Today we are going to discuss the application process for becoming a Foreign Service Medical Provider. The process is fairly similar to many other specialist tracks in the Foreign Service, especially those applying for medical positions. If you are interested in applying as a generalist, the process is slightly different, especially at the beginning, which require candidates to kick off the process by taking the Foreign Service Officer Test, but from then on it actually isn’t much different. Specialists often have a more traditional experience of just filling out an application online.

The first step in applying for any job is to determine if there is currently an opening, and if so, ensuring you are qualified for the position. As I write this, there is an opening for Medical Provider on the State Department career page website. Here is a link to the job page, which provides all the info you need to apply. Even if you are reading this and the position is not available, just give it a few months and there will likely be another opening. I have been following this position for nearly a decade and I would say there are application openings at least twice a year, but in recent years there have been as many as 5 in a year. Even if the job isn’t accepting applicants at the time, you can still read up about the position on the website, sign up for notifications about future openings, and familiarize yourself with the hiring process.

In order to actually be considered for the job of Medical Provider, you have to be a Family Nurse Practitioner or a Physician’s Assistant (other NP certifications are not accepted). You are also required to have at least 5 years full time clinical experience post NP or PA certification. This is a big one, applying before you have 5 years of post graduate experience will get your application tossed. Having a decade of bedside experience as a nurse and 2 years as an NP won’t cut it. The government doesn’t bend on their requirements like the private sector, where some places are desperate for healthcare workers. From there, the State Department prefers their Medical Provider applicants have most of their experience in primary care, treating all age groups, but the application does state that individuals whose bulk of experience is not in primary care, will be considered if they thoroughly demonstrate an understanding of what primary care is on their application. Basically, if you spent your career in neurosurgery, you likely aren’t the best applicant for this job, but you still might be considered if you articulate your understanding of primary care well enough. Disciplines like Urgent Care or Emergency Department though not primary care, seem to do fine.

Other general minimum requirements, that apply to anyone that wants to join the Foreign Service are things like being a US CItizen, being at least 21 but younger than 60, getting worldwide medical clearances (more on this in a later post), and being able to obtain a top secret security clearance (also will cover in a later post).

If you think you meet all of the minimum requirements and you want to apply, great! Now you can apply. If you click the “apply now” link on the State Department website where the Medical Provider listing resides, you will be directed to a USAJOBS site where you will create an account and start answering their questions. Much of the application is similar to any other job you might apply for. Some notable differences are that you use their own Resume Builder, have your NP/PA certifications handy to upload, and the application requires you to submit a Statement of Interest and fill out the “Accomplishments Questionnaire”. The Accomplishments Questionnaire is basically a series of questions you are asked to answer in 300 words or fewer, which are basically mini essays. Some examples on the application would be to describe your experience treating specific populations like pediatrics, talk about your public speaking ability, or how you would manage a crisis. In each answer you’re expected to articulate from your own personal experience. These questions are huge as they are what gets read in the next step of the hiring process, the Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP), which is what ultimately determines if you get an in person interview (which is called an Oral Assessment).

If you successfully submitted you application, congratulations! Now you get to enjoy the waiting around and watching the grass grow. Unlike other jobs we as healthcare providers might pursue, the government works at its own pace, and you should buckle in for at least a year (that’s only if everything goes perfectly). Many applicants, especially generalists, have been trying for years to get hired, failing in their attempts multiple times.

The first inkling you might have of things moving along is your application on the USAJOBS website updates to “referred for additional consideration”. From then, the next thing you will know is whether or not you passed the Qualifications Evaluation Panel. You will be notified via email, and pre COVID-19, this took 2-3 months. When I applied last year in August 2020, I didn’t hear for over 5 months that I passed the QEP, and it was nearly 6 additional months before I had my Oral Assessment interview scheduled. If patience isn’t your virtue, seek employment elsewhere.

The next post will discuss the Qualifications Evaluation Panel in more detail, how to write good essays on your application for a successful candidacy past the QEP, and what happens if you pass the QEP.

–Nick