Securing a commission as an officer in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) is a multi-step process. Refer to Applying to JRCOSTEP and Applying to SRCOSTEP for the steps involved in applying to those programs.

Step 1 - Initiate a prescreen. The USPHS prescreen is a series of questions that will determine your conditional eligibility to initiate a formal application. The questions relate to your citizenship status, age, health, and academic achievements and will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Step 2 - Upon completion of the prescreen, you will be notified by email as to your eligibility. If qualified, you will receive access to the official application and directions for submitting supporting documents. It is imperative that you complete all necessary documentation outlined in the instruction packet to be considered a formal applicant to the Commissioned Corps.

Step 3 - When you submit your complete application to the USPHS, you will receive additional communication as to your status as an applicant. In general the formal process for commissioning consists of three board reviews to include professional boarding, medical review, security/suitability determination, and senate confirmation. For a more detailed description of the entire process please refer to the USPHS Commissioning Process [PDF].

Step 4 - The USPHS will contact you once you have been professionally boarded. It is at this time you will be deemed an official candidate and encouraged to seek employment opportunities with one of the agencies in which Corps officers serve.

Step 5 - While you are applying for a specific agency position, your medical review will be completed by the USPHS and your name submitted for confirmation.

Step 6 - Once you have been selected by an agency, a 1662 form will be forwarded by the hiring agency to the USPHS. It is at this time that your security/suitability determination will be finalized and you will have successfully completed the necessary steps for commissioning.

If you are ready to answer the call, take the first step to starting your future career as a Commissioned officer today!

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