The Medical Corps of the United States Navy is a staff corps consisting of military physicians in a variety of specialties. It is the senior corps among all staff corps, second in precedence only to line officers. The corps of commissioned officers was founded on March 3, 1871.
Prior to the formal establishment of the corps, ships’ surgeons served without commissions, unless given one by the commanding officer. Those commissions would be for the duration of a specific cruise.
However, facing a shortage of trained physicians to serve the needs of the Navy and Marine Corps, the Uniformed Services Health Professions Revitalization Act of 1972 was passed. This was a two-pronged act in which the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the Health Professions Scholarship Program were created.[1] In both programs, civilians are given a direct commission to the rank of Ensign (O-1) in the United States Navy Reserve which they hold throughout the four years of their medical education. During this time they receive financial assistance on the condition that they meet reservist requirements, maintain military standards, and agree to serve on active duty as physicians. The commitment required is at least 4 years for HPSP and 7 years of service for USUHS students.
Upon graduation, the new physicians are promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (O-3) and enter active duty as medical interns (PGY-1) at a Naval Hospital.
Upon completion of an internship year, a Navy physician usually is deployed to the fleet as a General Medical Officer, though opportunities also exist to complete full-residency training in the specialty of their choice or undergo 6 months of training to become a Flight Surgeon or Undersea Medical Officer.
As of 2004[update], the Navy Medical Corps has over 20,000 active duty and reserve commissioned officers holding more than 47 specialties and almost 200 sub-specialties.
As of November 2011[update], Vice Admiral Matthew L. Nathan is the 37th Surgeon General of the United States Navy and is the head of the Medical Corps.
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Members of the Medical Corps are eligible to pursue qualification programs that lead to breast insignia such as:
Reference: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships