Overview
The Hospital Corpsman Basic Program is designed and formulated to teach Navy enlisted personnel basic medical knowledge of pre-hospital, inpatient and outpatient medical care within the scope of the Navy Hospital Corpsman rate. Subjects include Basic Life Support, anatomy & physiology, pre-hospital care, emergency care, nursing care, shipboard medical care, and Tactical Combat Casualty Care. Outcome-based practice and safety techniques are emphasized throughout the program. The program comprises both didactic and practical instruction. Curriculum is delivered through lecture, demonstration, online materials, simulations, and laboratory practice. Both performance exercises and written examinations are used to assess accumulation and retention of knowledge and skills. Upon completion of the program graduates are provided with technical skills and knowledge required to achieve entry-level Basic Hospital Corpsman competencies.
Course of Study
New Overview
The Hospital Corpsman Basic (HCB) Program provides Navy enlisted personnel with the foundational knowledge and practical skills required for entry-level corpsman duties in fixed, deployable, and shipboard medical facilities. Delivered in a single-phase, group-lockstep format at the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC), the curriculum emphasizes clinical judgment, outcome-based practice, patient safety, and operational readiness.
Students are instructed in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, patient assessment, Basic Life Support (BLS), airway management, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), and operational medicine. Core coursework covers emergency, nursing, and primary care, including hands-on skills such as IV care, wound management, infection control, and vital signs. Training also integrates health records administration, basic psychology, and professional customer service.
Instruction is delivered through lectures, computer-based training, laboratory simulations, group activities, and clinical practice. Student achievement is assessed via written examinations, practical performance exercises, presentations, and clinical evaluations.
New curriculum effective August 3, 2026 (Cohort 26-210)
New Course of Study
| HCB 1102 | Hospital Corpsman Fundamentals | 1 |
| HCB 1201 | Emergency Care Fundamentals and Patient Management | 2 |
| HCB 2202 | Clinical Diagnostics and Force Health Protection | 2 |
| HCB 2204 | Environmental Medicine and Clinical Assessment | 2 |
| HCB 2303 | Systems-Based Trauma and Medical Emergencies | 3 |
| HCB 2306 | Circulatory Stabilization and Shock Management | 3 |
| HCB 2308 | Tactical Combat Casualty Care | 3 |
| HCB 2402 | Advanced Trauma and Respiratory Interventions | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 20 |