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Hospital Corpsmen perform duties as assistants in the prevention and treatment of disease and injury and assist health care professionals in providing medical care to Fleet people and their families. They may function as clinical or specialty technicians, medical administrative personnel and health care providers at medical treatment facilities. They also serve as battlefield corpsmen with the Marine Corps, rendering emergency medical treatment to include initial treatment in a combat environment. Qualified hospital corpsmen may be assigned the responsibility of independent or combat duty aboard ships, with Colonial Marines, and at isolated duty stations where no medical officer is available.

What They Do:

The duties performed by HMs include: assisting in the prevention and treatment of disease and injuries; preparing/administering medications including injections; caring for the sick and injured; administering immunization programs; rendering emergency medical treatment; instructing crewmen and marines in first aid, self aid and personal hygiene procedures; transporting the sick and injured; conducting preliminary physical examinations; performing medical administrative, supply and accounting procedures; maintaining treatment records and reports; supervising shipboard and field environmental sanitation and preventive medicine programs; supervising air, water, food and habitability standards.

Qualified technicians: perform clinical laboratory tests and operate sophisticated laboratory equipment; take and process X-rays and operate scanning equipment; fill prescriptions, maintain pharmacy stock; serve as operating room technicians for general and specialized surgery; do preventive maintenance and repairs on biomedical equipment; operate sophisticated medical diagnostic treatment equipment. Includes kidney dialysis machines, radiation monitors, hearing and vision testing machinery, heart and lung test apparatus, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and CT scan equipment.

Hospital corpsmen work in a variety of environments. Most HMs work indoors in hospitals or clinics. Others work aboard ships, Viper squadrons, and special operational environments. Duties are service oriented, repetitive and require good judgment and mental alertness. HMs may work alone or with supervision by other health professionals, depending on the assignment.