Duties

Summary

The U.S. Department of State is hiring Regional Medical Officers (RMO). The salary listed is from the FS Base Schedule Payscale . In most cases, new-hires are paid at the FS Overseas Comparability Pay rate ($143,417 to $165,649). RMOs may be eligible for a Physician's Comparability Allowance up to $30,000. Refer to the Benefits section for more information on recruitment and retention incentives. Joining the Foreign Service is more than just salary.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

A Regional Medical Officer (RMO) works either independently or as a member of a team of FS Medical Specialists to provide medical support for USG employees and their eligible family members (EFMs).

An RMO is considered "essential personnel" and is expected to be available on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. RMOs duties may include, but not limited to:

Clinical

• Provision of direct primary and preventive healthcare for pediatric, obstetric, and adult patients and emergency and acute care services
• Performance of patient histories and physical examinations
• Ordering and analyzing diagnostic tests
• Providing routine and travel vaccinations
• Providing mental health support and care, in collaboration with psychiatry colleagues
• Prescribing medications for patients both on paper prescription pads and electronically
• Performing therapeutic procedures within the scope of primary and emergency care
• Screening the patient population for, and responding to concerns about, domestic violence and abuse
• Competent and thorough documentation of patient care and utilization of paper and electronic health records
• Management of primary healthcare needs of a regional patient population dispersed across multiple countries
• Coordination of inpatient care and monitoring of patients hospitalized in region
• Anticipating and arranging for medical evacuation of patients
• Managing infectious disease risks, including malaria and other tropical diseases; deployment of population outreach efforts to encourage use of prophylactic medications where appropriate
• Establishing health lifestyle programs and supporting patients in their adjustment to FS life
• Ensuring patient confidentiality and records' integrity
• Serving as patient advocate, as appropriate
• Maintaining own credentials, licensure, and continuing medical education
• Competent management of Workman's Compensation injury claims at post and collaboration with patient's third party health insurance plans for indicated situations
• Monitoring of food and water safety issues
• Providing emergency care to staff and VIPs on USG property, if warranted
• Teaching CPR, BLS, and first responder courses, as needed

Diplomatic

• Collaboration with local healthcare officials
• Liaison with local and international experts
• Provision of consultative support to mission personnel on host nation and mission-specific health-related issues if needed

Administrative

• Management of health unit (HU) personnel and resources
• Collaboration and consultation with all HU staff at posts in RMO region; supervision of HU staff at assigned post; and oversight of hiring of local HU employees
• Orientation and training of new employees, mentoring of new clinical colleagues
• Ensuring use of universal infectious disease and safety precautions at post
• Setting budgetary priorities and maintenance of fiscal responsibility
• Maintaining medical records and ensuring appropriate medical records security
• Updating medical information booklet and the Medical Capabilities Information database
• Conducting patient satisfaction surveys and implementation of workflow modifications to address identified areas for improvement
• Managing region-wide immunization program
• Submission of reports for statistical surveillance as directed by MED
• Adherence to quality assurance procedures
• Advisor to HR in facilitating Emergency Visitation Travel for employees or family members
• Monitoring of health unit staff competency and continuing education
• Evaluation of local hospitals, doctors, and laboratories for service availability and standards of care, safety standards utilized by local blood bank where appropriate, and safety standards of local pharmacies and pharmaceutical suppliers where available
• Serving in role of occupational health advisor when indicated
• Selection and support of post medical advisors
• Oversight of local employee pre-employment, fitness for duty, and driver's certification screening programs

Emergency Preparedness

• Manage all medical aspects of emergency preparedness programs at Post, and collaborate with medical colleagues in their region with regards to their post specific programs, including measures to respond to terrorist threats, weapons of mass destruction, civil unrest, and natural disasters and management of MED's emergency response programs, and management of mass casualty evacuations.
• Identification and provision of training to first responder staff
• Coordination of Post pandemic medical response plan
• Provision of medical leadership and emergency medical care during crises

Regional Care Responsibilities

• Performance of regular regional travel and in response to immediate post needs
• Collaboration with regional colleagues, including performance of clinical peer review
• Liaison with Regional Medical Managers (RMMs)
• Provision of remote patient consultation via telemedicine or other communication means
• Maintenance of regular communication with MED offices in Washington D.C. as warranted

