Medical Operators / Technicians in the Army belong to the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC). The RAAMC, in conjunction with the Royal Australian Army Dental Corps (RAADC) and the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC) are responsible to provide every aspect of health care to support and maintain the health and well-being of Army personnel. The Corps are made up of highly trained professionals who are often called upon to work, in a variety of operational and non-operational conditions, which their civilian counterparts would find daunting.

The role of the RAAMC is to provide staff for company/regimental aid posts, evacuation teams, medical facilities and hospitals.

A Medical Operator / Technician provides safe patient care from a controlled environment (health facility) through to independent routine and emergency medical management in the absence of a nurse or doctor.

This encompasses advanced first aid, prehospital emergency care, advanced life support, evacuation of casualties, resuscitation, hospital treatment and skilled nursing care for sick and wounded. They must be able to cope with conventional/unconventional injuries and illnesses in a variety of situations and environments and work independently and effectively under front line defence emergency conditions for long periods.

All combat units include a medical element of members of the RAAMC so that health care and emergency medical care is available to soldiers from the point of battle back through medical treatment facilities as their condition demands.

The RAAMC also encompasses the Army's physical training instructors, pathology technicians, operating theatre technicians, and preventive medicine personnel.

Medical Operators / Technicians work in five broad fields:

• Professional practice;
• Critical reasoning;
• Cinical practice/patient care;
• Health administration; and
• Team work and leadership.

The Medical Operator is employed in either a medical or non medical unit with the requirement to:

• Protect the rights of individuals and groups;
• Perform health administration;
• Provide health logistic support;
• Care for in-patients;
• Care for outpatients;
• Provide basic emergency response;
• Meet patient needs;
• Promote health and well-being for personnel;
• Conduct training;
• Provide safe practice in the workplace;
• Participate in the deployment of an operational support facility;
• Participate in professional development; and
• Demonstrate effective communication.

The Medical Technician in addition to the above is required to:

• Perform advanced life support;
• Work independently and remote from higher level medical care and support;
• Develop health plans for activities;
• Management and coordinating role in the field or health facilities;
• Involved in the day to day running of a medical facility;
• Conduct health training including instruction; and
• Supervision of subordinates.