. This rigorous training is 8 weeks long and provides specialized training in advanced emergency medicine and the fundamentals of Marine Corps life. Sailors who complete this training earn the NEC HM-L03A, Field Medical Service Technician.
Hospital Corpsmen may also pursue advanced technical training in the Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman Pipeline (121 weeks), which includes training in basic reconnaissance, airborne operations, combatant diving, demolitions, clinical diagnostics, advanced trauma skills, and basic veterinary medicine, among other areas. Another advanced training option is the Search and Rescue Medical Tech Pipeline (27 weeks), which covers advanced fluid resuscitation, administration of Advanced Life Support medications, use of emergency medical equipment, and patient handling, among other skills.
Hospital Corpsmen with the rank of E-5 and above may attend independent duty corpsman training, qualifying for duty in surface ships and submarines, diving teams, and remote shore installations. This training includes advanced medical qualifications, as well as sanitation and public health.
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Qualifications
To become a Hospital Corpsman in the US Navy, you must be between the ages of 17 and 34, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and meet the physical and medical standards for Navy service. You must also complete the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test and achieve a passing score.
The first step towards becoming a Hospital Corpsman is to enlist in the Navy and go through Basic Training. This includes a 10-week Recruit Training program (Boot Camp) at Great Lakes, Illinois, where you will learn Navy traditions, physical fitness, and teamwork essential for active duty.
After completing Basic Training, you will need to graduate from the Hospital Corpsman Basic (HCB) course. This is a 19-week program held at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where you will develop the skills necessary for assignments in medical facilities, naval ships, or with operational units.
Following the completion of the HCB course, you will undergo specialized training in Hospital Corps "A" School. This is also a 19-week program located in San Antonio, Texas, where you will be trained in the basic principles and techniques of patient care and first aid procedures.
Advanced technical training, or "C" school, is optional and available to those who qualify after completing "A" School. This training offers over 20 different credentials and specializations, including Aerospace Physiology & Medical Technician, Behavioral Health Technician, Biomedical Equipment Technician, and Cardiovascular Technician.
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History
The United States Navy Hospital Corps was created on 17 June 1898, with hospital corpsman used as a generic name for the applicable personnel. Before the establishment of the hospital corps in 1898, enlisted medical support in the U.S. Navy was limited in scope. In the Continental Navy and the early U.S. Navy, medical assistants were assigned at random out of the ship's company. Their primary duties were to keep the irons hot and buckets of sand at the ready for the operating area.
The first direction given to the organization of Navy medicine consisted of only one article in the Rules for the Regulation of the Navy of the United Colonies of North America of 1775. Article 16 stated: “A convenient place shall be set apart for sick or hurt men, to be removed with their hammocks and bedding when the surgeon shall advise the same to be necessary." An Act of Congress in 1799 reiterated this, stating: “A convenient place shall be set apart for the sick and hurt men, to which they are to be removed, and some of the crew shall be appointed to attend them.”
During World War II, hospital corpsmen assigned to Marine units made beach assaults with the marines in every battle in the Pacific. Corpsmen also served on thousands of ships and submarines. Three unassisted emergency appendectomies were performed by hospital corpsmen serving undersea and beyond hope of medical evacuation. The hospital corps is the only corps in the U.S. Navy to be commended in a famous speech by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal after the conclusion of the war.
Hospital corpsmen have participated in every major U.S. military conflict since World War II, including the Vietnam War. They have earned 22 Medals of Honor, 179 Navy Crosses, 959 Silver Stars, and more than 1,600 Bronze Stars. Twenty ships have been named in honour of Navy Hospital Corps personnel.
On 29 September 2016, the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus terminated the corpsman rating along with all other U.S. Navy enlisted ratings. However, in late December 2016, the usage of ratings was restored by the Navy after much backlash.
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Responsibilities
A hospital corpsman (HM) is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit. The role of a hospital corpsman is wide-ranging and varied, with responsibilities differing depending on the location and capacity in which they are serving.
Hospital corpsmen are often the only medical caregivers available in many fleet or Marine units on extended deployment. They may be assigned to hospital ships, reservist installations, recruiter offices, or Marine Corps combat units. In World War II, for example, hospital corpsmen assigned to Marine units made beach assaults with the marines in every battle in the Pacific. They also served on thousands of ships and submarines, and even performed three unassisted emergency appendectomies while undersea and beyond medical evacuation.
