The United States Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) consists of the five distinct medical corps of the

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

and enlisted medical technicians. The AFMS was created in 1949 after the newly independent Air Force's first

Surgeon General Surgeon general (: surgeons general) is a title used in several Commonwealth countries and most NATO nations to refer either to a senior military medical officer or to a senior uniformed physician commissioned by the government and entrusted with p ...

, Maj. General Malcolm C. Grow (1887–1960), convinced the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

and President

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

that the Air Force needed its own medical service. In the summer of 1949, Air Force General Order No. 35 established a medical service with the following officer personnel components: Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Veterinary Corps, Medical Service Corps, Air Force Nurse Corps, and Women's Medical Specialist Corps. The AFMS is led by The Surgeon General of the Air Force, who holds the rank of

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

. The AFMS is found in all three components of the Air Force, including the Active Air Force, the

U.S. Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...

, and the

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...

. Headquartered at The Air Staff, Defense Health Headquarters,

Falls Church, Virginia Falls Church City is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 14,658. Falls Church is ...

, AFMS senior leaders can be found in all of the Major Commands and in

the Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The building was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As ...

. The current

Surgeon General of the United States Air Force The surgeon general of the Air Force and Space Force is the senior-most medical service officer in the United States Department of the Air Force and is the principal medical advisor for both the United States Air Force and United States Space Fo ...

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

John DeGoes.

Medical branches

Biomedical Sciences Corps

Established in 1965 from the defunct Women's Medical Specialist Corps and components of the Medical Service Corps, the Biomedical Sciences Corps (BSC) consists entirely of commissioned officers. This is the most diversified of the Medical Corps, consisting of members in

Physical Therapy Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is a healthcare profession, as well as the care provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through patient education, physical intervention, disease preventio ...

Optometry Optometry is the healthcare practice concerned with examining the eyes for visual defects, prescribing corrective lenses, and detecting eye abnormalities. In the United States and Canada, optometrists are those that hold a post-baccalaureate f ...

Podiatry Podiatry ( ), also know as podiatric medicine and surgery ( ), is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower limb. The healthcare professional is known as a podiatrist. The US ...

Physician Assistant A physician assistant or physician associate (PA) is a type of non-physician practitioner. While these job titles are used internationally, there is significant variation in training and scope of practice from country to country, and sometimes be ...

Audiology Audiology (from Latin 'to hear'; and from Ancient Greek, Greek branch of learning , ''wikt:-logia, -logia'') is a branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders. Audiologists treat those with hearing loss and proactivel ...

Speech pathology Speech is the use of the human voice as a medium for language. Spoken language combines vowel and consonant sounds to form units of meaning like words, which belong to a language's lexicon. There are many different intentional speech acts, suc ...

Psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...

Social Worker Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...

Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy (OT), also known as ergotherapy, is a healthcare profession. Ergotherapy is derived from the Greek wiktionary:ergon, ergon which is allied to work, to act and to be active. Occupational therapy is based on the assumption t ...

Aerospace physiology Aerospace physiology is the study of the effects of high altitudes on the body, such as different pressures and levels of oxygen. At different altitudes the body may react in different ways, provoking more cardiac output, and producing more erythr ...

, Biomedical Scientists, Clinical

Dietitian A dietitian, medical dietitian, or dietician is an expert in identifying and treating disease-related malnutrition and in conducting medical nutrition therapy, for example designing an enteral tube feeding regimen or mitigating the effects of ...

Bioenvironmental Engineering Bioenvironmental Engineers (BEEs) within the United States Air Force (USAF) blend the understanding of fundamental engineering principles with a broad preventive medicine mission to identify, evaluate and recommend controls for hazards that could ha ...

Public Health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...

Officers,

Entomology Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...

Pharmacy Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medication, medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it ...

Medical lab A medical laboratory or clinical laboratory is a laboratory where tests are conducted out on clinical specimens to obtain information about the health of a patient to aid in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Clinical medical labor ...

Officers, and Health Physicists. The Chief of the Biomedical Sciences Corps is a brigadier general.

Dental Corps

Dental laboratory technicians receive an extensive specialized extended training at the US Air Force School Of Health Care Science. Graduates continue upgraded technical training throughout their career. Advanced courses include the production and technical understanding of complex dental and maxillofacial prosthetics. The Dental Corps consists of commissioned officers holding the

Doctor of Dental Surgery A number of professional degrees in dentistry are offered by dental schools in various countries around the world. Degrees Dental degrees may include: Bachelor's degree * Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) * Bachelor's degree of Dentistry (BDS ...

degree or

Doctor of Dental Medicine A number of professional degrees in dentistry are offered by dental schools in various countries around the world. Degrees Dental degrees may include: Bachelor's degree * Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) * Bachelor's degree of Dentistry (BDS ...

degree or a further, post-graduate degree. The current chief of the Dental Corps is brigadier general Sharon R. Bannister. The enlisted members of the USAF are assistants, technicians and prophylaxis technicians that train under licensed hygienists. The enlisted members are to support commissioned officers in different areas of the dental clinic. The enlisted members usually receive special training at certain bases that may have periodontist, oral surgeon, endodontist, orthodontist. After the first few years rotating in the clinic as an enlisted member, they can either become a prophylaxis technician which is a hygienist in the Air Force. Enlisted members also have the choices to work in other areas, such as DIPC, where instruments are cleaned, or front desk.

