Navy Medical Corps

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The Medical Corps of the United States Navy is a staff corps consisting of doctors in a variety of specialties. The corps of commissioned officers was founded on 3 March 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 Health Sciences and the Health Professions Scholarship Program (Program page)were created. In both programs, civilians are given a direct commission to the rank of Ensign (rank) (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 for at least 4 years.

Upon graduation, the new physicians supersede to the rank of Lieutenant (O-3) and are called to active duty to serve as interns (PGY-1) at a Navy or Marine Corps hospital.

Upon completion of an internship year, a Navy physician usually is deployed to the fleet as a General Medical Officer, though opportunities exist at this point in their career either to complete full residency training in the field of their choice or undergo 6 months of training to become either a Flight Surgeon or Undersea Medical Officer.

As of 2004, the Navy Medical Corps has over 4,000 active duty and reserve commissioned officers holding more than 47 specialties and almost 200 subspecialties.

As of 2005, Vice Admiral Donald C. Arthur was the Chief of the Medical Corps.