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Navy Rating · Medical

HM Hospital Corpsman

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

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Overview

Hospital Corpsmen help prevent and treat disease, disability, injuries, and dental conditions, assist with physical examinations, and provide patient care. They serve ashore, afloat, and with Marine Corps and Joint Services while performing laboratory, pharmacy, casualty care, transportation, instruction, administrative, and medical readiness functions.

Minimum ASVAB: GS+AR+MK+VE 208 or GS+MK+2VE 208 or AR+PC+MK 156

ASVAB policy: Not policy-reviewed · coverage unknown · as of 2026-10-19

Program scope has not been reviewed.

Policy applicability and coverage of the program's score routes have not been reviewed. Shown-route arithmetic is not an eligibility decision.

Source: milpersman-1306-618-rating-list-2026-04 (source date 2026-04). Policy applicability has not been established.

See if you would hit this score: free ASVAB practice test

Core Skills

  • Tactical Combat Casualty Care and casualty transport
  • Assistance with medicinal and parenteral solution administration
  • Environmental and occupational health standards support
  • General laboratory and pharmacy support services

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Medical Assistants

HM experience assisting with physical examinations, providing patient care, and supporting medical departments overlaps directly with clinical medical-assistant work.

How to prepare: Have AMT review your formal military medical training record against its RMA military route before applying for the examination.

What the civilian work involves
  • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
  • Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
  • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Epic Systems
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software

Emergency Medical Technicians

HM experience performing Tactical Combat Casualty Care and assisting with transportation of sick and injured personnel transfers to prehospital emergency care.

How to prepare: Contact your State EMS Office to identify a state-approved EMT course and its local BLS skills competency process.

What the civilian work involves
  • Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
  • Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
  • Communicate with dispatchers or treatment center personnel to provide information about situation, to arrange reception of survivors, or to receive instructions for further treatment.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Informed EMS Field Guide

Paramedics

HM casualty-care experience and assistance with medicinal and parenteral solutions provide a foundation for further paramedic education.

How to prepare: Ask a CAAHEP-accredited paramedic program or one holding a CoAEMSP Letter of Review to evaluate your military training and outline an education plan.

What the civilian work involves
  • Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures.
  • Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
  • Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • MEDITECH software

Training & Development

Choose credentials for your target role. COOL funding markers describe program listings, not a guarantee of eligibility or funding.

Getting Started

  • Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

    Use the military training eligibility route toward medical-assistant certification.

    Eligibility and preparation: The AMT military route requires graduation within the last four years, or scheduled graduation, from a formal U.S. Armed Forces medical services training program. All applicants must pass the AMT RMA examination.

    For: Medical Assistants

  • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) · Funded

    Establish EMT certification for entry into civilian EMS and a potential later paramedic pathway.

    Eligibility and preparation: Complete a state-approved EMT course meeting National EMS Education Standards within the past two years, with program-director verification, and pass the National Registry EMT examination and State EMS Office-approved BLS skills competency requirement.

    For: Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics

Career Growth

  • National Registered Paramedic (NRP)

    Progress from EMT-level certification or licensure through professional paramedic education and certification.

    Eligibility and preparation: Hold current National Registry certification or a state license at EMT level or higher; complete a CAAHEP-accredited paramedic program or one with a CoAEMSP Letter of Review within the past two years; meet the CoAEMSP Student Minimum Competency requirements with program-director verification; and pass the National Registry Paramedic Certification Examination.

    For: Paramedics

Notes & Sources

  • For both EMT and paramedic work, National Registry certification alone does not authorize practice; state authorization is required.
Evidence for this guidance (10 documents)
  1. NAVPERS 18068F, Vol. I: Navy Enlisted Occupational Standard, Hospital Corpsman (HM), Change 100, October 2024

    [1] Scope of Rating, HM-3; cached text data/sources/text/navpers-18068f-vol1_2026-01_2026-08.txt:41316-41331

    Supports: Tactical Combat Casualty Care and casualty transport, Assistance with medicinal and parenteral solution administration, Environmental and occupational health standards support, General laboratory and pharmacy support services, Medical Assistants (O*NET 31-9092.00), Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 29-2042.00), Paramedics (O*NET 29-2043.00)

  2. O*NET: Medical Assistants

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Medical Assistants (O*NET 31-9092.00)

  3. American Medical Technologists : Medical Assistant (RMA)

    [3] Check Eligibility and RMA Military Route

    Supports: Medical Assistants (O*NET 31-9092.00), Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

    [9]COOL credential mapping: Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) · HM cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

  4. O*NET: Emergency Medical Technicians

    [4] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 29-2042.00)

  5. National Registry : EMT Full Education Program Pathway

    [5] Opening requirements list

    Supports: Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 29-2042.00), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

  6. National Registry : Legal Differences Between Certification and Licensure

    [6] What if my state certifies, not licenses, EMS professionals?

    Supports: Emergency Medical Technicians (O*NET 29-2042.00), Paramedics (O*NET 29-2043.00)

  7. O*NET: Paramedics

    [7] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Paramedics (O*NET 29-2043.00)

  8. National Registry : Paramedic Full Education Program Pathway

    [8] Opening requirements list

    Supports: Paramedics (O*NET 29-2043.00), National Registered Paramedic (NRP)

  9. COOL credential mapping: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

    [10] HM cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

  10. COOL credential mapping: National Registered Paramedic (NRP)

    [11] HM cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: National Registered Paramedic (NRP)

Defense contractor jobs for HM

Predecessor codes

Historical codes with documented links to HM. Each history page explains the change.

PhMPharmacist's Mate

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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