Government Jobs in Healthcare – United States

The public sector can be a rewarding and satisfying opportunity to earn a living while serving your country. It offers a wide range of jobs for healthcare professionals – from clinical positions within government-run hospitals, clinics, and facilities to government-specific jobs such as policy development.

Where to Find Jobs in Government

The United States Office of Personnel Management hosts USAJOBS, the official site for the federal government, which has a comprehensive list of federal opportunities. For state jobs, visit the State and Local Government Opportunities page on USAJOBS for links to individual state websites.

Who Are Some of the Big Federal Employers?

The United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense offers jobs with the US Coast Guard, the US Air Force, US Army, US Navy, and the US Marines. Enlisted personnel, reserve personnel, or civilians can hold these positions. Each year, the Department of Defense hires more than 365,000 enlisted and civilian personnel.

The United States Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS)

The DHHS is the principal agency responsible for protecting the health of Americans and providing essential health services. In addition to hiring civilians, the DHHS hires commissioned officers for the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHS), who serve in the following 11 agencies that run the programming for the DHHS:

1. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
2. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4. US Food and Drug Administration
5. Health Resources and Services Administration
6. Indian Health Service
7. National Institutes of Health
8. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
9. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
10. Administration for Children & Families
11. Administration on Aging

The PHS consists of more than 6,000 health professionals who serve other federal agencies in addition to DHHS agencies. Led by the US Surgeon General, its mission is to protect the health of the nation by providing healthcare professionals during times of war or national or international emergencies. Service is restricted to US citizens under 44 years of age, who have less than eight years of active duty.

At present, more than 1,000 of the PHS are nurses. Assignments for nurses include: Indian Health Services (38%); Bureau of Prisons (16%); Health Resources and Service Administration (15%); National Institute of Health (8%); Food and Drug Administration (7%); Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (4%); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (3%).

Students can also participate in the PHS, and the benefits are significant. Awards vary but can include a monthly stipend as well as payment for tuition, books, and other educational expenses. In return for each year of financing, the recipient must serve one year with the PHS for a minimum of two years. Additional employment benefits include: 30 days annual leave (compared to 13 days annual leave as a civil servant); healthcare from any Uniformed Service Military Treatment Facility (MTF); non-contributory retirement plans (exercisable in as little as 20 years); Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense benefits; educational benefits; and more.

Other Government Departments and Agencies

In addition, many other government departments and agencies hire health professionals. For instance:

1. The US Department of State hires nurses to provide care for Foreign Service personnel on international assignment.
2. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hires occupational health nurses to not only provide treatment and assessment services for FBI employees but also to design preventative healthcare programs.
3. The US Department of Agriculture Forest Services occasionally hires nurses to plan and implement healthcare programs for students involved in the Job Corps.
4. The Division of Immigration Health Services employs nurses and physicians to conduct medical assessments.

How to Apply

The public sector has, in recent years, made it much easier to apply for a job. A healthcare professional may find a job at USAJOBS and apply directly or they may go to a specific government departmental site and apply directly. The old practice of having to complete standardized forms and take civil service tests have been abandoned in favor of a more streamlined web-based process.

Discuss This Article

Have something you'd like to say? Tell us what you think! Read and post comments for this article.

Find a Job

Choose your career:

MedHunters is the world's biggest healthcare job board. Our job directory has 18,201 jobs with 2,536 hospitals and other direct employers.

We want you to find your next job on MedHunters. Need Help? Call us at 1-888-884-8242, email us at info@medhunters.com or sign up now.