Travel Required

50% or less - An RMO generally spends the majority of his/her career assigned to the Department of State's overseas missions and at times, lives away from family and/or in difficult or isolated conditions. Selected applicants will be notified of an Oral Assessment (OA) requirement in Washington D.C. For the selected applicants, all travel and other expenses incurred in connection with the OA are the sole responsibility of the applicant.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
MC

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Be a U.S. citizen and available for worldwide service.*
• Be able to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
• Be able to obtain an appropriate Foreign Service Medical Clearance.
• Be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.**
• Be at least 20 years old and at least 21 years old to be appointed.
• Be appointed prior to age 60 (preference eligible veterans excepted).***

The Bureau of Medical Services (MED) in the Department of State safeguards and promotes the health and well-being of American's diplomatic community, which consists of employees and their accompanying family members who represent United States government agencies abroad. The Department assigns Foreign Service Medical Officers (RMOs), Psychiatrists (RMO/Ps), Medical Providers (MPs), and Medical Laboratory Scientists (RMLS) to selected posts overseas. Many of these posts have significant health risks and local medical care that is inadequate by U.S. standards.

Qualifications

Licensure and Board Certification

Applicants must be currently board certified in Family Practice (preferred) or Internal Medicine or Emergency Medicine (accepted) by the American Board of Medical Specialties or Osteopathic Board. American Board certification and re-certification, state medical licensure, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration must be maintained for the duration of employment.

Specialized Experience

Applicants must have a minimum of five (5) years of full time post-residency clinical experience within the past seven (7) years, in providing primary care to adults, children, and infants, with at least 75% of the time involved in direct patient care. Otherwise qualified clinicians who have practiced primarily emergency medicine, hospital based practice or other non-ambulatory settings must demonstrate thorough understanding of primary care practice fundamentals as defined in the next paragraph.

"Primary care" encompasses adult and pediatric diagnosis and treatment of acute illness and management of chronic diseases, routine gynecologic care, prenatal care, adult health maintenance and preventive health care, well child care and immunization management. It embraces the total family unit across the lifespan, including emotional and physical aspects that impact overall well-being. The primary care physician utilizes and coordinates sub-specialty professional consultations when needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)

The Department has conducted extensive job analysis research to determine KSAs and other attributes conducive to successful performance as an RMO. An applicant's education level, work experience, and other qualifications will be considered as part of the hiring decision-making process based on these KSA criteria.

Applicants must have demonstrated a high degree of clinical and management expertise. The patient population covered is unique because of background and lifestyle as part of a diplomatic community overseas. This population also differs in terms of clinical and administrative needs and the national security concerns inherent in their employment. Previous experience working in an occupational setting and/or in an overseas setting is advantageous.

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to manage administrative aspects of an HU as well as the ability to cope with extraordinary medical crises, often in remote and isolated settings. Education and experience must demonstrate that the applicant can function as a public/community health provider.

The applicant must be a skilled and experienced primary health care practitioner with excellent interpersonal skills. The applicant must be able to function well within a complex organization and have experience working in a high stress environment, and recognize and understand the problems of delivering healthcare to Americans posted in locations where local medical resources are limited or non-existent. The ability to logically and objectively analyze patient problems, and apply sound clinical judgment is required. Experience in providing long distance triage and care via electronic communications such as telephone, telemedicine, radio, and e-mail is preferred.

Applicants must have the capacity to gain the cooperation and confidence of patients, co-workers, supervisors, and subordinates. Individuals must have experience working in a multidisciplinary practice as well as experience in team building, leadership and management. Effective written and oral communication skills are essential, as well as the ability to present medical findings in a clear and concise manner to medical and non-medical personnel. Demonstrated ability to teach or lecture to groups on medical issues is preferred.

Applicants must be able to develop, coordinate, and administer health care delivery programs. These include but are not limited to individual and community health promotion and disease prevention programs to include teaching health topics to both small and large groups. Applicants must provide comprehensive health assessments and medical care to individuals and families across the lifespan.

