Army Medical Department ( United States ) The Army Medical Department of the U . S . Army — known as the AMEDD — comprises the Army ' s six medical Special Branches ( or " Corps " ) of officers and its enlisted medical soldiers . It was established as the " Army Hospital " in July 1775 to coordinate the medical care required by the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War . The AMEDD is led by the Surgeon General of the U . S . Army , a Lieutenant general . The AMEDD is the U . S . Army ' s healthcare organization , not a U . S . Army command . It is found in all three branches of the Army : the Active Army , the U . S . Army Reserve , and the Army National Guard . Its headquarters is at Fort Sam Houston , San Antonio , Texas , which hosts the AMEDD Center and School ( AMEDDC & S ) . Large numbers of AMEDD senior leaders can also be found in the Washington D . C . area , divided between the Pentagon and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center ( WRNMMC ) . The Academy of Health Sciences , within the AMEDDC & S , provides training to the officers and enlisted service members of the AMEDD . As a result of BRAC 2005 , enlisted medical training was transferred to the new Medical Education and Training Campus , consolidating the majority of military - enlisted medical training in Fort Sam Houston . The current Surgeon General of the U . S . Army is LTG Patricia Horoho . She is also commander of the U . S . Army Medical Command ( MEDCOM ) . History . Both the AMEDD and the Army Medical Corps trace their origins back to July 27 , 1775 , when the Continental Congress established the " Army Hospital " , which was at that time overseen by the " Director General and Chief Physician " . Congress provided an Army medical organization only in times of war or emergency until 1818 , at which point it created a permanent " Medical Department " . The Army Nurse Corps originated in 1901 , the Dental Corps began in 1911 , the Veterinary Corps in 1916 ; the Medical Service Corps emerged in 1917 ; and the Army Medical Specialist Corps came into existence in 1947 . The Army Organization Act of 1950 renamed the Medical Department the " Army Medical Service " ( AMS ) and on June 4 , 1968 the AMS was renamed the Army Medical Department ( AMEDD ) . Heraldry . Coat of arms . A regimental coat of arms was devised for the Medical Department , and was most likely first used in 1818 . The 20 white stars on a blue background and the red and white stripes represent the U . S . flag of 1818 . The green staff entwined with a green serpent combined two symbols : the rod of Asclepius from Classical mythology , symbolic of medicine and healing ; and the color green associated with the Medical Corps during the last half of the 19th century . The colors Argent and Gules are those associated with the Army Medical Department . The cross and wreath are adapted from devices authorized for hospital stewards and other medical enlisted men when the Hospital Corps was established in 1887 . The seven stars emphasize the elements of the organization : the six officer branches ( Medical Corps , Army Nurse Corps , Dental Corps , Veterinary Corps , Medical Service Corps , Medical Specialist Corps ) and the Enlisted Medical Specialists . The AMEDD motto " TO CONSERVE FIGHTING STRENGTH " reflects the medical mission . Branch ( corps ) insignia . In 1851 , " a caduceus embroidered in yellow silk on a half chevron of emerald green silk " was first authorized and worn by hospital stewards of the Medical Department . The caduceus in its present form was approved in 1902 . Today , the AMEDD branch corps insignia is a gold color medal caduceus , 1 inch in height . With the exception of the Medical Corps , each Corps is identified by a black enamel letter ( or letters ) centered on the caduceus indicative of the specific branch . The insignia for Medical Service Corps is silver . Rooted in classical mythology and associated with the Greek god Hermes , the US Army ' s long - standing use of the caduceus has made it a well known emblem of physicians and medical skill in the United States . ( Purists , however , often assert that the rod of Asclepius , with its single serpent , is the more proper medical emblem . ) Regimental insignia ( crest ) . The design of the AMEDD regimental insignia ( crest ) is derived from the regimental coat of arms . It is one of the US Army ’ s 14 regimental corps insignias . These insignias are worn over the right breast pocket on the Class A uniform and signify the service member ’ s branch of service . The AMEDD insignia was originally approved on 17 April 1986 , but it was reduced in size from 1 1 / 4 inch to 1 inch on 28 