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Hospital corpsman | |
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Issued by | United States Navy |
Type | Enlisted rating |
Abbreviation | HM |
Specialty | Medical |
A hospital corpsman (HM) or corpsman (/ˈkɔːrmən/) is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit. The corresponding rating within the United States Coast Guard is health services technician (HS). The U.S. Navy Hospital Corps was created in 1898, with hospital corpsman used as a generic name for the applicable personnel while various other official names (including hospital apprentice, hospital steward, pharmacist's mate) were used for the rating; after World War II, hospital corpsman became the official name for the rating.