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This page is about the title or occupation in medicine. For other uses, see Medic (disambiguation)

A medic is an umbrella term for a person involved in medicine. The following fall under this term: a physician, paramedic, medical student, and sometimes a medically-trained individual participating in the role of a medic such as an emergency medical responder.

Among physicians in the UK, the term "medic" indicates someone who has followed a "medical" career path in postgraduate professional training accredited by a College of Physicians, such as cardiology or endocrinology, in contrast to a surgical branch of specialisation accredited by a College of Surgeons.


A German military paramedic providing first aid to a wounded soldier during the Battle of France, 1940

"Medic" may be used to refer to people in the following roles:[citation needed]

  • Emergency physician, a medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.) who has specialized postgraduate training in emergency diagnostics and treatment
  • Combat Medical Technician, a soldier with a specialist military trade within the Royal Army Medical Corps of the British Army
  • Combat medic (in various nations)
  • Corpsman, a sailor who is trained for providing first aid to members of the US Armed Forces, combat casualty care/trauma care on the battlefield (This name is only used by the Navy and Marine Corps for the Hospital Corpsmen who serve in either a Navy or Marine billet; other branches use the term "medic".)
  • Emergency medical technician: The procedures and skills allowed at this level are generally non-invasive such as bleeding control, positive pressure ventilation with a bag valve mask, supplemental oxygen administration, and splinting (including full spinal immobilization). In some locations, the EMT-B is trained to reduce joint dislocations - they are allowed one attempt - to reduce the risk of compartmentalization.[citation needed] Splinting a femur fracture may involve use of a traction splint, which will reduce the fracture. Some medications (for example, epinephrine for anaphylactic shock (severe allergic reaction) administered through an auto injection device such as an EpiPen) can only be administered or "assisted" to a patient with a prior prescription. Training requirements and treatment protocols vary from area to area.[citation needed]
    • Emergency medical technician-basic, the entry certification level
    • Emergency medical technician-intermediate, the middle certification level, between EMT-basic and paramedic
    • Paramedic, a pre-hospital responder to medical and trauma emergencies who provides advanced emergency treatment. It should be noted that in some EMS parlance the use of the term "medic" is used to refer explicitly to the EMT-paramedic level and not to the other EMT certifications. An example of this can occasionally be seen in the callsigns for paramedic-level staffed ambulances (e.g. "Medic-3" etc.).
    • First aider, a person who is specifically trained to give initial care or treatment to a casualty on scene before more advanced personnel arrives. Organizations such as St. John Ambulance, St. Andrew's Ambulance Association and the British Red Cross have many trained volunteer first aiders who are often incorrectly referred to as paramedics.
    • In the United States, those who have completed a formal course in first aid through the American Red Cross, the American Medical Association, a community college, or university, are given the designation certified emergency responder (also known as certified first responder). These individuals, while still civilian responders, have higher training than an ordinary first aid course and may have (depending on the location) a duty to act, but are below the level of emergency medical technician-basic; they may assist at accidents or other incidents. Both first aiders and certified emergency responders are covered by Good Samaritan laws provided they give care corresponding to their level of training if the situation is safe.
    • Street medic, a participant in a demonstration or protest movement who provides informal medical care

See also[edit]