August 1986 . Medical special branches . There are currently six special officer branches ( corps ) in the AMEDD . Medical Corps ( MC ) . The Medical Corps consists of commissioned medical officers who are physicians ( Doctors of Medicine and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine ) who have completed at least one year of post - graduate training ( internship ) or have been promoted from O - 1 to O - 3 following completion of medical school through USUHS or the HPSP . The MC traces its origins to 27 July 1775 , when the Continental Congress created “ a Hospital ” , essentially a Medical Department and corps of physicians , for the Continental Army . Medical officers in the United States Army were authorized uniforms only in 1816 and were accorded military rank only in 1847 . Congress made the designation of " Medical Corps " official in 1908 , although the term had long been in use informally among the AMEDD ' s regular physicians . Today , members of the MC work around the world at all echelons of the Army . The Chief of the MC is a major general , whereas the senior MC officer is the Surgeon General ( a Lieutenant general ) . Military physicians serve in one of several general career fields . The three main fields are operational field , clinical field , and research field . Operational Medicine is the field of Army medicine that provides medical support to the soldier and his / her Chain of Command . Many operational physicians serve as Division , Brigade and Battalion level surgeons ( the word " surgeon " is used to identify a physician that is assigned to a unit as a primary care provider and not necessarily as a General Surgeon ) . These physicians are either assigned through the " PROFIS " system or through permanent assignment ( PCS ) . Deployments with units to combat theaters are for the duration of a deployment and the jobs are mostly filled by primary care physicians . A PROFIS provider can expect to be deployed away from their family for a total of 16 months ( 1 month before deployment , 12 months in theater , and 3 months for " stabilization " after return to the assigned units home station ) . This means that primary care physicians are deployed for longer periods than most " specialist physicians " . A specialist ( i . e . General Surgeon , Pulmonologist , Cardiologist , Trauma Surgeon , Rheumatologist ) are usually deployed for 6 months . Operational Physicians should expect that more than 60 % of their time will be spent in administrative roles and non - patient care . 40 % of the operational providers time is spent caring for soldiers or supervising unit Physician Assistant s ( PA ) . With the recent Brigade Combat Team ( BCT ) restructuring , the demand for operational surgeons have increased . It is possible that the low retention rates of Captain s and junior Major rank Physicians in the primary care fields are due to the discrepancies in deployment length and deployment frequency between primary care and specialty physicians . Clinical Medicine is the field of Army medicine in which a physician in uniform performs similar functions to a physician in the civilian arena . These physicians are assigned to a PROFIS unit in one of the various Army MEDCEN ( Medical Centers ) and MEDDAC ( Medical and Dental facilities ) . Primary care physicians usually deploy to fill battalion level surgeon positions . Medical specialists deploy to support CSH ( combat support hospitals ) Research Medicine is filled by a minority of military physicians . Most of these research physicians are based in larger Army Medical Center s . Nurse Corps ( AN ) . The Army Nurse Corps became a permanent corps of the Medical Department under the Army Reorganization Act ( 31 STat . 753 ) passed by Congress on 2 February 1901 . Its motto is " EMBRACE THE PAST – ENGAGE THE PRESENT – ENVISION THE FUTURE " and its mission statement declares " All actions and tasks must lead and work toward promoting the wellness of Warriors and their families , supporting the delivery of Warrior and family healthcare , and all those entrusted to our care and ultimately , positioning the Army Nurse Corps as a force multiplier for the future of military medicine . " Dental Corps ( DC ) . The Dental Corps ( DC ) consists of commissioned officers holding the Doctor of Dental Surgery ( DDS ) degree or Doctor of Dental Medicine ( DMD ) degree . The chief of the Dental Corps is a major general . Enlisted soldiers may be assigned as dental assistants , although their collar insignia lacks the ' D ' and is the same as that worn by medics . Army Dental Corps Officers may train further in the following advanced training programs after Dental School : The