The Medical Assistant is a Royal Navy medical rating in the United Kingdom. Medical Assistants serve on all types of ships in the surface and submarine fleet, or ashore in a sick bay, hospital, or other establishment. The equivalent rate in the United States Navy is Hospital Corpsman.
The Medical Assistant was previously known as Sick Berth Attendant (19th-20th century) and earlier as Loblolly boy (18th–19th century).
Basic training (9 weeks) is conducted at HMS Raleigh shore establishment in Torpoint, Cornwall. Medical training (39 weeks) is conducted at the Defence Medical Services Training Centre at Keogh Barracks in Aldershot followed by consolidation training (12 weeks) on board a ship or shore establishment sick bay.
Medical Assistants who volunteer for service with the Royal Marines must pass the All Arms Commando Course (9-weeks) held at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) in Lympstone, Devon.
Those who volunteer for Service in the Submarine Service undertake Radiation Protection and Nuclear Chemistry training at The Defence College of Management and Technology, HMS Sultan in Gosport and also Atmosphere Monitoring training at The Institute of Naval Medicine in Alverstoke. On completion of this training, Medical Assistant Submariners, MA(SM)'s are awarded a City and Guilds Certificate in Radiation Protection and optional membership of the Guild of Radiation Workers.
Medical Assistants are colloquially known as "Scablifters" or "Doc" in Royal Naval JackSpeak.