The U.S. Navy Medical Department touches the lives of every Sailor, every Marine, and every one of their loved ones. Men and women of Navy Medicine work tirelessly around the globe to promote good health in peace and to save lives in war.
The United States Navy Memorial’s virtual exhibit, “Navy Medicine: Saving Lives on Land and Sea,” highlights the history and contributions of these medical Sailors.
The exhibit presents the role of Navy doctors, dentists, nurses, Medical Service Corps officers, and hospital corpsmen, as well as their many achievements.
In order to tell the story of Navy Medicine the virtual exhibit examines its five corps, each of which plays a different but complementary role.
This exhibit was on display at the United States Navy Memorial from April 12, 2008 - 2009.
To tell the story of Navy Medicine the exhibit will examined its five corps, each of which plays a different but complementary role.
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The Medical Corps, established in 1871, is comprised of the Navy’s 3,700 physicians.
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The Hospital Corps, created in 1898, provides some 28,000 enlisted health care personnel to clinics and hospitals, ships and submarines, and to front line combat units of the Marine Corps. In the latter role hospital corpsmen have left perhaps their most distinguished mark, performing untold numbers of heroic acts under fire to save wounded Marines. |
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The Nurse Corps, which celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2008, has the Navy’s 4,100 registered nurses. |
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The Dental Corps, created in 1912, is comprised of the Navy’s 1,000+ dentists. |
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The Medical Service Corps, established in 1947, includes nearly 2,700 healthcare professionals, such as administrators and clinical health science specialists such as optometrists, psychologists, physical therapists, and dietitians. |
Navy medical personnel are presented with unique challenges outside the normal sphere of healthcare. Providing humanitarian medical support as part of a hospital ship or in Afghanistan, performing environmental safety functions at sea, and manning a space shuttle mission have all been opportunities for Navy medicine’s men and women to help others in the time of their unique needs.