Your Ideal Career with IHS Public Health Professions

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Your Ideal Career with IHS Public Health
Professions

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IHS Public Health Professions

• A Unique Mandate
• Principal Federal healthcare provider and health
  advocate for 1.6 million American Indian and
  Alaska Native people in 35 states, served through
  12 Area Offices
• A Unique Mission
• To raise the physical, mental, social and
  spiritual health of this diverse population to
  the highest level

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Opportunity

• Multi-disciplinary healthcare approach in
  clinics, hospitals, and community outreach
  programs
• Integrated, collegial team environment
• Many modern facilities equipped with advanced
  technologies
• Apply skills, learn from peers, share knowledge,
• create solutions

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Adventure

• Exceptional lifestyle opportunities
• Positions available in rural, urban/suburban
  areas

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Purpose

• Serve an in-need patient population
• Live and work in communities rich in culture,
  tradition, history

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We Are

• More than 6000
• Physicians, Nurses, Dentists, Pharmacists,
  Engineers
• Other related healthcare providers
• Caring professionals working together in the
  spirit of service that has distinguished the IHS
  for more than 50 years

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Medicine

• Community-oriented practice in an integrated,
  multi-disciplinary team environment
• More than 1,000 IHS physicians
• Specialized programs include womens health and
  child health, diabetes, elder care, and
  behavioral health
• Physicians serve as Chief Clinical
  Consultantsand advocates for system-wide
  improvementsand innovations

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Medical Specialties
The need for physician care covers a wide range
of specialties including

• Anesthesiology
• Cardiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Internal Medicine
• Nephrology
• Neurosurgery
• Obstetrics/Gynecology
• Ophthalmology

• Optometry
• Pathology
• Pediatrics
• Podiatry
• Psychiatry
• Primary Care/Family Practice
• Radiology
• Surgery
• Urology

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Nursing

• Provide services in IHS hospitals, clinics, and
  public health community outreach programs using
  an interdisciplinary team approach
• Serve as an advocate for improvements and
  innovations in patient care
• Participate in true health promotion and disease
  prevention activities

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Nursing

• More than 4,000 registered nurses (over 300 Nurse
  Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, and
  Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists)
• Approximately 50 of IHS nurses have a bachelors
  or advanced degree

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Nursing Specialties
In addition to generalist on a medical/surgical
oroutpatient/ambulatory unit, other specialty
areas include

• Intensive Care
• Pediatrics
• Anesthesiology
• Public Health

• Emergency Room
• Gynecology/Obstetrics (Labor Delivery)
• Operating Room
• Recovery Room

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Oral Health

• IHS dentists and registered dental hygienists
  meet the comprehensive oral health needs of
  entire communities
• More than 1,800 dentists, hygienists, and
  assistants
• American Indians and Alaska Natives suffer dental
  disease at rates several times higher than the
  overall US population
• 60 of vacancies are for entry level personnel
• After 2 years of service, dentists can apply for
  an IHS Advanced General Practice Residency as
  well as other specialty training opportunities as
  they become available

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Oral HealthOpportunities exist for dentists in
a number of specialty care areas including

• Pedodontists
• Oral Surgeons
• Endodontists
• Periodontists
• Prosthodontists
• Dental Public Health
• Orthodontists

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Pharmacy

• IHS pharmacists are fully integrated as part of
  the IHS Public Health Professions team
• More than 650 pharmacists operate 237 pharmacies
• Approximately 25 of IHS pharmacists have a
  second degree in addition to their Doctor of
  Pharmacy

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Pharmacy Specialties Opportunities exist for
pharmacists in a number of specialty care areas
including

• Cardiology
• Diabetes
• Elder Care
• Immunization
• Obstetrics/Gynecology
• Patient discharge medication counseling

• Pharmacokinetic consultation
• Pediatrics
• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation
• Womens Health
• Child Health

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Engineering

• IHS engineers provide the skills that make it
  possible for people to enjoy lives that are
  healthy, hygienic, and greatly improved on many
  levels

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Engineering SpecialtiesEngineering expertise is
needed in a wide range of specialty areas
including

