If you're searching for new practice opportunities to grow or expand your medical career, you should be exploring the options provided by the government. These options will let you work in a variety of areas, from focusing on state level services to federal services, so you could do civilian or military work for the DoD, federal work for the HHS, or reach out to minorities and other underserved groups via organizations like the VA or Indian Health Services. With positions nationwide in a variety of fields, perhaps the best place to start is by understanding the perks of government positions in the medical field.
Believe it or not, on the federal level, any current, non-restricted state licensing is enough for you to get the job a large percentage of the time. This is true whether you're traveling for a federal program or merely working at a federal facility in another state.
Because of the length of time and depth of inspection involved in being hired by Veterans Affairs, having VetPro credentialing is the proverbial feather in your cap when beginning the credentials process for other organizations. This is due in part to the thorough background checks involved.
When taking a government medical position, you're likely to be working with patients in underserved regions or who are active duty military personnel or veterans. This allows you to do work where you're helping the people who need it most or to give back to those who are or have given so much for this country already.
Whether you're looking for short term or long term stability, even temporary government positions combine flexibility with the type of hours, consistent pay and contract periods that give you the freedom to pursue your interests. These temporary positions can range between 3 months to a year — compared to private sector temporary work, which may be as brief as a day — and may also offer temp-to-permanent hire options. Furthermore, many jobs are outpatient jobs that offer regular schedules with little or no on-call work while removing the tedious work of running a practice instead of simply practicing medicine.
Federal work can offer the opportunity to travel extensively for medical work, all expenses paid. This is because you'll have the opportunity to work with or for various organizations, from teaching hospitals at state and federal levels to working with the CDC.
There's positions available that require one block of work per month, yet still pay very well. This can be referred to as "burst of money" jobs, and they may be available for positions including Emergency Medicine, Hospitalist or MOD; Medical Officer of the Day.
Government positions in the medical field can vary widely not just in location and clinical setting, but in the type of practice and the expertise you can gain on the job. It also gives you the opportunity to work with and network with a wide range of other professionals and experts that can prove to be valuable references and contacts later.
Medical training, whether through a trade school or a full medical education and post-collegiate education, is extremely expensive. Electing to work for the government can offer benefits that assist with repayments on your educational expenses, though obviously this will vary based on the organization you work for and the type of medicine you practice. A great example is the repayment programs offered through the federal National Health Service Corps, which has a two-year commitment as well as other eligibility requirements.
Now that you're aware of just a few of the perks of government positions in the medical field, it's time to start considering what the next best step for your career is. Take advantage of our resources to find the right fit. For instance, our Job Search helps you key into available government medical positions quickly.