What are the advantages of USPHS as opposed to just applying to a gov job?

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2009

20 year retirement, and other standard military benefits

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2009

For me, the benefits and the pride of wearing the uniform and serving. I have not started the process yet (have to get to weight first), but I am excited about it!!! I was introduced to the USPHS by a nurse who works for the agency, non-commissioned. She told me that if she had known about it before she was too old to join, she would have done it in a heartbeat. The benefits cannot be beat by any civilian job.

Part of me is still debating between this and Reserves or National guard, but I am leaning to USPHS right now. My hesitation is that the jobs available near me with USPHS are with the BOP (corrections), and I feel that might not be the most personally rewarding assignment. I just bought my dream home and am NOT willing to move, so I am stuck with the opportunities that are close to me. I might look into the VA also. I would love to care for the men and women who are or have served our country on the frontlines, as opposed to taking care of inmates who are paying for their misdeeds.

DrCOVID, DNP · Nov 13, 2009

Another benefit is regular promotion up to O-3 (Start at O-2). O-4 and up are competitive, but from what I have read almost all the USPHS nurse officers will be promoted after they serve the minimum time in grade for the next rank. I talked to a VA recruiter yesterday (missouri), and even though their promotion system sounds similar, I think the military's is better.

The bonuses, tuition assistance, and loan repayment are up to whatever agency you work for in the USPHS. I have talked to people from the NIH, IHS, and BOP, and no one seems to know about these things. I have no idea who to contact for this information and neither my accessions recruiter or the officers at the agencies know...

Jams95 · Nov 13, 2009

If your local university has a College of Public Health (COPH) many times they sponsor seminars and guest speakers from all branches of military and USPHS. I've been to a few and they are very informative and informal. So alot of Q&A and you walk away with a contact person. The last USPHS seminar I went to was informative, but alittle confusing. They are nationally based and you deploy for 2 week intervals (max). You can deploy overseas, but this is a rare occurance and usually volunteer. Promotions are highly competative and require "relocating atleast 3 times, 30 year commitment for retirement benefits and a Masters or Doctorate degree." That was the informative part. But the heirarchy or structural part was a bit confusing, as admitted by the USPHS presentor, as it is not well defined. Bascially you apply for a civilian or gov't job, but get preference if you are a USPHS officer, if it falls under the USPHS . But you don't goto a USPHS job. Not a good explanation, but that was how it was explained to me........

allnurses Guide · Nov 13, 2009

If your local university has a College of Public Health (COPH) many times they sponsor seminars and guest speakers from all branches of military and USPHS. I've been to a few and they are very informative and informal. So alot of Q&A and you walk away with a contact person. The last USPHS seminar I went to was informative, but alittle confusing. They are nationally based and you deploy for 2 week intervals (max). You can deploy overseas, but this is a rare occurance and usually volunteer. Promotions are highly competative and require "relocating atleast 3 times, 30 year commitment for retirement benefits and a Masters or Doctorate degree." That was the informative part. But the heirarchy or structural part was a bit confusing, as admitted by the USPHS presentor, as it is not well defined. Bascially you apply for a civilian or gov't job, but get preference if you are a USPHS officer, if it falls under the USPHS . But you don't goto a USPHS job. Not a good explanation, but that was how it was explained to me........

I don't know exactly who gave you this information about USPHS, but a lot of it is incorrect.

1. You can retire at 20yrs just like the other uniformed military services (see link/info below).

2. Deployments are usually around 2-6wks from what my USPHS friends have told me.

3. It may be encouraged to move, but it certainly is not necessary to move in order to make rank in USPHS.

4. Rank is not highly competitive compared to the military. My one USPHS classmate transfered from the AF d/t inability to promote to O-4. She did a one day break in service and transfered into USPHS as an O-4, and she is about to promote to O-6 all in about 6-7yrs with the USPHS. She has been assigned to one place her whole time except for going to CRNA school, and when she finishes CRNA school she will go back to her same hospital she started out at.

5. There is no requirement for a Master's or Doctoral degree for retirement that I know of, but you probably will have a harder time promoting past O-4 without either a Masters or Doctoral degree.

http://www.usphs.gov/profession/nurse/compensation.aspx

Core Benefits

Commissioned Corps benefits are generous. They include:

*Competitive starting pay that increases with promotions and years of service

*Health care and dental care at no cost

*Tax-free housing and meal allowances

*Thirty days of paid vacation per year--beginning the first year

*Paid sick leave

*Paid maternity leave

*Paid Federal holidays

*Malpractice insurance coverage

*A retirement plan with benefits eligibility beginning after 20 years of service

*Thrift Savings Plan [retirement savings and investment plan similar to a 401(k)]

*Low-cost life insurance

*Low-cost health care for your family.

