What is a corpsman

Navy corpsmen, called the "caduceus," shows two snakes twisting around a winged pole or staff. All corpsmen wear this symbol on their uniform, both in the field and in hospitals. The symbol for U. Army medics is the U. Combat Medical Badge, which features the snakes of the caduceus winding up a post bearing a Greek cross, backed by a wreath.

Not all medics receive the badge, which is an award given to those who provide medical care to troops engaged in active combat. Navy corpsmen may also have different working environments during deployment. A deployment is a specified period of time spent away from a regular station, often sending the service member into a combat area. In general, the U. Army has the most deployments.

Army medics often deploy as line medics, providing medical care at the point of injury to soldiers in combat situations.

Line medics see combat up close, carry the same gear as other soldiers and may themselves engage in combat. In contrast, many U. Navy corpsmen are historically less likely to see combat. They receive training in combat, are ready to serve in that capacity and may serve alongside U. Marines in combat operations, but their priority is to provide treatment and save lives.

Their deployments often take place on ships or other marine vessels. Their work environments are similar to hospitals and clinics, allowing them to provide medical care under more controlled circumstances. Though medics and corpsmen both provide medical care, there are some differences in the range of their duties. The role of medics most closely parallels that of civilian paramedics. They provide the treatment necessary to sustain a patient's life until a doctor becomes available. In the absence of a doctor, they may carry out some functions of one, but their primary function is to provide emergency care.

Corpsmen are more comparable to physician assistants. In addition to the emergency care medics provide, corpsmen have the authority to perform common medical duties such as physical examinations, prescribing medications and administering some treatments. Also, unlike medics, they provide dental care in addition to orthopedic and internal health care. In some cases, U. Navy corpsmen receive more comprehensive medical training than U.

Army medics do. Specifically, corpsmen who become independent duty corpsmen, or IDCs, undergo advanced medical education on various topics, such as anatomy and physiology, biology, preventive medicine, pharmacy, diagnosis and treatment, substance abuse and more. This additional training authorizes them to conduct a wider range of tasks, including diagnosing patients, performing medical procedures and prescribing medicine.

In the context of the military, IDCs serve in a health care role equivalent to that of physician assistants. Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. Upload your resume. Sign in. Finding a Job. What is a U. Army medic? Log in Sign Up. Save Word. Definition of corpsman. Navy corpsman who was one of the 13 service members killed in the Kabul airport attack. Seib, WSJ , 30 Aug. First Known Use of corpsman , in the meaning defined at sense 1.

Learn More About corpsman. Time Traveler for corpsman The first known use of corpsman was in See more words from the same year. Style: MLA. Medical Definition of corpsman.

The corpsman straightened up and turned to Walters and Captain Strong. New Word List Word List. Save This Word! See synonyms for corpsman on Thesaurus. We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.