• Civil Engineering
• Construction Engineering
• Electrical Mechanical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Sanitary Engineering

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Career Opportunities

• The Federal Path
• US Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned
  Corps
• Civil Service
• Direct Tribal Hire Path

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USPHS Commissioned Corps

• One of the seven uniformed services
• IHS has the greatest number of assignments
  available to USPHS commissioned officers
• Excellent employment benefits
• Minimum two year commitment

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USPHS Commissioned Corps

• Eligibility Requirements
• US citizenship
• Medical physical
• Minimum two year commitment
• Must be under 44 at time of commission

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USPHS Commissioned Corps

• Eligibility Requirements
• Registered Nurses and Registered Hygienists
  Fully accredited baccalaureate degree and valid
  license from any US state
• Physicians and Dentists Degree and valid license
  from any US state
• Pharmacists Graduate of an ACPE accredited
  college of pharmacy and unrestricted pharmacy
  license from any US state within one year of
  graduation

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USPHS Commissioned Corps

• Benefits
• 30 days annual paid vacation
• 10 paid Federal holidays
• Sick leave/maternity leave as needed
• Comprehensive health care

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USPHS Commissioned Corps

• Benefits
• No-cost malpractice coverage
• Continuing education availability and
  reimbursement vary by profession, position, and
  location
• Non-contributory (employee funded) retirement
• Thrift savings (contributory) retirement

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USPHS Commissioned Corps

• Benefits
• Non-taxable housing allowance
• No clinical overhead costs
• Moving expenses
• Veterans Administration (VA) benefits after 2
  years of service, including home mortgages and
  educational benefits
• Free space-available travel on military aircraft
• Shopping privileges at military commissaries,
  post/base exchanges
• Transient officer quarters

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Civil Service

• IHS has the largest number of positions available
  of any HHS Agency
• Excellent employment benefits
• Negotiable starting salary for some professions

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Civil Service

• Eligibility Requirements
• US citizenship
• Negotiable employment commitment
• No age requirement
• No physical required

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Civil Service

• Eligibility Requirements
• Physicians and Dentists Degree and valid license
  from any US state
• Pharmacists Pharmacy degree (BS or PharmD) from
  an ACPE accredited school of pharmacy and a valid
  license from any US state
• Registered Nurses Diploma, ADN or BSN and valid
  RN license from any US state
• Registered Hygienists Degree and valid license
  from any US state

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Civil Service

• Benefits
• Competitive starting salary and benefits
• Eligible for transfer after 2 years
• 13 days paid vacation to start
• 10 paid Federal holidays
• 13 days sick leave per year

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Civil Service

• Benefits
• Continuing education availability and
  reimbursement vary by profession, position, and
  location
• Comprehensive health care
• No-cost malpractice coverage
• No overhead expenses

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Civil Service

• Benefits
• Comprehensive retirement program
• Contributory Thrift savings retirement plan
  withgovernment match
• Up to 5 years of retirement credit transferable
  to employment with Commissioned Corps

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Direct Tribal Hire

• 560 Federally recognized Tribes in 35 States
• Employment and benefits vary by Tribe
• Positions available in rural, urban/suburban
  areas
• Benefits are competitive with those of Federal
  personnel systems

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IHS Loan Repayment Program (LRP)

• Open to Commissioned Corps, Civil Service and
  Direct Tribal Hire employees working for IHS or
  Tribal programs
• Maximum 24,000 per year award includes an
  allocation for taxes
• Is in addition to salary

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IHS Loan Repayment Program (LRP)

• Eligibility Requirements
• U.S. citizenship
• Job offer contingent upon obtaining a license to
  practice
• Available to start by September 30
• Commitment of 2 continuous years in full-time
  clinical practice at an IHS or Tribal facility,
  or in an approved Indian health program from the
  date the award is made
• After the initial 2 years, LRP awards are on an
  annual basis

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IHS Loan Repayment Program (LRP)

• Award Process
• Awards made on a monthly basis
• 1st round January
• Registered Dental Hygienist awards start August
• Funded at approximately 16.5 million annually
• Monthly award cycles continue until all funds are
  awarded

