Thesoldiersproject is supported by its audience. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

What is a Military Doctor Called? Not Everybody Knows!

Written by Everett Bledsoe / Fact checked by Brain Bartell

what is a military doctor called

Although we usually only think of soldiers carrying firearms when it comes to military members, there is in fact a range of professions in the service. Therefore, you can also find doctors in the military.

On this note though, you might wonder, “What is a military doctor called?”

In general, they can be called military doctors or medical doctors. However, within each service branch, there are specific jobs and specific titles.

So, if you are interested, continue reading to find out all the possible names.

U.S Military Doctors / Medical Doctors

Military doctors or medical doctors can be group-called by service branches. Hence, they would be dubbed:

  • Army Medical Corps (Sometimes also Med Corps Army)
  • Marines Medical Corps
  • Air Force Medical Corps

Since the Medical Corps is the most well-known Corps of the six healthcare Corps.

1. The U.S Army

army-medical-officer

The Army Medical Command includes 6 Corps. Each has a specific function, but they all work together to maintain the health of Army members.

Corps 1: Army Medical Corps

The three primary practice areas for physicians here are

  • Operational Medicine
  • Clinic Medicine
  • Research Medicine

So U.S Army doctors in this corps can be referred to as Operational Medicine Physicians, Clinic Medicine Physicians, or Research Medicine Physicians. Within these areas, though, there are about 40 specialties. And physicians are sometimes called by their specialty.

Here is the full list of names for military doctors in the Army Medical Corps:

  • Allergist
  • Anesthesiologist
  • Clinical Immunologist
  • Cardiologist
  • Child Neurologist
  • Child Psychiatrist
  • Clinical Pharmacologist
  • Dermatologist
  • Diagnostic Radiologist
  • Emergency Physician
  • Endocrinologist
  • Family Medicine Physician
  • Field Surgeon
  • Flight Surgeon
  • Gastroenterologist
  • General Surgeon
  • Infectious Disease Officer
  • Internal Medicine Physician
  • Medical Oncologist
  • Nephrologist
  • Neurologist
  • Neurosurgeon
  • Nuclear Medicine Officer
  • Obstetrician
  • Occupational Medicine Officer
  • Ophthalmologist
  • Orthopedic Surgeon
  • Otolaryngologist
  • Pathologist
  • Pediatric Physician
  • Peripheral Vascular Surgeon
  • Physiatrist
  • Plastic Surgeon
  • Preventive Medicine Officer
  • Psychiatrist
  • Pulmonary Diseases Officer
  • Rheumatologist
  • Urologist

Corps 2: Medical Service Corps

In this Corps are medical administrative, scientific, and provider specialties. The general disciplines are:

  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Health Services
  • Laboratory Sciences
  • Optometry
  • Pharmacy
  • Podiatry
  • Preventative Medicine

That being said, the Army Medical Corps can be referred to as a doctor in any of the disciplines. For example, a Behavioral Sciences doctor.

Corps 3: Medical Specialist Corps

Those in the Corps are called ​​Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Clinical Dietitians.

Corps 4: Veterinary Corps

Army medical officers in this Corps work with animals. The disciplines include:

  • Field Veterinary Service
  • Veterinary Clinical Medicine
  • Veterinary Laboratory Animal Medicine
  • Veterinary Pathology

Their names or titles would be: Discipline Name + Officer. For instance, a Field Veterinary Service officer.

Corps 5: Army Nurse Corps

This Corps is home to all nurses in the Army. However, technically they are not doctors. So, we will not go into details here.

Corps 6: Amy Dental Corps

The names or titles of doctors in this Corps would also be based on their specialty. In detail, you can hear of:

  • Comprehensive Dentist
  • Endodontist
  • Executive Dentist
  • General Dentist
  • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
  • Oral Pathologist
  • Orthodontist
  • Pediatric Dentist
  • Periodontist
  • Prothodontist
  • Public Health Dentist

Furthermore, if you are planning to become a military doctor, you should check this guide now!

2. The U.S Marine Corps

us-military-doctors

Doctors in the Marines are generally referred to as Medical Officers or Medical Corps Officers.

The U.S Navy

Similar to the Army, the Navy health care providers are within 6 Corps: the Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Nurse Corps, Medical Service Corps, Hospital Corps, and Civilian Corps.

Corps 1: Medical Corps

The doctors are called by their specialty, which can be in:

  • Aerospace
  • Anesthesiology
  • Dermatology
  • Global Health Engagement
  • Internal Medicine
  • Neurology
  • OB-GYN
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatrics
  • Physical Medicine
  • Psychiatry
  • Pulmonary
  • Trauma Surgery
  • Operational Medicine

Without distinguishing these specialties, they may be called “physicians,” “psychiatrists,” or “specialists.”

Corps 2: Dental Corps

As with the Medical Corps, those in the Dental Corps are called according to their specialization:

  • Comprehensive Dentistry
  • Dental and Biomedical Research
  • Dental Public Health
  • Operative Dentistry
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
  • Oral Medicine and Radiology
  • Orofacial Pain
  • Orthodontics
  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Periodontics
  • Prosthodontics

Corps 3: Nurse Corps

This Corps is home to all nurses in the Navy. However, technically they are not doctors. So, we will not go into specifics here.

