Commissioned Corps Management Information Site

1. Why are practice hours required and who must complete them?

Practice hours are required to ensure that officers maintain the skills and competencies necessary to respond to public health threats and fulfill their professional responsibilities during a public health emergency. All officers who are deploying in clinical or non-clinical roles or who are applying for or receiving Incentive Pay (IP) or a Retention Bonus (RB) must complete at least 80 practice hours annually. This requirement applies to clinical officers and non-clinical officers (Engineers, Environmental Health officers, and non-clinical Scientists).

2. How do you define practice hours and what counts as practice hours?

There are three types of practice hours: clinical, non-clinical, and public health. Officers are required to clearly describe their activities when submitting their practice hours.

Clinical practice hours consist of providing direct services to a patient or animal, supervising personnel who provide such services, or supporting* these activities.

Deployment activities may also qualify, provided they are directly related to the officer's discipline and involve providing direct services, supervising personnel providing such services, or supporting personnel engaged in direct care during the deployment.

Clinical practice hours must consist of hands-on, direct patient care activities, or clinical services involving direct patient interaction and performed within the scope of an individual's licensed healthcare profession and clinical deployment role.

*An example of supporting patient activities includes: a medical technologist performing tests on a patient's blood as ordered by a primary care clinician. A nurse or pharmacist officer reviewing programs or SOPs to support the mission of an agency does not necessarily qualify for clinical practice hours.

Non-clinical practice hours may be fulfilled by Engineer, Environmental Health, and non-clinical Scientist officers through OPDIV duties, deployments, TDYs, and other activities. Please see the Practice Hours Opportunities page for a list that outlines some of the options that officers can consider.

Public health practice hours apply only to officers who have completed a qualifying degree or residency, in Preventive Medicine, Dental Public Health, and Veterinary Preventive Medicine. Officers who are board certified in one of these specialties must upload proof of their board certification to their eOPF.

3. I am in a clinical billet; do I still need to submit practice hours?

Yes. Officers assigned to clinical billets are required to submit practice hours, regardless of whether they are requesting IP or RB. Per CCI 241.01, Readiness and Duty Requirements, section 6.2., d.(2), officers must submit proof of completion of clinical practice hours on an annual basis. Practice hours must be submitted through the online Forms system within CCMIS to ensure they are properly captured and recorded.

4. How can officers obtain practice hours?

Officers can obtain practice hours through both official and non-official duty activities.

Official duty activities include work already performed as part of an officer's assigned billet, additional duties added through a Position/Billet Addendum (PHS-7085), and qualifying activities completed during deployments or temporary duty assignments, provided the duties performed meet the practice hours definition.

Non-official duty activities (paid or non-paid) include work performed outside regular duty hours (such as evenings, weekends, holidays, or while on annual leave), as well as work performed for outside organizations or through self-employment, provided appropriate approval is obtained using Form HHS-520, “Request for Approval of Outside Activity,” or an agency-equivalent form.

5. Can practice hours be completed during work hours?

Practice hours may be completed during scheduled work hours if they are approved by the officer's supervisor and properly documented. If the officer's position does not include activities aligned with their specialty, a completed Position/Billet Addendum (PHS-7085) must be submitted and uploaded to the officer's eOPF. This form only needs to be updated when there is a change in the officer's official duties or a change in supervisor at the duty station or practice site.

If the practice hours activity is approved as an Outside Activity (Form PHS-520), the activity must be performed on the officer's own time and may not be completed during scheduled work hours unless annual leave is used, regardless of supervisory approval.

6. How are practice hours documented and submitted?

Practice hours must be documented using Form PHS-7047 and submitted through the CCMIS Forms platform. Instructions for using the platform are available in the Practice Hours Guide. Officers must upload all required supporting documentation, as applicable. This may include the PHS-7085 (Position/Billet Addendum); HHS-520 (Request for Approval of Outside Activity); a temporary duty (TDY) memo; or proof of board certification in Preventive Medicine, Public Health Dentistry, or Preventive Veterinary.

The Practice Hours Form PHS-7047 requires two supervisory signatures: (1) the practice site supervisor and (2) the officer's agency supervisor. The practice site supervisor is the individual who directly supervises the officer's practice hours and can attest that the hours were completed, regardless of where they were performed.

For non-clinical officers whose practice hours earned through official job duties, with a billet addendum as applicable, the officer's COER rater will sign as the Practice Site Supervisor, and the Reviewing Official will sign as the OPDIV Supervisor.

7. Can practice hours be obtained through self-employment?

Yes. Practice hours can be earned through self-employment and are considered non-official duty activities. Any self-employment or non-official duty activity requires the officer to complete a HHS-520, “Request for Approval of Outside Activity” or an agency equivalent. The HHS-520 will require approval from an officer's agency supervisor and will serve as documentation to validate the officer's practice hours. The same agency supervisor will sign as both the practice site supervisor and officer's supervisor on the Practice Hours Form (PHS-7047) in CCMIS. This process ensures the activity is reviewed for potential conflicts of interest, does not interfere with official duties, avoids misuse of government resources or position, and is formally acknowledged by management for ethics compliance.