Applicants must be able to organize and supervise a diverse group of health care providers with varying degrees of expertise, education, and command of English. Applicants must understand the unique cultural differences related to health care delivery in varied countries and address these differences in a positive manner. Applicants must be able to assess, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases.

Applicants must possess a high degree of integrity, decisiveness and fairness in order to equitably apply the regulations and policies of the medical program to all eligible persons.

Knowledge and hands-on familiarity with computer systems are preferred.

Knowledge of infectious diseases, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, women's health issues, dermatology, otorhinolaryngology, gastroenterology, urology, general surgery, orthopedics, neurology, radiology, psychiatry, nutrition, occupational medicine, epidemiology, vaccines, diagnostic testing, emergency techniques, clinical pharmacology, health-related environmental factors, medical aspects of terrorism, alcoholism and drug abuse, laboratory medicine, food safety and medical quality assurance procedures.

Specific skills in medical history-taking, physical examination, planning of evaluation and treatment, electrocardiography, minor surgery, triage, operating medical equipment, basic computer programs, research techniques, and working with limited resources.

Personal skills in social perceptiveness, oral and written communication, reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, active learning, judgment and decision making, complex problem solving, service orientation, teaching supervision, leadership, time management, acclimating to different cultures, collaborating, learning strategies, persuasion, and event and project organizing.

Other attributes include empathetic personality, self-confidence, adaptability, unflappability, creativity, confidentiality, interest in Foreign Service work, loyalty to the U.S., tolerance of non-scheduled work hours and travel, physical endurance, worldwide availability, tolerance of separation from family, and working and living in difficult and/or isolated conditions.

Further desirable attributes include a willingness to deploy to high threat environments to provide care and consultation to USG employees and EFMs, ability to consult with senior leaders, officials, and EFMs with tact. Recognizing the limited role of the physician in a non-medical organizational environment, capability to work effectively with colleagues from other cultures, and ability to create supportive and effective professional relationships in overseas environments.

Essential Physical Requirements

RMOs may need to perform essential functions effectively in environments that pose physical or other occupational challenges. These duties may include:

• Provision of direct patient care that may require heavy lifting, pulling, stooping, bending and twisting in tight and limited spaces.
• Travelling independently to posts utilizing commercial air carriers, military aircraft, or other transportation types that may not offer special access or accommodations.
• Provision of emergency care in any location following an accident, natural disaster, or attack in potentially hostile or physically challenging environments, such as in buildings without elevators or in areas with irregular spaces that require kneeling, bending, stooping, lifting, walking and running over uneven terrain.
• Transportation of self or patients via small aircraft, helicopters, ambulances, or other non-standard modes of transportation with small entrances and high floors, such as high axle armored vehicles.

Education

At the time of application, applicants must possess:

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree from a school in the U.S. or Canada that was approved by a recognized U.S. accrediting body in the year of the applicant's graduation.
• MD or DO or equivalent degree from a foreign school that provided educational and medical knowledge equivalent to accredited schools in the U.S. This equivalency may be demonstrated by either permanent certification of the applicant's school by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or a Fifth Pathway Certificate.

Subsequent to obtaining a MD or DO degree, a candidate must have completed formal residency training. Qualifying graduate training programs include only those residency programs within the U.S or Canada and which are approved by an accrediting body recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

Non-U.S. and non-Canadian medical school graduates: You must submit a copy of medical school transcript(s)with your application . Official or unofficial transcripts may be submitted. Transcripts must include your name, the school's name, and the degree and date awarded. A transcript missing any of these elements will not pass the minimum qualifications and the candidacy will be ended. Copies of diplomas may not be submitted in lieu of transcripts for education above high school level. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation and acgme.org ,in order to be credited towards qualifications. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click on the link for a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials. http://www.naces.org/members.htm and www.aice-eval.org/members .

For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of State neither endorses nor recommends any individual evaluation service.

OPM: www.opm.gov

U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov

Additional information

*EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) - Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.

U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee's information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

**The Department of State Suitability Review Panel and standards are defined in Chapter 3 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. For more information please visit: https://fam.state.gov/ .

***For more information about Veteran's Preference and how it is applied in the FSS Selection Process, please visit: http://careers.state.gov/faqs/faqs-wiki/are-veterans-given-hiring-preference-

No applicant will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under sections §607, §608, §610 or §611 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions. In addition, no applicant will be considered who has previously been separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section §306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu thereof.