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Supplemental Loan Repayment (SLRP)

• Offered by a specific site rather than nationally
• Must work at site for 2 years
• Guaranteed for 2 years
• After 2 years, SLRP award may be extended, or you
  have the option to compete nationally

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Student Externships Opportunities

• Opportunity to experience IHS and gain
  professional experience
• Three programs
• IHS Externship
• JRCOSTEP
• SRCOSTEP

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IHS Externship

• Minimum time commitment of 2 weeks
• Limited positions (due to available housing)
• High demand
• Work with school externship coordinator

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JRCOSTEP

• Junior Commissioned Officer Student Training and
  Extern Program
• USPHS Commissioned Corps
• Travel paid to and from site
• Salary paid at an Ensign Officer level
• Assignments at IHS and Tribal sites
• Placement for 31 to 120 days during the summer or
  other official school breaks

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JRCOSTEP

• No obligation to serve in the Commissioned Corps
  after graduation
• Opportunity for extended active-duty assignment
  after graduation
• JRCOSTEP time is credited toward Commissioned
  Corps pay and retirement

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JRCOSTEP

• Must be in a commissionable Bachelors degree or
  higher degree program
• Pharmacists Doctor of Pharmacy program
• Apply promptly and early
• September 1 December 31 for positions during
  the following May 1 August 31
• January 1 April 30 for positions during the
  following September 1 December 31
• June 1 September 30 for positions during the
  following January 1 April 30
• Additional information at www.usphs.gov/html/jrcos
  tep.html

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SRCOSTEP

• Senior Commissioned Officer Student Training and
  Extern Program
• USPHS Commissioned Corps
• Salary paid at an Ensign Officer Level during
  senior year
• Tuition and Fees paid in some instances
• Assignments at IHS and Tribal sites

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SRCOSTEP

• Commitment to serve in the Commissioned Corps
  after graduation for twice the time sponsored
  (i.e., 12 months of financial support 24-month
  employment commitment)
• Additional information at www.usphs.gov/html/srcos
  tep.html

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SRCOSTEP

• Must be in a commissionable Bachelors degree or
  higher degree program
• Pharmacists Doctor of Pharmacy program
• Apply promptly and early
• Apply in the 3rd year of school for SRCOSTEP
  beginning in the fall of the 4th year
• Postmarked by December 31
• Additional information at www.usphs.gov/html/srcos
  tep.html

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Travel Housing for COSTEP

• All travel arrangements made on a preauthorized
  government travel order and IHS buys airline
  ticket
• Driving to site is an option with mileage or
  airline equivalent reimbursement
• Housing and food may be available at the site
• No rental cars available

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Nationwide Locations Facilities

• Where could you be located?
• Remote sites
• Rural sites
• Urban sites

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Remote Site

• Pawnee Health Center
• Located in Pawnee, Oklahoma, 48 miles west of
• Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Provides ambulatoryhealth care, dentistry,human
  services,optometry, communityhealth
  nursing,pharmacy, laboratory,radiology,
  andnutrition services.

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Rural Site

• Lame Deer, Montana
• Northern Cheyenne Health Center
• Located in Lame Deer, MT
• 115 miles east ofBillings, Montana

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Rural Site

• Lame Deer, Montana
• Northern Cheyenne Health Center
• Provides direct ambulatory,emergency,
  dental,environmental health,community health,
  andpreventive health services

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Rural Site

• Ft. Defiance, AZ
• Fort Defiance Indian Hospital
• Located in Fort Defiance, AZ
• 168 miles west of Albuquerque,NM and 193 miles
  eastof Flagstaff, AZ

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Rural Site

• Ft. Defiance, AZ
• Fort Defiance Indian Hospital
• Licensed for 56 inpatient beds and includes a
  24/7 Level 2 Emergency Room, 65-exam room
  Ambulatory Care Center and 24 chair Dental Clinic

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• www.careers.ihs.gov

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Discipline Specific Link on Website
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Questions and Answers

• For more information contact
• Ed Stein
• 1-602-364-7745
• E-mail edward.stein_at_ihs.gov
• Request information www.pharmacy.ihs.gov