HEALTH SERVICES PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (HSPAC)
Multidisciplinary in Approach, Connected by Service, Advancing Public Health
HSPAC Readiness Subcommittee
Advanced Readiness Program (ARP)
What is the Advanced Readiness Program?
The Advanced Readiness Program is a two-year voluntary program aimed to increase the deployment and technical readiness knowledge base and capabilities of Health Services Officers (HSOs) beyond the required level of the USPHS Basic Readiness standards. Please see the link at the bottom of this page to watch the Advanced Readiness Program webinar (dated MAR 2020).
Advanced Readiness is made up of three (3) components: Deployment, Technical and Field.
- Deployment Readiness component consists of training that applies to all HSOs, regardless of discipline (i.e., PAG designation); these courses typically cover management, leadership, and communications;
- Technical Readiness component courses are discipline specific, and for clinical PAGs include clinical courses and/or increased practiced clinical hours; and
- Field Readiness component to ensure officers have some field experience such as FMRB in PIR, FMRB courses completed, or 7 days of agency and/or RDB deployments.
Why should I participate in the Advanced Readiness Program?
By participating in the Advanced Readiness Program, officers will increase their readiness and deployment knowledge beyond the USPHS required Basic Readiness and thus improve individual preparedness and resilience in a deployment environment.
What are the requirements to complete the Advanced Readiness Program?
The Advanced Readiness Program involves 50 hours of pre-approved advanced readiness training courses over two years (25 hours in year one and 25 hours in year two). Apart from HSPAC or PAG webinars most courses are free and available online allowing maximum flexibility.
Clinical Hours Requirement: For officers in a clinical discipline, there is an increased requirement for time spent practicing in their respective clinical discipline. To successfully complete the HSPAC Advanced Readiness Program, clinical officers must document 120 hours per year of clinical practice during each year of the Advanced Readiness Program.
What are the current pre-requisites to participate in the Advanced Readiness Program?
The Advanced Readiness Program is open to all HSOs who are on active duty in the Commissioned Corps for at least 5 years and have met the following pre-requisites:
- Basic Readiness: Must have met all basic readiness requirements for at least one year prior to starting the program and maintain basic readiness throughout the two-year program;
- Field Readiness: Must have demonstrated field readiness via Field Medical Readiness Badge, FMRB courses completed or 7 days of agency and/or RDB deployments; and
- No current or pending adverse actions.
When may I apply?
PAGs will announce the enrollment periods and the process for applying through their respective listservs. There are two enrollment periods for the Advanced Readiness Program. The enrollment period begins April 1 (program start July 1), and October 1 (program start January 1) of each year.
How do I apply?
The officer should contact their PAG Technical Readiness Subgroup Chair to obtain an application form. The officer should then complete the form which includes entering their name, rank, email address, PHS serial number, agency and PAG, then provide documents showing field readiness (such as screenshot of FMRB in PIR, list of FMRB courses completed in e-responder, orders for agency and/or RDB deployments) and screenshot(s) documenting Basic Readiness compliance for the last year. The officer should send the completed application form to ADVANCEDREADINESS_HSPAC@LIST.NIH.GOV.
PAG Technical Readiness Subgroup Chairs
How will trainings and clinical hours (if required) be tracked?
The Advanced Readiness Team has developed a reporting system that includes an inventory of courses and documentation of clinical hours. Upon enrollment in the program, officers will be provided with an Excel tracking form to document completed courses and a clinical hour tracking form to document the completion of required clinical hours (clinical PAGs only).
Other questions?
If you have questions about the Advanced Readiness Program, please email ADVANCEDREADINESS_HSPAC@LIST.NIH.GOV. The Advanced Readiness Team continuously monitors the e-mail account to verify eligible officers and to ensure all questions and concerns related to the program are adequately addressed.
For PAG-specific questions including questions related to PAG-specific courses that are not on the list of approved courses, please contact your PAG Technical Readiness Subgroup Chair.
Further Information
The Advanced Readiness Team presented information on the ARP and provided updates and new changes in March 2020. Please view the recording at the link below for further information.
https://fda1.webex.com/fda1/ldr.php?RCID=6a3fea74fee141f7915f7dbf8bb8bf77