Corps 4: Medical Service Corps

Like both Corps 1 and 2, the Medical Service Corps personnel have titles corresponding to their areas of specialization, and those specializations are:

  • Aerospace Experimental Psychology
  • Aerospace Physiology
  • Biochem or Toxicology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Clinicians Audiology
  • Dietetics
  • Education and Training Management
  • Entomology
  • Environmental Health
  • Financial Management
  • Health Care Administration
  • Health Care Facility Planning
  • Health Care Info Systems
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Manpower Personnel
  • Material Logistics Operations Analysis
  • Medical Technology
  • Microbiology
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Optometry
  • Patient Administration
  • Pharmacy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Physician Assistant
  • Physiology
  • Podiatry
  • Radiation Health
  • Research Psychology
  • Social Work

Corps 5: Hospital Corps

The specialities are extensive, and Navy doctors in this Corps are referred by their specialization titles, as follows:

  • ​Advanced Dental Laboratory Technician
  • Aerospace Medicine Technician
  • Aviation Physiology Technician
  • Basic Dental Laboratory Technician
  • Behavioral Health Technician
  • Biomedical Equipment Technician
  • Cardiovascular Technician
  • Dental Assistant
  • Dental Hygienist
  • Dive Independent DutyCorpsman
  • Dive medicine Technician
  • Drug and alcohol Counselor
  • Electronneurodiagnostic Technologist
  • Hemodialysis Technician
  • Histology Technician
  • Mammography Technician
  • Maxillofacial Technician
  • Medical Laboratory Technician
  • Mortician
  • Nuclear Medicine Technician
  • Occupational Therapy Technician
  • Optician
  • Ophthalmology Surgical Technician
  • Orthopedic Cast Room Technician
  • Pharmacy Technician
  • Physical Therapy Technician
  • Preventative Medicine Technician
  • Radiation Health Technician
  • Radiologic Technician
  • Reconnaissance Corpsman
  • Reconnaissance Independent Duty Corpsman
  • Respiratory Therapy Technician
  • Search and Rescue Medical Technician
  • Submarine Independent Duty Corpsman
  • Surface Force Independent Duty Corpsman
  • Surgical Technologist
  • Ultrasound Technician
  • Urology Technician

Corps 6: Civilian Corps

These are the Navy’s civilian healthcare employees. They are usually just called Civilian Doctors. Though those who know their speciality titles may refer to them as such.

3. The U.S Air Force

army-medical-corps

Doctors in the Air Force can be called any of the below, depending on their healthcare specialty:

  • Aerospace and Operational Physiologist
  • Aerospace Medicine Specialist or Flight Surgeon
  • Aerospace Medical Service Technician
  • Allergist
  • Anesthesiologist
  • Audiologist
  • Biomedical Laboratory Officer
  • Clinical Geneticist
  • Clinical Psychologist
  • Dermatologist
  • Dental Laboratory Technician
  • Dentist
  • Diagnostic Imaging Technician
  • Diagnostic Radiologist
  • Diet Therapy Specialist
  • Dietitian
  • Endodontist
  • Emergency Services Physician
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Family Physician
  • Histopathologist
  • Medical Entomologist
  • Medical Health Service Specialist
  • Medical Laboratory Technician
  • Medical Materiel Technician
  • Neurologist
  • Nuclear Medicine Physician
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologist
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
  • Obstetrician or Gynecologist
  • Occupational Medicine Specialist
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Ophthalmologist
  • Optometrist
  • Orthopedic Surgeon
  • Orthodontist
  • Otorhinolaryngologist
  • Pathologist
  • Pediatrician
  • Pediatric Dentist
  • Periodontist
  • Pharmacist
  • Pharmacy Technician
  • Physical Therapist
  • Pharmacist
  • Pharmacy Technician
  • Physical Medicine Technician
  • Physical Therapist
  • Podiatric Surgeon
  • Preventative Medicine Specialist
  • Prosthodontist
  • Psychiatrist
  • Public Health Officer
  • Radiotherapist
  • Respiratory Care Practitioner
  • Surgeon
  • Surgical Service Specialist
  • Urologist

4. The U.S Coast Guard

Those who care for the Coast Guard members’ daily heath are called Health Services Technicians. But they can also be called by more specific titles, such as:

  • Medical Assistant
  • Medical Laboratory Technician
  • Physician Assistant
  • X-Ray Technician

Conclusion

As you have read above, there are a few different answers to, “What is a military doctor called?” There can be general names like “military doctor,” or “medical doctor,” and there can be specific names based on the doctor’s area of specialization. Other titles are “technician,” “specialist,” and “physician.”

The Army has over 40 specializations, so there are at least 40 names. There are more than 90 in the Navy, and at least 50 in the Air Force. Hopefully, you have learned a lot from this article. Leave any thoughts and questions you have in the comments below. Also, please help us share this article with other readers, like your family and friends!

5/5 - (3 votes)