Basic training for hospital corpsmen is conducted at the Medical Education and Training Campus in Texas. The course lasts 14 weeks and covers the application of emergency medical techniques, disease and pathologies, and nursing techniques. After basic training, hospital corpsmen may go on to train in the Hospital Corps “A” School, which lasts 19 weeks and covers the basic principles and techniques of patient care and first aid procedures. Following this, there are three advanced training paths:
- Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman Pipeline (121 weeks): This includes training in basic reconnaissance, airborne operations, combatant diving, demolitions, clinical diagnostics, advanced trauma skills, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), basic surgical anesthesia, basic veterinary medicine, and basic dental exams.
- Search and Rescue Medical Tech Pipeline (27 weeks): This includes training in advanced fluid resuscitation, administration and management of Advanced Life Support medications, use of emergency medical equipment, rescue and recovery devices, and patient handling.
- Dive Medical Technician: This role involves providing medical support for divers and special operations teams.
Hospital corpsmen in the Advanced Technical Field (HM-ATF) are trained to handle medical emergencies in challenging and austere environments. They may serve in roles such as Search & Rescue Medical Technician, providing medical care and support for emergency missions, or as a Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman, providing advanced medical care and operational support for Marine Reconnaissance, Navy Special Operations Command personnel, and SEALs.
Other responsibilities of hospital corpsmen include:
- Respiratory Therapist: Treating patients using nebulization therapy, mechanical ventilation, and similar treatments.
- Submarine Force Independent Duty Corpsman: Serving as the Medical Department Representative (MDR) and performing basic patient care aboard submarines and at isolated duty stations.
- Surface Force Independent Duty Corpsman: Serving as the MDR and performing basic patient care aboard surface ships, with Fleet Marine Force Units, and at isolated duty stations.
- Surgical Technologist: Assisting the medical officer in carrying out surgical techniques and providing pre- and post-surgical care to patients.
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Recognition
The US Navy Hospital Corps was created on June 17, 1898, and is the most decorated rating in the United States Navy and the most decorated job in the U.S. military. Hospital corpsmen have received 22 Medals of Honor, 179 Navy Crosses since World War I, 31 Navy Distinguished Service Medals, 959 Silver Stars, and more than 1,600 Bronze Star Medals with combat V's for heroism since World War II (as of 2016). Twenty naval ships have been named after hospital corpsmen.
The Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal commended the hospital corps in a famous speech after World War II, in which corpsmen assigned to Marine units made beach assaults with the marines in every battle in the Pacific. They also served on thousands of ships and submarines, performing three unassisted emergency appendectomies undersea and beyond hope of medical evacuation.
In the United States Marine Corps, the colloquial form of address for a Hospital Corpsman who is authorised to wear the Navy's Fleet Marine Force (FMF) warfare device is "Doc", a sign of respect.
Hospital corpsmen receive the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) code of HM-0000, or "quad-zero", upon graduation from their training. They may also receive further classifications, such as HM-L03A, upon completion of further training.
The Hospital Corpsman Advanced Technical Field (HM-ATF) is an elite group of medical specialists who deliver critical care in the most extreme conditions, often in combat situations. They may serve in roles such as Search and Rescue Medical Technician, Dive Medical Technician, or Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman, providing advanced medical care and operational support for special operations forces.
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Frequently asked questions
A hospital corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit.
Hospital corpsmen assist health care professionals in providing medical care to Navy personnel and their families. They work in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships, and as the primary medical caregivers for sailors while underway.
To become a Hospital Corpsman, you must be a U.S. citizen with a high school diploma or equivalent. You should have a sincere interest in healthcare and science, good communication and writing skills, and normal colour perception. Physical stamina is also important, with vision correctable to 20/20 and good use of your hands.
Basic training for hospital corpsmen is conducted at the Medical Education and Training Campus in Texas. Students go through a 14-week course that covers emergency medical techniques, disease and pathologies, and nursing techniques.
Hospital corpsmen can pursue advanced training in the Hospital Corpsman Advanced Technical Field, which includes specialisations such as Search and Rescue Medical Technician, Dive Medical Technician, and Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman. These specialisations involve providing critical care in extreme and challenging environments, including combat situations and deep-sea diving operations.
