Are you driven to help others and be part of a collaborative emergency response to public health crises and national emergencies? Then consider joining the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (Commissioned Corps)
What the Commissioned Corps does
The Commissioned Corps is led by the U.S. Surgeon General. As one of America's seven uniformed services, the Commissioned Corps fills essential public health leadership and service roles within the nation's federal government agencies and programs. Our work helps support the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, a staff division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The Commissioned Corps' mission is to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of our nation. We achieve our mission through:
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Rapid and effective response to public health needs.
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Leadership and excellence in public health practices.
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Advancement of public health science.
The Commissioned Corps emergency response teams are trained and equipped to respond to public health crises and national emergencies. These include natural disasters, disease outbreaks, or terrorist attacks, both here and overseas. Our officers have responded to emergencies, such as:
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The COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Ebola response in West Africa.
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The Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
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The earthquake in Haiti.
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Hurricane Katrina.
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Ground Zero.
Available positions and opportunties
The Commissioned Corps currently has hundreds of paid vacancies in locations around the U.S. and across the globe. We are hiring students as well as for people with professional degrees.
Opportunities to serve within the Commissioned Corps include:
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The Active Duty Corps.
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The Public Health Emergency Response Strike Team (PHERST), who must deploy within 8 hours of a national or public health emergency.
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The Ready Reserve Corps, which allows individuals to work in civilian jobs while also serving in the Commissioned Corps part-time.
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The Commissioned Officer Student Training and Externship Program, which pays students in health-related undergraduate and graduate programs to serve while also pursuing their degrees
Explore additional jobs within the Commissioned Corps.
Applying to the Commissioned Corps
The Commissioned Corps has very specific guidelines on our website on who can apply and how. If you are interested in becoming an officer in the Commissioned Corps, please note that applications for specific professions are accepted based on current needs. To become an officer, you are required to obtain a position within a federal agency within one year.
For more information
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Questions or issues? Contact the Commissioned Corps.