chesrae

charming46: The days very a lot. There have been days where I am on my feet all day running like crazy, dont get lunch, and have to stay an hour late. There are also days where I get to watch a lot of football. It just depends what happens. MY role is going to be operating entirely by myself, but generally staff is very helpful if you ask. Staff is very diverse if i had to guess 65% male. I have had no issues with inmate contact. As long as you are fair and NEVER lie they will respect you. BSN317: I am hoping my schedule will be 6-10 on the weekends and 2-10 on Monday for a full 40 hours.

My job duties are very wide ranging. But keep in mind that I'm still very new to everything so i haven't completely settled into my role yet. When I work a regular day shift I run the pill lines and make the trips to Special Housing. I handle all of the wound care during these times as well. There is always something going on to stay busy PPDs, flu shots, hepA or B vacs, someone sprained there ankle on the rec yard, etc. When I work nights or weekends I am the only health care staff on duty so I have to be prepared to handle any emergencies that come up. These shifts are usually the easiest. I am probably going to start working double on the weekends soon 6 am to 10pm. LEt me know if you have any other questions.

If it says your Board is completed that should be a very good sign. You'll get used to the pace at which PHS moves eventually. For uniforms I would recommend against ordering online. Call a navy uniform shop and they should be able to help you. 301-295-1489 This is the number for Bethesda which I used. You will probably be wearing the Navy coverall which they should do the name tag for you, although you will need other dress uniforms for other occasions. Do a google for "PHS device supply center" for other PHS items such as name tags for your other uniforms. The best advice I could give you is to try and contact a PHS officer at your duty station. They will be your best resource for how things run at that specific institution. I was allowed to wear civilian clothing for my first two weeks till I got my uniform. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Being SRCOSTEP disqualifies me from the signing bonus. But I did get full pay and benefits for my senior year of school which more than makes up for that negative. Who or what department are you calling? Make sure you are calling the correct person/department.

So far I definitely like working for them. Keep in mind though you really aren't working for PHS but for the agency your assigned. I imagine working for IHS is extremely different from BOP where I work. I am still new so I cant give too much advice. Keep in mind that you are in a certain sense your own HR department. You are responsible for making sure everything is in order as far as paperwork and promotions. Keep calling if something needs to be done on their end.

The short answer is yes start applying now. Remember that I applied through SRCOSTEP which is different from applying directly like it sounds you will be doing. This is the basic time line of my application process however. December, 2007: Sent in my application May, 2008: Selected by BOP Summer of 2008: Spent a lot of time fulfilling medical requirements and background clearances. August of 2008: Started my senior year of school Also remember that you will essentially have to apply to two places once to USPHS and then to wherever you actually want to work. Don't be afraid to call and inquire about your status. Everything happens very slowly. I do not think it is difficult to get in USPHS right now if you meet the requirements and are patient. They are quite desperate for people right now.

Honestly, at my duty station the fact that I am a USPHS officer only means one thing: I wear the uniform. Other than that my employment and day to day activities are identical to a nurse hired directly by the BOP. I of course can't comment on what it is like at other agencies. The main difference that comes with being an officer is of course pay and promotion process and COMPLETELY different personnel systems. The only bad thing about housing is that my spouse and I had to choose living arrangements from across the country since I had to report so soon after graduation. Overall I definitely like it and would recommend the SRCOSTEP program to everyone. A quick tip: if you read official PHS policy you are not allowed to have other income during SRCOSTEP. But if you ask and can argue that the job is a valuable experience you can work. I made more money during school than I will for at least another year. I have gotten some PMs from other people - as I just started posting I can't reply yet. Either post in this thread or wait for me to get my 15 posts.

I have just recently gone on active duty with USPHS assigned to the BOP. If anyone has questions about application or experience feel free to message me. I was commissioned under the SRCOSTEP program so i have been an officer for almost a year.