Medical Corps

The Medical Corps consists entirely of commissioned Air Force

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

s, including holders of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree and the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. A member of the Medical Corps can also become a Flight Surgeon. The Chief of the Medical Corps is a brigadier general. Physicians can enter service into the Air Force through several different paths. Cadets at the US Air Force Academy can compete for selection to medical school at the

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) is a health science university and professional school of the U.S. federal government. The primary mission of the school is to prepare graduates for service to the U.S. at home and abroa ...

(USUHS) or at any CONUS medical school through HPSP. An academy graduate who attends USUHS will incur a twelve-year (seven for USUHS and five for the Academy) service commitment not counting any training such as residency and fellowship; an academy graduate who attends a civilian medical school will incur a nine-year service commitment not counting any training such as residency and fellowship. Civilian undergraduates can also apply to USUHS, they incur a seven-year service commitment. USUHS students are commissioned officers at the rank of Second Lieutenant (O-1) and are paid as full-time active duty members. All of their school and expenses are paid by the US Air Force. USUHS graduates must complete residency training in a military residency program. Civilian medical school students can apply for the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). HPSP medical students have their medical school tuition paid by the US Air Force and receive a monthly stipend for living expenses, but they are not on active duty. These graduates can usually attend a civilian or military residency training program and incur a three or four-year service commitment (one year commitment per year of scholarship assistance). Civilian resident physicians can enter Air Force service through the Financial Assistance Program (FAP). FAP physicians receive payment while in residency, but do not receive funds to pay for medical school. Unlike all other programs in the Air Force, they incur a service commitment of based on their length in the program, plus one year (e.g. two years in the program incurs a three-year service commitment). All graduates of residency training enter active duty at the rank of Captain (O-3). Most of the US Air Force Academy graduates pursue a career as an Air Force physician, while the vast majority of HPSP graduates leave the service as soon as their commitment is completed. The Air Force also recruits fully trained and practicing physicians to enter active duty. Their rank at entry is based on their experience.

Medical Service Corps

The Medical Service Corps (MSC) consists entirely of commissioned officers. Members are required to hold a bachelor's or master's degree in Healthcare, Management, Economics, Finance, Operations Research,

Business Administration Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. Overview The administration of a business includes the performance o ...

or similar degree before receiving a commission, and must complete Basic Officer Training at Maxwell AFB, AL, and then a five-week military Health Services Administration (HSA) course at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX. MSCs serve as hospital administrators, resource management officers, directors of information systems/technology, managed care and patient administrators, group practice managers, medical logisticians, and medical readiness officers. MSC officers are also expected to become

Board certified Board certification is the process by which a physician, veterinarian, or other professional demonstrates a mastery of advanced knowledge and skills through written, oral, practical, or simulator-based testing. Certification bodies There are mor ...

by one of several national healthcare administration organizations. This is usually done while the officer is in the rank of Captain or Major. The Chief of the Medical Service Corps is Brigadier Generalbr>Alfred K. Flowers, Jr.

Nurse Corps

The Nurse Corps consists entirely of commissioned officers. New members of the Air Force Nurse Corps are required to hold at minimum a

Bachelor of Science in Nursing The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN, BScN) also known in some countries as a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) or Bachelor of Science (BS) with a Major in Nursing is an academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by an accredited ...

degree prior to receiving a commission. Members of the Air Force Nurse Corps work in all aspects of Air Force Medicine and can serve as

Flight Nurse A flight nurse is a registered nurse specializing in the field of providing comprehensive pre-hospital, emergency critical care, and hospital care to a vast scope of patients. The care of these patients is generally provided during aeromedical ...

in aeromedical evacuation missions,

nurse practitioner A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse and a type of mid-level practitioner. NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, prescribe medications an ...

, and

nurse anesthetist A nurse anesthetist is an advanced practice nurse who administers anesthesia for surgery or other medical procedures. They are involved in the administration of anesthesia in a majority of countries, with varying levels of autonomy. Nurse anesth ...

