Find a Civilian Military Career
Many health professionals are unaware that 70% of the health providers in military treatment facilities are civilians. The civilian medical corps of the U.S. Military numbers close to 27,000 providers ranging from Anesthesiologists to Lab Techs serving in every branch of the military in the U.S. and overseas in 70+ military facilities. At any given time there are in excess of 2,500 health providers being recruited and credentialed. Especially during this post-war period when thousands of troops are being repatriated, this is a great way to give back to these brave men and women who have served us.
Serving as a government contractor is a unique employment opportunity with some exotic responsibilities. Making such a career choice also means not only accepting, but embracing these extraordinary responsibilities…
THE CREDENTIALING PROCESS
Initially and throughout your government contracting career you will be required to provide and maintain credentialing documents that allow you to work on a military base while ensuring that there is no risk to national security. While this is a standard, albeit onerous, constituent element of the job, it is continually surprising how difficult this process is for some regardless of how many times they have done it. Some basic guidelines for taking your medicine…
- Keep your records together and in an organized fashion. What makes the process difficult is not actually filling out forms, but rather gathering the information needed to fill out the forms. Keeping your paperwork (file) in order will expedite the process whenever it becomes necessary
- Maintain active licenses and certifications. A frequent hold-up in the process is an expired BLS card or Board Certification. Use your smart phone to set reminders. Keep copies of your licenses and certifications in one place.
- Feed and care for your references. Stay in touch with them so they remember you and so that you have current contact information when you need it. These relationships are valuable mid-career currency and not to be taken lightly.
- Update Your Resume regularly to reflect your current position, certifications, education in word.doc format without fancy margins, tables, and formatting. Resumes are now handled electronically and “special formatting” often results in an electronic disadvantage because your CV doesn’t parse well.
- Keep CEU records and evidence of completion in a single CEU file organized chronologically.
TELEPHONE AND EMAIL ETIQUETTE
The hiring and credentialing process for DoD civilian roles tends to be lengthy and complicated. Being able to get hold of you, the contractor, is essential to maintaining any level of efficiency through the process and often critical to our contract compliance (maintenance of your position). Please observe the following standards of telephone/email etiquette as a member of our team:
- Be available by phone whenever possible
- Return all phone calls on the same day or within 24 hours
- Maintain a professional voice message with working voicemail
- Respond to all email requests for information within 24 hours
“Return phone calls and emails within 24 hours – even if only to say that you provide requested information at a later date’
