• Frequently Asked Questions

  FAQ for Category Specific Appointment Standards (Based on CCI 231.03)
  
  

  What has changed in this policy?

  Previous CCI 231.03 (May 2011)	New CCI 231.03 (June 2021)
  Removed references to Reserve Corps.	Clarifies that this Instruction applies to candidates seeking an appointment to the Ready Reserve Corps.
  Did not mention the POM or include its contents.	Incorporates the provisions of Personnel Operations Memorandum (POM) 821.46 (POM 13-006), “Clarification of Category Specific Appointment Standards: Accreditation of Engineering Programs and Minimum Curriculum.
  Did not mention foreign degrees under Scientist category.	Authorizes the acceptance of foreign degrees in the Scientist category.
  Included clinical psychologist under Health Services category.	Moves doctoral-level psychologist from the Health Services category to the Scientist category.
  Included accreditation bodies as of 2011.	Updates the accreditation bodies for doctoral-level clinical psychologist and for the Dental, Environmental Health, Dietitian, and Therapy categories.
  Included Environmental degrees and requirements as of 2011.	Updates and clarifies the acceptable degrees and requirements for the Environmental Health category.
  Allowed bachelor degrees in pharmacy.	Removes the bachelor’s degree in pharmacy as a qualifying degree.
  Required specific majors and allowed the Approved Pre-professional Practice; Qualifying Experience with an Advanced Degree; or 3-Year Pre-Planned Experience Program.	Updates the approved experience/training pathways for the Dietitian category. It also removes specific qualifying Dietitian degrees and clarifies that the degrees must be in a scientific field or a professional field in a health-related specialty.
  Allowed overlap with CCI 231.01 “General Appointment Standards” on TED credit for degrees	Removes TED credit for selected qualifying degrees for several categories when the considerations were already outlined in CCI 231.01, “General Appointment Standards.”

  Is an Engineering candidate eligible for appointment without a bachelor’s degree?

  Yes, Engineering candidates who do not have a qualifying Bachelor of Science degree but who possess a Master of Science or Doctoral degree in a field of engineering that is not accredited by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) may qualify for an appointment to the USPHS Commissioned Corps. However, the engineering program must be accredited by ABET at the Bachelor of Science or Master of Science level and the candidate must have successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE). If the candidate has not passed the FE, the Engineer Appointment Board will review the candidate’s academic transcripts to ensure the candidate has completed the necessary engineering/related courses.

  Am I eligible for appointment to the USPHS Commissioned Corps as a Clinical Psychologist with a master’s degree?

  No, Psychology candidates must have a qualifying doctoral degree in psychology from an American Psychological Association or Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) accredited university or professional psychology program. Candidates can qualify whether or not the program required the candidate to successfully complete independent, scientific, data-driven original research in psychology in order to obtain the degree. By psychologist the USPHS Commissioned Corps means a doctoral-level psychologist with a qualifying degree in psychology (PsyD or PhD), regardless of specialty (clinical, counseling, educational, developmental, forensic, etc.)

  Is there a category change for Psychologists?

  Yes, the USPHS Commissioned Corps will place into the Scientist category all officers in the Health Service category whose qualifying degree is a doctoral degree in psychology (as defined above). This will happen effective 1 July 2021, after the 2021 Scientist and Health Services promotion boards meet.

  I have a foreign degree. Can I join the USPHS Commissioned Corps?

  It depends on your category. A degree from a foreign university is acceptable for candidates in the Scientist category provided the candidates demonstrates equivalency (in accordance with CCI 23.03) through an independent evaluation of the candidate’s certified translated transcripts with grades by a member organization of either the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators. They also must provide a detailed evaluation of all course work.

  What is the qualifying degree for a candidate in the Pharmacy category?

  The qualifying degree for candidate in the Pharmacy category is a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

  As a candidate in the Pharmacy category, am I eligible for TED credit for pharmacy practice within HHS?

  A candidate of the Pharmacy category may receive TED credit for professional pharmacy practice within the HHS (e.g., Food and Drug Administration or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). However, the pharmacy practice must be associated with the regulation, management, or payment of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and medical foods.

  What additional requirements are there beyond the minimum for candidates in the Dietitian category?

  In addition to the academic requirements, a candidate in the Dietitian category must present verification of completion of one of the following Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics Education accredited programs or Individualized Supervised Practice Pathways (ISPP):

  • Accredited Dietetic Internship Program;
  • Accredited Coordinated Program;
  • ISPP Didactic Program in Dietetics Graduate Pathway; or
  • ISPP Doctorate Degree Graduate Pathway
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