If the practice hours activity is approved as an Outside Activity (Form PHS-520), the activity must be performed on the officer's own time and may not be completed during scheduled work hours unless annual leave is used, regardless of supervisory approval.

8. What are the supervisor's responsibilities related to practice hours?

Because agency supervisors play an essential role in all aspects of decision-making, CCHQ encourages officers to engage their supervisors from the start of the practice hours certification process. When supervisors review a request for engaging in practice hours as a non-official duty activity, they should consider whether the practice hours overlap with the officer's official duties at the agency, whether the overlap creates conflict with matters that are critical to the officer's performance of official duties, and whether the activity adversely affects the officer's ability to perform their job.

9. How will I know my reported practice hours have been verified and accepted?

Once we verify your PHS-7047, we will place your verified form in the practice hours section of the eOPF.

10. What are the due dates for practice hours?

Practice hours are due on or before December 31 of each year. All officers who updated their special pay agreements on October 1, 2025, have from October 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026, to complete their required 80 practice hours and submit their PHS 7047.

Officers are encouraged to submit completed practice hours as early as feasible. Early submission reduces the administrative burden that often accumulates at the end of the year and can lead to delays in processing.

11. Why does my PHS-7047 give me an error message when I try to enter my dates?

The error message appears when reported practice hours exceed a one-year period. If your practice hours span two calendar years, you must submit two separate forms, one for each year.

12. Can I submit multiple forms at once?

No, the system allows only one submission at a time to ensure each form is processed successfully.

13. How should I enter my practice hours if they span two calendar years?

Officers will need to submit two separate PHS-7047 forms, one for each year. Once the first form has been approved by CCHQ, they may submit the second form.

14. What happens to officers who cannot document they have completed 80 practice hours?

For the USPHS Commissioned Corps to meet its ongoing response missions, all officers, in accordance with Sections 6-2.a. and 6-2.c. of CCD 111.03, “Conditions of Service,” are required to maintain professional competence and deployment readiness. As determined by the ASH, an officer who fails to meet any condition of service may have his/her records referred to an Involuntary Termination Board, Administrative Separation Board, Involuntary Retirement Board, Medical Review Board, HPSP Review Board, or other involuntary separation process.

15. How do I know if I am in an assignment with OPM Job Code 81 or civil service series 0688/0690/1306, or 0800?

The information can be found in your PIR (Promotion Information Report) under the Current Assignment Section, under the Position Primary Job element. You will see a number there that indicates how your assignment is defined in terms of the OPM Job Code or civil service series.

16. Are waivers available?

Yes, officers who are unable to complete the required practice hours for more than six months in a calendar year and who meet at least one of the permitted waiver criteria may submit a practice hours waiver request. Officers must follow the guidance provided in the Practice Hours Waiver FAQs page to request a waiver.

17. Is a deployment waiver from RDB the same as a practice hours waiver?

No, a deployment waiver due to medical issues applies specifically to deployments, while a practice hours waiver applies specifically to practice hours. If an officer is medically incapacitated and unable to perform practice hours for more than six months within a calendar year, they may submit a request for a practice hours waiver.

18. Why does my RDB section of the Self-Service Dashboard show incomplete for my practice hours?

Incomplete indicates you have not submitted your practice hours within the reporting period. This section is currently visible on all officers' dashboards, regardless of whether they are required to complete practice hours. Please disregard this message if the practice hours requirement does not apply to you, as we are working to resolve this issue in the system.

19. Are USPHS Commissioned Corps officers covered under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA)?

Yes. USPHS Commissioned Corps officers, including both clinical and non-clinical officers, are generally covered under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) when acting within the scope of their official federal duties and authorized assignments. FTCA coverage determinations are fact-specific and depend on factors such as the nature of the activity, the officer's agency assignment, whether the activity was officially authorized, and whether the conduct occurred within the scope of employment.

Ultimately, FTCA coverage determinations are legal determinations. Officers with specific questions should consult HHS OGC legal counsel or their employing agency's legal counsel.

Form	CCMIS
PHS-7085	eDOC-U under “PHS 7085 Billet/Position Addendum”
HHS-520 or agency equivalent	eDOC-U under “HHS-520 forms (Request for Approval of Outside Activity)”
TDY memo	eDOC-U under “TDY without POs”

Practice Hours Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Supplemental Forms for Practice Hours

USER ASSISTANCE

COMMISSIONED CORPS NEWS

2026 Promotion Results Now Available

Officer Spotlight September 2025

Practice Hours Opportunities

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

COMMISSIONED CORPS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

U.S. GOVERNMENT

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION