Basic Requirements

• U.S. native or naturalized citizen
• Less than 44 years of age (this may be adjusted for current/prior active duty service)
• Meet current appointment, medical, and security requirements

Degrees

Qualified degree from an accredited program, usually approved in American Universities and Colleges (published by the American Council on Education). The following disciplines are commissionable at the Master’s level:

• Business Administration with a health care concentration that is documented on the transcript
• Health Education
• Health Services Administration, including:
  • Health Administration
  • Health Care Administration
  • Health Systems Administration
  • Hospital Administration
• Public Health

Accreditation

Medical Health Record Administration:

• A medical health record administration candidate must possess one of the following to be considered for a commission as a health services officer in the USPHS
  • A bachelor’s degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM)
  • An accredited bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and a certificate of completion in health information and administration from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM)

Health Care Administration:

• To be a health care administration officer you must possess a master’s degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

Public Health:

• To be a public health officer you must possess a master’s degree from a program accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
• Candidates with degrees in environmental health, occupational health, or industrial hygiene from a school of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) qualify for commissioning under the Environmental Health category and cannot be assigned to the Health Services category.