US Army currently offers fellowship training in the following areas for Dental Corps Officers ( applicants must have already completed a recognized specialty training program ) : The following ADA recognized specialties are not represented in the US Army Dental Corps : The chief of the Army Dental Corps is Major General Ming " Ted " Wong . Veterinary Corps ( VC ) . The U . S . Army Veterinary Corps was established by an Act of Congress on 3 June 1916 . Recognition of the need for veterinary expertise had been evolving since 1776 when General Washington directed that a " regiment of horse with a farrier " be raised . It has evolved to include sanitary food inspectors and animal healthcare specialists . The Veterinary Corps consists of commissioned doctors of veterinary medicine . Warrant officers are the core of its food inspection service . Enlisted personnel can serve as food inspection specialists and veterinary technicians ; enlisted personnel ' s collar insignia lacks the ' V ' and is the same as that worn by medics . The Chief of the Veterinary Corps is Brigadier General John L . Poppe . Medical Service Corps ( MSC ) . The Medical Service Corps consists of commissioned and warrant officers . Members are required to hold at least a bachelor ' s degree before receiving a commission . The MSC has the greatest range of duties performed by personnel . These may include administrative and support duties such as healthcare administrators , health services officers in operational units , healthcare comptrollers , healthcare informatics officers , patient administrators , health service human resource managers , health physicists , toxicologists , sanitary engineers , medical operations and plans officers , medical logisticians , health services maintenance technician s , and medical evacuation pilots . MSC officers serve in clinical support roles as clinical laboratory science officers , environmental science officers , pharmacist s and preventive medicine officers . Medical Service Corps officers serve as commanders of field medical units in garrison and combat environments , and provide healthcare to patients as psychologist s ( PhD , PsyD ) , social worker s ( MSW with state license ) , optometrists , pharmacist , podiatrist s , and audiologists . The Medical Service Corps also functions as a transitional branch , encompassing commissioned medical , dental , and veterinary students who have not completed their training through the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences ( USUHS ) or the Health Professions Scholarship Program ( HPSP ) . Medical Service Corps officers are drawn from the various Army commissioning sources ( USMA , ROTC , and the federal and state Officer Candidate School s ) following a branch - immaterial curriculum . Since a primary function of the Medical Service Corps is to manage combat health support activities , its officers hold general command authority and can compete for company and field grade command of medical support formations and detachments , similar to officers of the " competitive category " branches ( infantry , ordnance , quartermaster , etc . ) . In contrast , Medical Corps and Dental Corps officers are limited to command billets specific to their respective corps ( e . g . hospitals , MEDDACs , clinics for doctors ; dental clinics , DENTACs for dentists ) . The Chief of the Medical Service Corps is Brigadier General Dennis D . Doyle . Medical Specialist Corps ( SP ) . The Army Medical Specialist Corps consists of commissioned officers . Members hold professional degrees and serve as clinical dietitians , physical therapists , occupational therapist s , and physician assistant s . Members of the SP serve all around the world and at all echelons of the Army . The Chief of the SP Corps is COL Theresa Schneider . Enlisted Medical Career Management Fields ( CMFs ) . There are currently 17 military occupational specialties ( MOSs ) for enlisted medical soldiers : Biomedical Equipment Specialist ( MOS 68A ) , Operating Room Specialist ( 68D ) , Dental Specialist ( 68E ) , Patient Administration Specialist ( 68G ) , Optical Laboratory Specialist ( 68H ) , Medical Logistics Specialist ( 68J ) , Medical Laboratory Specialist ( 68K ) , Nutrition Care Specialist ( 68M ) , Radiology Specialist ( 68P ) , Pharmacy Specialist ( 68Q ) , Food Safety Inspector ( 68R ) , Preventive Medicine Specialist ( 68S ) , Animal Care Specialist ( 68T ) , Respiratory Specialist ( 68V ) , Healthcare Specialist / Combat Medic ( 68W , formerly 91A , 91B ) , Mental Health Specialist ( 68X ) , and Chief Medical NCO ( 68Z ) . In addition , outside the AMEDD , is the Special Forces Medical Sergeant ( 18D ) .