. The first Chief of the Air Force Nurse Corps was

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Verena Marie Zeller (1949–56). The first two-star general Chief of the Air Force Nurse Corps was Major General Barbara Brannon; she was replaced in 2005 by Maj Gen Melissa Rank. In 2008, it was announced that Colonel Kimberly Siniscalchi would be promoted to the rank of major general and serve as the Chief of the AF Nurse Corps, thereby bypassing the rank of brigadier general (one-star).Kimberly Siniscalchi
/ref>

Enlisted Medics

Air Force Enlisted Medical personnel perform in over twenty different medical fields including medical administration, mental health, dental care, optometry, physical therapy, aeromedical evacuation, medical logistics, laboratory sciences, surgical care, emergency care, radiology, pharmacy, etc. but the generic medic in the Air Force, equivalent to a Combat Medic Specialist in the Army or a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy, is known as an Aerospace Medical Service Technician or med tech for short. Enlisted medics are led by a

Chief Master Sergeant A chief master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries. Philippines Philippine armed forces Since 2004, as part of the ongoing modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippi ...

Badges A badge is a device or accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and fir ...

File:United States Air Force Medical Corps Badge.svg, Medical Corps Badge File:United States Air Force Enlisted Medical Badge.svg, Enlisted Medical Badge File:United States Air Force Biomedical Sciences Corps Badge.svg, Biomedical Science Corps Badge File:United States Air Force Nurse Corps Badge.svg, Nurse Corps Badge File:United States Air Force Dental Corps Badge.svg, Dental Corps Badge File:United States Air Force Medical Service Corps Badge.svg, Medical Service Corps Badge

Units

* AFMS Eurasia **423rd Medical Squadron, RAF Alconbury **31st Medical Group, Aviano Air Base **422nd Medical Squadron, RAF Croughton **39th Medical Group, Incirlik Air Base **48th Medical Group, RAF Lakenheath **86th Medical Group, Ramstein Air Base **52nd Medical Group, Spangdahlem Air Base *AFMS North **11th Medical Group, Joint Base Andrews **11th Medical Squadron, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling **436th Medical Group, Dover Air Force Base **66th Medical Squadron, Hanscom Air Force Base **633rd Medical Group, Joint Base Langley-Eustis **87th Medical Group, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst **43rd Medical Squadron, Pope Field **375th Medical Group, Scott Air Force Base **4th Medical Group, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base **88th Medical Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base *AFMS Pacific **36th Medical Group, Anderson Air Force Base **18th Medical Group, Kadena Air Base **8th Medical Group, Kunsan Air Base **15th Medical Group, Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam **35th Medical Group, Misawa Air Base **51st Medical Group, Osan Air Base **374th Medical Group, Yokota Air Base *AFMS South **97th Medical Group, Altus Air Force Base **2nd Medical Group, Barksdale Air Force Base **628th Medical Group, Joint Base Charleston **14th Medical Group, Columbus Air Force Base **7th Medical Group, Dyess Air Force Base **96th Medical Group, Eglin Air Force Base **17th Medical Group, Goodfellow Air Force Base **1st Medical Group, Hurlburt Field **81st Medical Group, Keesler Air Force Base **59th Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland **47th Medical Group, Laughlin Air Force Base **19th Medical Group, Little Rock Air Force Base **6th Medical Group, MacDill Air Force Base **42nd Medical Group, Maxwell Air Force Base **23rd Medical Group, Moody Air Force Base **45th Medical Group, Patrick Air Force Base **59th Medical Group, Randolph Air Force Base **78th Medical Group, Robins Air Force Base **20th Medical Group, Shaw Air Force Base **82nd Medical Group, Sheppard Air Force Base **72nd Medical Group, Tinker Air Force Base **325th Medical Group, Tyndall Air Force BASE **71st Medical Group, Vance Air Force Base *AFMS West **9th Medical Group, Beale Air Force Base **460th Medical Group, Buckley Space Force Base **27th Special Operations Medical Group, Cannon Air Force Base **355th Medical Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base **412th Medical Group, Edwards Air Force Base **354 Medical Group, Eielson Air Force Base **673rd Medical Group, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson **28th Medical Group, Ellsworth Air Force Base **92nd Medical Group, Fairchild Air Force Base **90th Medical Group, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base **319th Medical Group, Grand Forks Air Force Base **15th Medical Group, Joint Base Peral Harbor-Hickam **75th Medical Group, Hill Air Force Base **49th Medical Group, Holloman Air Force Base **377th Medical Group, Kirtland Air Force Base **62nd Medical Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord **61st Medical Squadron, Los Angeles Air Force Base **56th Medical Group, Luke Air Force Base **61st Medical Squadron, Fort MacArthur **341st Medical Group, Malmstrom Air Force Base **22nd Medical Group, McConnell Air Force Base **5th Medical Group, Minot Air Force Base **366th Medical Group, Mountain Home Air Force Base **99th Medical Group, Nellis Air Force Base **55th Medical Group, Offutt Air Force Base **21st Medical Group, Peterson Air Force Base **21st Medical Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base **60th Medical Group, Travis Air Force Base **10th Medical Group, USAF Academy **30th Medical Group, Vandenberg Air Force Base **509th Medical Group, Whiteman Air Force Base

References

External links

AFMS Home Page

AFMS online history

Virtual Naval Hospital - a digital library of military medicine and humanitarian medicine
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