Today’s Commissioned Corps

Who We Are

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 18th SURGEON GENERAL

VICE ADMIRAL Regina Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A.

PHOTO

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 WHO WE ARE

• 6,500+ well-trained, highly qualified health care

professionals

• Essential component of the largest public health program

in the world

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 WHO WE ARE

• Physicians • Optometrists
• Dentists • Physician assistants
• Nurses • Scientists/Researchers
• Pharmacists • Physical, occupational and
• Engineers respiratory therapists (SLP
• Environmental health officers and Audio)
• Mental health specialists • Veterinarians
(including clinical • Many other health-related
psychologists and clinical disciplines
social workers)

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 Today’s Commissioned Corps
Why We’re Here

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 WHY WE’RE HERE

To protect, promote, and

advance the public health and
safety of our Nation.

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 A PROUD HISTORY
From Ellis Island…
…To tribal lands.
Across America
Around the World

Protecting public
health and safety
For more than 100
years…
WWW.USPHS.GOV Source: www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/phs_history/intro.html
 Today’s Commissioned Corps
What We Do

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 WHAT WE DO

• Serving underserved populations

• Psychological health care to include wounded warriors and
their families
• Disease control and prevention
• Biomedical research
• Regulation of food and drugs
• Health care delivery
• International health
• Emergency and humanitarian response

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 EMERGENCY AND HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

USNS Comfort

Types of missions:
• Earthquake response in Haiti
• Hurricane response to include Katrina, Gustav and Ike
• Suicide response in American Indian community
• Toxic exposure alerts in the Gulf Coast area
• Humanitarian assistance in Latin American, Caribbean, Pacific Rim
and Pacific Island countries.

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 Today’s Commissioned Corps
Where We Work

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 WHERE WE WORK

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 DoD MOA: A HISTORY

• On April 15, 2008 the DoD and PHS signed a

memorandum of agreement (MOA) establishing
the DoD-PHS Partners in Mental Health:
Supporting our Service Members and Their Families
initiative.
• Increases mental health services available to active
duty service members, retirees, and their families.
• Allows Commissioned Corps mental health
providers to be detailed to Military Treatment
Facilities around the country.
• Establishes guidelines for the support of the DoD
Psychological health mission and its mission in
treating traumatic brain injury.

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 DUTY STATION MAP

…just some of the exciting places our USPHS officers serve, including
more duty stations than all the Services combined.

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 Corps Benefits
What The Corps Offers You

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 BENEFITS
• Competitive compensation package
• Health care and dental care at no cost
• Tax-free housing and meal allowance
• Thirty days paid vacation—beginning
the first year
• Paid sick and maternity leave
• Malpractice insurance coverage
• Retirement plan with benefits eligibility beginning after
20 years of service
• Thrift Savings Plan—retirement savings and investment plan
similar to 401(k)
• Low-cost life insurance
• Free health care for your family
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 Corps Requirements
What You Have To Offer The Corps

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 REQUIREMENTS

Basic qualifications:
• U.S. citizen
• Less than 44 years of age
• Medically qualified
• Qualifying degree from an accredited institution (varies
depending on profession)
• Ability to pass a suitability review
Additional requirement:
• Current, unrestricted professional license
(if applicable)

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U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

COMMISSIONED CORPS
America’s Health
Responders
For more information, call
1–800–279–1605
or visit www.usphs.gov and
www.facebook.com/usphs

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 Student Opportunities
What You Can Do

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 COSTEP OPPORTUNITIES

Junior COSTEP (JRCOSTEP):

• One year of medical, dental, or veterinary school
• 2 years in specific health disciplines
• Work 1 to 4 months during school breaks
• No obligation after graduation
Senior COSTEP (SRCOSTEP):
• Full-time students in specific health disciplines
• At least 8 months remaining in their final year
• Obligated to work for twice the amount of time sponsored
by the Corps

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 ENSIGN JESSICA MEED

Position:
• JRCOSTEP
Service time:
• 2 ½ months
Postings:
• Washington, DC
Practice areas:
• Disaster Mental Health Policy

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