Commissioned Corps Management Information Site

Can Public Health Service (PHS) officers accept a fellowship, scholarship, or grant from non-government sources while on active duty?

Yes. PHS officers, on active duty or in the Ready Reserve, may accept benefits from a fellowship, scholarship, or grant from a corporation, fund, foundation, or educational institution as long as the funding group is organized and operated primarily for scientific, literary, or educational purposes, and the funding meets the criteria in accordance with CCD 125.04. 7-All payments made by a non-governmental entity to, or on behalf of, an officer, should be interpreted as coming from or on behalf of the USPHS Commissioned Corps (as if the USPHS Commissioned Corps, and not the non-government entity had made the payment).

Are there any limits on the acceptance of such fellowships, scholarships, or grants?

Officers may accept an outside fellowship, scholarship, or grant only to the extent that those benefits would be conferred upon that officer if the education or training funded by that fellowship, scholarship, or grant were instead provided at the expense of the United States. PHS officers may not accept fellowships, scholarships, or grants when the entity that awards the fellowship, scholarship, or grant has interests that may be substantially affected by the performance or non-performance of the officer’s official duties, or if the entity is an association or similar grouping of members, a majority of whom have such interests.

Is there an Active Duty Obligation (ADO) attached to accepting fellowships, scholarships, and grants? If so, will the ADO be served consecutively or concurrently?

A officer who accepts a fellowship, scholarship, or grant, must agree in writing that, after completing the education or training, he/she will serve on active duty for a period at least three times the length of the period of the education or training. Additionally, officers may serve this ADO concurrent with other ADOs as defined in Commissioned Corps Instruction (CCI) 325.01, “Extramural and Intramural Training and Obligation.”

Does this apply to medical fellowships or federally funded programs?

CCD 125.04 only applies to fellowships, scholarships, or grants that are provided by a corporation, fund, foundation, or educational institution. If the funding comes from a different source, it does not fall under this policy. Funding from government sources and agencies do not fall under this policy (except for funding from public colleges/universities since they are educational institutions). Tuition-free programs at USUHS are not included in this policy since no tuition is charged for any student and therefore the student does not have a fellowship, scholarship, or grant.

Lastly, trainings sponsored by Commissioned Corps Headquarters (CCHQ) through Memorandums of Agreement (i.e. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Command and Staff General College, the Capitol Fellowship at Georgetown University’s Government Affairs Institute, etc.) do not fall under this policy; however, an ADO may be incurred upon completion of these programs.

What happens if an officer fails to complete the training for which he/she received the scholarship/fellowship/grant?

An officer who fails to fulfill the terms of the written agreement for an accepted scholarship/fellowship/grant will incur an indebtedness to the government in accordance with the terms of the agreement even if the tuition for the education or training was funded by a third party and not the government, USPHS Commissioned Corps, or an Agency/OPDIV/Program.

How would I know if there is a conflict of interest in accepting a scholarship, fellowship, or grant?

PHS officers may accept fellowships, scholarships, or grants upon a determination by the designated agency ethics official or designee that the officer’s acceptance of the scholarship, fellowship, or grant is not likely to affect the integrity of the officer’s official duties or that a reasonable person would not question the impartiality of the officer after they accepted the scholarship, fellowship, or grant. The USPHS Commissioned Corps encourages officers are encouraged to consult with his/her agency’s Office of General Counsel to determine a conflict of interest if the acceptance of a scholarship/fellowship/grant would constitute a conflict of interest or create the appearance of such with the USPHS Commissioned Corps or the OPDIV/Agency/Program to which the officer is assigned.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ for CCD 125.04 Fellowships, Scholarships, and Grants

USER ASSISTANCE

COMMISSIONED CORPS NEWS

Officer Spotlight November 2024

Practice Hours Opportunities

2023 Temporary Grade Promotions

Changes in Tattoo Policy in CCI 412.01, Uniforms and Appearance

Surgeon General Priorities

January 2021: United States Public Health Commissioned Corps Doctrine

FAQs Practice Hours and Special Pay Changes

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Mission - Deployments Readiness Updates

COMMISSIONED CORPS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

U.S. GOVERNMENT

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION