OPTOMETRISTS

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U.S. Public Health Service optometry officers provide regulatory services, program management, clinical care, and training in a broad variety of geographic and organized settings. Officers must be licensed within a specified time frame from their commissioning date, but not necessarily in the state where they may be serving.

Loan Repayment

Officers with certain types of loans incurred in relation to their training and education may apply for loan repayment. It is impossible to correlate the yearly award of such repayments with hiring. Generally, officers come on duty and apply for consideration of loan repayment. Some loans or portions thereof may also be deferrable while the officer is on active duty.

Training Programs

Many fourth-year optometry students serve up to 16-week rotations at PHS facilities. These rotations are arranged through the respective schools and colleges of optometry. Students should contact their dean of academic affairs to request these rotations and additional information.

There are also many optometric residency programs conducted at PHS facilities. Each is a one-year program sponsored and accredited by a school or college of optometry. Residents apply through the Optometric Residency Matching Service (ORMS).

AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES

Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

Clinical care is provided by PHS optometrists at health facilities attached to Federal prisons.

Division of Commissioned Personnel (DCP)

Management of commissioned personnel, i.e., pay, promotion, commissioning, retirement, assignment services is provided.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

PHS optometrists provide direction and policies regarding the Federal regulation of medical devices and drugs.

Indian Health Service (IHS)

The majority of PHS optometrists serve in the Indian Health Service providing direct patient care and program management from Nome, Alaska to Phoenix, Arizona in facilities ranging from one optometrist departments to small out-patient clinics to four optometrist services in large hospitals.

Additional current information may be accessed on the Internet at:

http://www.tucson.ihs.gov/6infonet/professional/otom.htm

or by calling 505/722-1332.

U.S. Public Health Service optometrists make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans while building challenging health careers. To learn more, call the PHS Recruitment Program at 1-800-279-1605.