Working for Uncle Sam (cont.)
Where the Opportunities Are
National Disaster Medical System
Disaster Medical
Assistance Teams (DMAT) operate under the Department of
Homeland Security’s National Disaster Medical System.
Each DMAT includes physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and
paramedics, as well as logistic and administrative personnel.
Each DMAT has a
sponsoring organization, such as a major medical center, public
health agency, or non-profit organization. The DMAT sponsor
organizes the team, recruits members, arranges training, and
coordinates dispatch of the team. DMAT members must maintain
appropriate certification and licensure within their
disciplines.
Team members are required
to undergo training and participate in training exercises. The
specific requirements for each team may vary. For more
information, or to find a team near you, go to http://ndms.dhhs.gov/dmat.html. Application forms are
available to download on this site as well.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
The CDC operates under
the Department of Health and Human Services and oversees 14
programs, from public health preparedness to workplace health
and safety. There are opportunities for physicians in almost
all these departments. CDC doctors are involved in research,
developing public policy, education, treating patients in
clinical settings, working with physicians in private practice,
and administrative duties.
For more information about
CDC programs, visit www.cdc.gov/about. For information
about the Epidemic Intelligence Service visit www.cdc.gov/eis/about/factsheet.htm. To research
specific job opportunities within the CDC, visit its Atlanta
Human Resources Center at www.cdc.gov/hrmo/hrmo.htm.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Part of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), the NIMH conducts research on
mental health and mental illness and supports research in this
field at hospitals and universities. The NIMH has both
extramural and intramural programs. The extramural program
supports more than 2000 research grants and contracts at
universities and hospitals. The intramural program employs 500
researchers, including clinicians who work with patients at the
NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. For more
information, visit the NIMH Web site at www.nimh.nih.gov/about/nimh.cfm.Selected
opportunities with NIMH: www.nimh.nih.gov/about/jobsatnimh.cfm.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS)
CMS oversees the
delivery of Medicare and Medicaid services throughout the
United States. The department has a number of career
opportunities for physicians. The Emerging Leaders Program is a
two-year program offering training in almost every aspect of
the CMS. Positions at CMS include health insurance specialists,
management analysts, and managed care specialists.
For more information about
CMS career opportunities and the application process, visit www.cms.hhs.gov/CareersatCMS/.
Health Resources and Service
Administration (HRSA)
The HRSA is involved
in all areas of public health, including rural health-care
initiatives, HIV and AIDS care, community health centers,
migrant health centers, maternal and child health services, and
minority health care. Physicians employed by HRSA might be part
of the Public Health Service Commission Corps, working with
medically underserved populations such as Native Americans on
reservations, or they might fill administrative positions and
be involved in overseeing various programs or developing
policy.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
The VA oversees one of
the largest health-care systems in the world, so job
opportunities here are plentiful. The VA operates 157 medical
centers, 862 ambulatory care and community-based outpatient
clinics, 134 nursing homes, 207 veterans’ centers, 42
residential rehabilitation treatment programs, and 88
comprehensive home-care programs. The VA also supports 3,000
researchers at 115 VA medical centers. It is the largest
federal employer of physicians.
To search for jobs with the
VA, go to www.vacareers.va.gov or find the VA
facility nearest you at www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=
1 and
apply directly to the human resources department.
Other Federal Jobs
To explore career
opportunities in other departments of the federal government,
visit the USA Jobs site at the Office of Personnel Management (www.usajobs.opm.gov/) or the National Technical Information Service
database of open federal jobs at www.fedworld.gov/jobs/jobsearch.html. g
Cynthia Myers is
a regular contributor to UO.
