The Medical Corps of the United States Navy is a staff corps consisting of doctors in a variety of specialties. The corps of commissioned officers was founded on 3 March 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.
As of 2004, the Navy Medical Corps has over 4,000 active duty and reserve commissioned officers holding more than 47 specialties and almost 200 subspecialties.
As of 2005, Vice Admiral Donald C. Arthur was the Chief of the Medical Corps.
