What is the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)?

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Program was officially launched as a national, community-based movement in July 2002.  It was formed in response to President Bush’s call to all Americans to offer volunteer service in their communities.  The MRC Program is a specialized component of the Citizen Corps Council, a national network of volunteers dedicated to making sure their families, homes, and communities are safe from terrorism, crime, and disasters of all kinds. 

The Medical Reserve Corps mission on a national level is simple --

to help communities be better prepared to deal with disaster.

The purpose of the MRC Program is to strengthen communities by providing a structure for volunteers to offer their expertise in times of community need.  The MRC is a local volunteer unit that supplements existing community emergency response systems during large-scale emergencies. 

Under the umbrella of the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General and the White House's USA Freedom Corps, the Medical Reserve Corps was created in 2002.

The MRC program's main objective is establishing a system to identify, train, and organize medical and public health professionals, as well as lay volunteers to supplement and support on-going emergency response systems and personnel.

Common MRC goals:

• Creating teams of volunteer medical, public health, and lay professionals to help during emergencies and disasters.  

• Offering education and prevention to improve the public health of neighborhoods and communities.

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Each MRC is organized and tailored to meet specific needs in the community it serves.

MRC units across the United States are forming to establish teams of local volunteer medical, public health professionals and lay personnel; that will contribute their skills and expertise during times of community, regional, and national disasters and also lend their support throughout the year.

Locally-based MRC volunteers can assist during large-scale emergencies, such as an influenza epidemic, an act of terrorism, or a natural disaster. On a daily basis, they can be called upon to help in public health initiatives, and to offer education and prevention services to help improve the overall health of their neighborhoods and communities.

Click here to link to National Medical Reserve Corps Site.