A corpsman in the Navy is a medical professional who provides medical care to Navy personnel and their families. They are enlisted medical specialists who 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. Here are some key facts about the Navy Hospital Corps:

• The Navy Hospital Corps is comprised of more than 30,000 active duty and reserve Hospital Corpsmen that are practicing or training in 40 technical fields.
• Hospital Corpsmen assist health care professionals in providing medical care to Navy personnel and their families. They perform a wide range of procedures, from dispensing vaccines and analyzing lab samples to aiding in dental operations and assisting in emergency surgeries.
• Hospital Corpsmen can serve as combat medics for the Marines. After serving with a Marine unit, they can test and earn a special pin and the designation of Fleet Marine Force, as well as the honor to call themselves a Marine.
• The Hospital Corps is the most decorated rating in the Navy and one of the most decorated in the U.S. military.
• Hospital Corpsmen (E-5 and above) may attend independent duty corpsman training, qualifying for independent duty in surface ships and submarines, with diving teams, and Fleet Marine Force Recon teams, as well as at remote shore installations. In addition to advanced medical training, these hospital corpsmen receive qualification in sanitation and public health.