Medical Corps (United States Navy)

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. 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.

Medical corps

A medical corps is generally a military branch or officer corps responsible for medical care for serving military personnel. Such officers are typically military physicians.

List of medical corps

The following organizations are examples:

In the British Armed Forces and Commonwealth of Nations:

In the United States military:

Medical Corps (Israel)

The Israeli Medical Corps (Hebrew: חֵיל הָרְפוּאָה, Heil HaRfu'a) is an Israel Defense Forces corps responsible for providing healthcare services and medical treatment and instruction to all levels of the IDF. During wars or emergencies, it also assumes authority over the civilian healthcare system in Israel. The corps attends to the planning, organization, and supervision over the preparedness of the healthcare system to face crises. As of 2011, the corps is headed by Brigadier General Dr. Itzik Kryce. Its headquarters are located in Tel HaShomer.

Structure

The Medical Corps is divided into six brigade- or battalion-level units:

The Medical Services Center, headed by a colonel, is the corps's main operational unit, consisting of four regional medical service centers.

Commanders

External links

Medical Corps (Ireland)

The Medical Corps (Irish: an Cór Liachta) is the medical corps of the Irish Army, a branch of the Irish Defence Forces, responsible for the provision of health promotion, medical and dental support to forces while on exercise and deployment.

Because it is not a fighting arm (non-combatant), under the Geneva Conventions, members of the corps may only use their weapons for self-defence.

Insignia

The corps has its own distinctive insignia. Its badge displays the words "Óglaigh na hÉireann" (the name of the Defence Forces in Irish) on a scroll at the top. At the bottom is another scroll with the corps' motto, "Comraind Legis". This Middle Irish phrase is a quotation from the Táin Bó Cuailgne, equivalent to modern Irish "comhroinn leighis"; it translates as "equal division of healing", referring to impartial treatment of the wounded. The scrolls are joined on each side by a staff about which a serpent is twined. In the centre is a silver hand, referring to Nuada Airgetlám, the mythological chieftain of the Tuatha Dé Danann who lost his hand in battle and had an artificial silver hand made to replace it.