The USPHS Commissioned Corps is committed to our mission to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of the nation. Public Health Service officers are trained and equipped to provide crucial public health leadership, assist with policy development, advance innovation and science, provide essential care services and respond to national and global public health emergencies. Through our Active Duty Regular Corps, our Public Health Response Strike Team (PHERST) and our Ready Reserve Corps, we remain responsive and available to rapidly deploy in the service of health.

Practice Hours Opportunities

Agency-specific Opportunities (Clinical/Non-Clinical Officers)

IHS TDY Opportunities

IHS TDY practice hours opportunities can be found here: https://www.ihs.gov/dcps/ihs-tdy-opportunities/

For questions regarding an opportunity, please reach out to the POC listed or IHSCorpsInquiries@ihs.gov

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) TDY Opportunities

Current practice hours opportunities include Ship Medical Provider (eligible disciplines: Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Registered Nurse) and Marine Advanced Practice Provider (APP) or Registered Nurse (RN) (eligible disciplines: Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Registered Nurse).

Officers interested in practice hours opportunities with NOAA should contact PHS.liaison@noaa.gov

Veterans Affairs (VA)/Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Opportunities

Officers interested in practice hours opportunities with the VA should contact USPHSLiaisonOfficers@va.gov

Veteran Health Administration (VHA) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Practice Hours

Practice Hours Activities for Non-Clinical officers (Engineers, Environmental Health Officers, Non-Clinical Scientist officers)

Activities must be related to the application of the officer’s approved professional licensure and/or certification for Engineers and EHOs, and to the specific discipline of the qualifying doctoral degree for non-clinical Scientist officers.

Activity Required Signatory Maximum # of Hours Allowed
PHS deployment Deployment supervisor signs as the Practice Site Supervisor on PHS Form 7047 No maximum
PHS or Agency emergency preparedness, response, or recovery training and/or exercises. Training coordinator signs as the Practice Site Supervisor on PHS Form 7047 No maximum
Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY) or detail TDY or detail supervisor signs as the Practice Site Supervisor on PHS Form 7047 No maximum
Compensated or voluntary efforts documented by an approved, active outside activity (HHS-520) form Practice Site Supervisor signs PHS Form 7047 No maximum
Teaching at an academic institution and/or other relevant organization (including guest lecturing and continuing education courses), including teaching, planning, developing, and/or leading. Other organizations may include state, tribal, local, territorial or federal agencies, PHS-affiliated groups, etc. Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 For courses, no maximum.

For individual lectures (including guest lectures), maximum of 20 hours per hour of lecture given. The same course, presentation slide deck, or lecture can only be claimed once per year. No limit to the number of distinct guest lectures on different topics.
Advanced training courses from an accredited university or professional association or society that involve active skill development and practical application. Excludes routine webinars and passive conference attendance. Provide certificate of completion to supervisor. Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047. 20 hours/year maximum
Certification/recertification by exam Provide letter or certificate to supervisor. Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047. 40 hours/year maximum
Coursework toward advanced certificate or recognition Provide transcript/certificate to supervisor. Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047. 40 hours/year maximum
Continuing education (webinars, conferences) Provide certificate of completion to supervisor. Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047. 20 hours/year maximum
Writing evidence-based practice guidelines, standards, guidance, etc. at the local, state, regional, or federal level. Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 No maximum
Study section reviewer; grant writer or reviewer; cooperative agreement technical monitor; or oversight for government, professional, public health, and/or philanthropic organization. Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 No maximum
Serve on an agency or interagency workgroup Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 Up to 40 hours/workgroup/year maximum

No limit to the number of distinct workgroups.
Active participation in a professional organization, society, scientific, or discipline-related advisory board Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 Up to 10 hours/unique entity/year maximum
Developing and planning the scientific content for a professional conference or meeting accredited for continuing education (e.g., conducting peer review of conference abstracts for scientific merit, organizing scientific sessions and selecting speakers based on technical expertise, developing conference technical tracks, etc.) Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 Up to 20 hours/year maximum
Developing and presenting a scientific oral or poster presentation at a professional meeting or conference Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 For individual presentations, maximum of 10 hours/presentation. The same presentation can only be claimed once per year. No limit to the number of distinct presentations on different topics.
Service on journal and/or book editorial boards, including ad hoc reviews Provide supervisor with a print-out of reviewing history or thank you note from editor. Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 Up to 10 hours/article reviewed

40 hours/year maximum
Authoring a peer-reviewed paper or book chapter Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 Up to 40 hours/paper or book chapter;
No maximum number of papers or book chapters
Leading or presenting at a peer-to-peer learning session or journal club Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 10 hours/year maximum
Serving as member of a thesis or dissertation committee Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 Up to 40 hours/year maximum
Leveraging qualifying degree for community/public service Supervisor signs as both the Practice Site Supervisor and officer's supervisor on PHS Form 7047 Up to 10 hours/year maximum
*Practice hour options and hours identified have been informed by practice hour models used in 1) Government public health (including gaining skills and maintaining/acquiring certification or accreditation);, 2) Academic promotion and tenure (P&T) standards (Research, Teaching, Service); and 3) Professional societies and organizations (certification and re-certification models used by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, National Environmental Health Association, and Board for Global EHS Credentialling, American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM) for ABMM Diplomates, National Board of Public Health Examiners, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene for fellows, American Board of Toxicology (DABT) for Diplomates, and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES). Refer to CCI 633.01 for recognized certification board.

Last Updated 7/22/2026