Additional Benefits

The Corps offers you and your family many other benefits that often exceed those found in the private sector or through the civil service, including:

*Malpractice insurance coverage

*Paid moving expenses when you join the Corps and relocation expenses if and when you change jobs

*Paid expenses for travel related to your job

*Access to military base lodging and recreational facilities

*Shopping privileges at military base grocery and department stores

*Veterans Affairs benefits, such as survivor and disability benefits, home loans, and burial allowances.

Officers in the Commissioned Corps have opportunities for mobility among government agencies and career advancement in diverse work settings. The Corps encourages you to expand your knowledge base and grow professionally so that you can effectively deal with the challenges of improving public health. Tuition and long-term training opportunities may be available.

If you are a nursing student or nurse interested in the Commissioned Corps, take the next step! E-mail us your questions, call us at 800-279-1605, or apply online now.

0osimo0 · Nov 14, 2009

Wow great - thanks for all the advice!

Is it foreseeable that you could make more money in working just with the agency ? It seems as if USPHS is like the middle man because theypay you and not the agency. I guess I just need to crunch some numbers.

BSN317 · Dec 18, 2009

wtbcrna is right on the money! I am a new USPHS officer (as of Nov 1) and so far, everything is great! I attended OBC last month, and most everything is correct in what wtbcrna said. Deployments are usually less than 2 weeks, although there are some exceptions for people with "critical" skills. (Meaning people with skill sets that are very rare within the USPHS, like vets, etc.) The benefits are GREAT, like the GI bill, non taxed housing allowance, and healthcare benefits for you and your dependents. I like the flexibility in choosing my own assignments and going where I please, that is another advantage. There sign on bonus is correct, if you sign for 3 years you get 20,000, and 4 years is 25,000. Mind you, you do NOT have to stay at the same location. Also, there is no mandatory degree requirements for promotion, but of course at the higher ranks, higher education means you are more likely to get promoted, because it shows progression in your career. Promotion is NOT more competitive than in other services, it is actually way better. Nurses are promoted >85% I think it was stated during OBC, as long as you have met your time and education requirements. I currently work on an Army base, and Im pleased with my decision to join vs just taking a govt job.

pinklady_rn · Dec 27, 2009

I have applied to the usphs cc and I am getting very discouraged..... I can't find a job! Since you've already accepted a job, can you give a few suggestions on where to start. And you say you work on a base?...

applern · Dec 27, 2009

For me, the benefits and the pride of wearing the uniform and serving. I have not started the process yet (have to get to weight first), but I am excited about it!!! I was introduced to the USPHS by a nurse who works for the agency, non-commissioned. She told me that if she had known about it before she was too old to join, she would have done it in a heartbeat. The benefits cannot be beat by any civilian job.
Part of me is still debating between this and Reserves or National guard, but I am leaning to USPHS right now. My hesitation is that the jobs available near me with USPHS are with the BOP (corrections), and I feel that might not be the most personally rewarding assignment. I just bought my dream home and am NOT willing to move, so I am stuck with the opportunities that are close to me. I might look into the VA also. I would love to care for the men and women who are or have served our country on the frontlines, as opposed to taking care of inmates who are paying for their misdeeds.

As a nurse one of your goals is to provide the highest quality of care for people you care for. it does not matter whether they are "inmates who are paying for their misdeeds" or veterans. I agree with you about serving these men who served and are serving our nation but still everybody deserves your best care.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Dec 27, 2009

But I also say that being an RN (not to mention being a mature adult) involves knowing yourself and your limitations - and if pinklady_rn KNOWS she has absolutely no desire caring for inmates and sees this as non-rewarding for her, then she has every single right to say so.

No one has a right to pass judgement on someone's personal moral convictions, no matter how wrong we may think they are.

Personally, while I feel inmates deserve no less care than anyone else, I too find this a bit of a moral dilemma for myself - and plan on staying as far from BOP as I possibly can as a result. The inmates deserve care from someone much less biased than myself.

I've cared for inmates in the inpatient setting, and I didn't treat them any differently than I did my other patients. But I couldn't do that day in and day out, either - and everyone's better off for my realizing that.

Now, back to the thread...

pinklady_rn · Dec 27, 2009

ApppleRN, I'm so glad to see that you are so passionate about providing good universal patient care. I have not/ nor have I said that an inmate should receive any less than that of standard care.

And btw, if my post is read I never mentioned anything about prison, inmate, veteran, etc