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Careers for Scientist
Officers
The U. S. Public Health Service (PHS) is the largest Federal health
agency in our Nation. An arm of the Department of Health and Human
Services, PHS can trace its origins to the time of President John
Adams, who first recognized the Federal government's role in
protecting and assuring the health of its people. Since then, PHS
has evolved and expanded as the needs of our Nation have changed.
However, the underlying philosophy behind the PHS has not changed,
that is, our Nation and our people will achieve their full potential
only with dynamic individuals serving the public though a variety of
programs.
PHS programs are designed to:
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Help provide health care and related services to medically
underserved populations, to American and Alaskan Natives, and to
other population groups with special needs;
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Prevent and control disease, identify hazards in the environment and
help correct them, and promote health lifestyles for the Nation's
citizens;
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Ensure that drugs and medical devices are safe and effective, food
is safe and wholesome, cosmetics are harmless and that electronic
products do not expose user to dangerous amounts of radiation;
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Conduct and support biomedical, behavioral and health services
research and communicate research results to health professionals
and the public; and
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Work with other nations and international agencies on global health
problems and their solutions.
The PHS has two personnel systems: Civil Service and Commissioned
Corps. You are probably familiar with the Civil Service system.
Civil Service employees are not generally subject to involuntary
relocation. Grade is vested in the position and the employee holds
the grade of the position.
The Commissioned Corps of the PHS is one of seven uniformed services
(National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Air
Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy,
and U.S. Public Health Service). Officers in the USPHS Commissioned
Corps are subject to reassignment and grade is vested in the officer
not the position. Salary and benefits including retirement, are
identical for all seven uniformed services.
The PHS commissions officers in 11 categories. These are dentists,
dietitians, engineers, health service officers, nurses, pharmacists,
physicians, sanitarians, scientists, therapists and veterinarians.
The qualifying degree for the scientist category is the Ph.D., Sc.D.
or equivalent.
The PHS uses scientists from a variety of disciplines including
biochemistry, biology, biostatistics, chemistry, computer science,
entomology, environmental health, epidemiology, genetics, health
physics, immunology, industrial hygiene, microbiology, nutrition,
parasitology, pharmacology, physics, physiology, psychology, social
science and toxicology.
Scientists work in six different functional areas. They include
clinical practice, environmental health, health education,
regulatory support, research, and research support.
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