An FSS separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section 306 may not re-apply to be an FSS in the same skill code, but may apply for another skill code (or to be a Foreign Service Generalist).

Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 US Code 3303 as amended from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 US Code 3110, relatives of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities.

It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all of its employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination whether discrimination is based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity or pregnancy), national origin, disability, political affiliation, marital status, membership in an employee organization, age, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors.

The Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or hiring process should so advise the Department at ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov, within one week of receiving their invitation to the oral assessment. Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.

For information on FS Salary, visit https://careers.state.gov/faqs/faqs-wiki/foreign-service-salary-matching-pay-tables-danger-pay-overseas-moving-expenses-and-taxes .

Please visit https://careers.state.gov/med for more information on Foreign Service medical careers.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Candidates will be evaluated on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. Selection for this position will be made only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

Medical Credentialing and Indemnification

Applicants are subject to a medical credentialing process conducted by the Quality Management Staff of the Bureau of Medical Services. The medical credentialing process includes queries of the National Practitioner Data Bank and Physician Data Profile through the American Medical Association (AMA). Once hired, medical personnel are indemnified for official duties only through the U.S. Federal Tort Claims Act.
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Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all required documents are uploaded and the application is fully completed before the closing deadline of this announcement. Any missing required documents or incomplete applications will result in your application not being considered further.

USAJobs Résumé Builder is the only résumé format that is accepted for this Vacancy Announcement.

Completed online application including the required Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest narratives in the online application.

Uploaded/faxed all required supporting documentation including proof of educational achievements, certifications, professional licenses, or completed forms as required in this Vacancy Announcement to qualify for this position.

For applicants who are age 60 to 65, you must provide your Veteran's Preference documentation at the time of your application. If claiming a 5 pt. veteran's preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or Certification of service. If claiming a 10 pt. veteran's preference, you must submit your VA letter and SF-15, in addition to your DD-214 or Certification of service. A Certification must be from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days after the Certification is submitted by the applicant and should include military service dates, date of expected discharge or release, and character of service and disability rating, if applicable.

Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest

These required questions provide an opportunity to describe examples and accomplishments from your education, life, and/or work experience that demonstrate your qualifications for becoming an FSS. Examples can be drawn from any part of your professional or personal experience. The information you give may be used in your oral assessment should you be invited and is an important factor in the competitive evaluation of applicants. Each response is limited to 300 words or fewer (maximum length 2,000 characters) for each item. You should compose your replies carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed as an FSS is the ability to write clearly and concisely. Answers to the all of the items in the Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest are required and must be completed in the online application.

Accomplishments Questionnaire

Clinical skills:

• Describe your clinical experience working with well and acutely ill infants, children and adolescents. Include the type of practice setting and the average number of patients seen weekly. Include a statement about your ability to manage care for a pediatric population in a remote setting.
• Provide the same information about your women's health care experience.
• Describe your clinical experience and give a self-assessment of your abilities to care for and stabilize multiple trauma patients prior to a medical evacuation.
• Describe a specific complex clinical case that demonstrates your skills in organizing patient problems and solutions.

Organizational abilities: Describe a specific achievement demonstrating your planning and organizational skills in the setting of a multidisciplinary clinical team or practice.

Leadership and teamwork abilities: Discuss your abilities to participate as a team member working toward a common goal, as well as examples of your ability to lead a team in the accomplishment of a goal.

Public speaking and teaching ability: Describe specific examples demonstrating your public speaking and teaching abilities as part of an assignment or work-related task.

Interpersonal skills: Provide an example of effectively dealing with difficult patients, colleagues, or situation at work utilizing your interpersonal skills.

Crisis Management Skills: Describe an example in which your skills significantly contributed to the positive outcome of a complex or difficult clinical crisis situation.

Statement of Interest

Required narrative Statement of Interest which discusses your:

• Motivation for joining the Foreign Service,
• Comments about your work experience, including special skills (e.g. computer), current licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and/or training (with date completed) relating to this position, and
• Experience living or working in a multicultural environment, overseas or in U.S.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.