ALCOAST 148/08 COMDTNOTE 1521 SUBJ: SOLICITATION FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TRAINING PROGRAM A. TRAINING AND EDUCATION MANUAL, COMDTINST M1500.10(SERIES) CHAP 3 B. PERSONNEL MANUAL, COMDTINST M1000.6(SERIES), CHAP 1.A.7 C MEDICAL MANUAL, COMDTINST M6000.1(SERIES), CHAP 3-E-3 1. THE HEALTH AND SAFETY DIRECTORATE IS SOLICITING APPLICATIONS FOR THE FY-2008 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT (PA) TRAINING PROGRAM. MEMBERS SHOULD READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH CURRENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES. IN PARTICULAR, UNDERSTANDING REFERENCES (A) AND (B) IS ESSENTIAL TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS. 2. THE CG SPONSORED PA TRAINING PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED AT THE INTERSERVICE PA PROGRAM (IPAP), FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TX. THIS PROGRAM IS 25 MOS LONG. PHASE I (50 WKS) IS HEAVILY DIDACTIC (CLASSROOM), OFFERING 96 SEMESTER HOURS (SH) AND CONSISTING OF MEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES. PHASE II (54 WKS) CONSIST OF CLINICAL ROTATIONS AND CONTINUED DIDACTIC INSTRUCTION, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING 50 PLUS SH AT DESIGNATED DOD SERVICE SPECIFIC SITES. SELECTED APPLICANTS SHOULD EXPECT 3 PCS MOVES OVER 25 MOS. THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SELECTED EACH YR FOR THE PROGRAM IS BASED UPON STAFFING NEEDS OF THE CG, GENERALLY NOT TO EXCEED FOUR. 3. IPAP STUDENTS RECEIVE A BS DEGREE UPON COMPLETION OF PHASE I AND A MASTERS DEGREE UPON COMPLETION OF PHASE II FROM THE UNIV OF NEBRASKA. CG STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM IPAP RECEIVE A CG COMMISSION AS A TEMPORARY REGULAR ENSIGN. THESE OFFICERS INCUR A 3 FOR 1 SERVICE PAYBACK OBLIGATION FOR THEIR FIRST YEAR OF TRAINING AND A 1 FOR 1 SERVICE PAYBACK OBLIGATION FOR THEIR SECOND YEAR OF TRAINING, FOR A TOTAL PAYBACK OBLIGATION OF 4 YEARS CG SERVICE. 4. PREREQUISITES FOR THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE: A. CG ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF ANY RATING, E-4 OR ABOVE, IN SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT ENLISTMENT. WAIVERS FOR TIME IN SERVICE REQUIREMENT MAY BE CONSIDERED BASED ON NEEDS OF THE SERVICE, BUT CANNOT BE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE AT TIME OF APPLICATION. COMMISSIONED WARRANT OFFICERS AND REGULAR/RESERVE OFFICERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. B. DOCUMENTED 100 HRS OF PATIENT CARE EXPERIENCE AS AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (EMT), HEALTH SERVICE TECHNICIAN (HS), PARAMEDIC, HOSPITAL VOLUNTEER, OR OTHER HEALTH RELATED FIELD. DOCUMENTATION MUST BE IN LTR FORM FROM A SUPERVISOR IN THE FACILITY WHERE THE EXPERIENCE WAS GAINED, OR, FOR CG EMTS AND HEALTH SERVICES TECHNICIANS, A COMMAND ENDORSEMENT THAT DOCUMENTS THE EXPERIENCE. C. BE PHYSICALLY QUALIFIED FOR WORLDWIDE DUTY AND PASS A PRE- COMMISSIONING PHYSICAL EXAMINATION IAW REFERENCE (C). D. HAVE NO COURT-MARTIAL CONVICTIONS OR NON-JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT (NJP) DURING CURRENT ENLISTMENT. E. MUST BE A UNITED STATES CITIZEN. F. WITHIN THE PAST 5 YEARS HAVE RECEIVED A MINIMUM COMBINED SAT REASONING TEST SCORE IN CRITICAL READING, MATH AND WRITING OF 1530, A MINIMUM OLD SAT COMBINED SCORE IN VERBAL AND MATH OF 1020. G. HAVE A MINIMUM OF 60 SEMESTER HRS (SH) OF TRANSFERABLE COLLEGE CREDITS WITH A GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF 2.5 ON A 4.0 SCALE. AT LEAST 30 SH MUST BE IN RESIDENT AND UP TO 30 SH MAY BE OBTAINED THROUGH MILITARY SCHOOLS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION, CLEP OR DANTES. NONRESIDENT SH MUST BE ACCEPTABLE BY THE UNIV OF NEBRASKA, AND BE REPORTED ON A COAST GUARD INSTITUTE EDUCATION ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET (CGI-1560/04E). H. THE FOLLOWING MANDATORY COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES MUST BE TAKEN AS IN-RESIDENT COURSES, CODED AT A 100 LEVEL OR HIGHER AND BE SEMESTER HOURS (SH) OR EQUIVALENT. AN IN-RESIDENT COURSE IS ONE THAT IS A DEFINED CATALOG NUMBERED COURSE, FOR A LETTER GRADE, AND AT A REGIONALLY ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. THE MANDATORY CURRICULUM INCLUDES: (1) ALGEBRA (100 LEVEL OR HIGHER) 3 SH (2) ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 6 SH (OR 3 SH OF EACH) (3) CHEMISTRY 6 SH (4) ENGLISH 6 SH (3 SH MUST BE ENGLISH COMPOSITION) (5) HUMANITIES/SOCIAL SCIENCES 6 SH (6) PSYCHOLOGY 3 SH I. IN ADDITION TO THE COMMAND ENDORSEMENT REQUIRED AS PART OF THE E-RESUME PROCESS, APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FROM A U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE PHYSICIAN AND/OR CG PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE APPLICANTS MEDICAL EXPERIENCE AND POTENTIAL FOR CLINICAL CARE. ALTHOUGH, LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FROM CG PHYSICIANS/PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS ARE IDEAL, NON-HEALTH SERVICE TECHNICIAN (HS) APPLICANTS MAY SUBSTITUTE LETTERS FROM A CIVILIAN PHYSICIAN OR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE APPLICANTS HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCE. APPLICANTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO SECURE A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM A PHYSICIAN OR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT SHALL CONTACT THE PA FORCE MANAGER IDENTIFIED AT THE END OF THIS MESSAGE. J. APPLICANTS MUST COMPLETE A THREE OFFICER INTERVIEW PANEL CONSISTENT WITH THE OCS AND DCO APPLICATION PROCESS. THE OFFICER PROGRAMS APPLICANT ASSESSMENT FORM (CG-5527) MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE INTERVIEW PANEL AND SUBMITTED DIRECTLY TO CGPC-OPM-1 FOR ENCLOSURE WITH THE MEMBERS APPLICATION BY 15 JUNE 2008. THE OFFICER INTERVIEW PANEL CAN NORMALLY BE SCHEDULED THROUGH ANY CG ISC, SECTOR, GROUP, MSO OR AIR STATION. THOSE APPLICANTS RE-APPLYING MAY USE THE SAME CG-5527 FOR UP TO 2 YEARS. THEREAFTER, A NEW INTERVIEW SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. APPLICANTS HAVING TROUBLE SCHEDULING AN OFFICER INTERVIEW SHOULD CONTACT THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FORCE MANAGER FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. K. APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT A SELF-COMPOSED, TYPED ESSAY (350 WORDS OR LESS) EXPRESSING THEIR REASON FOR DESIRING TO BECOME A CG OFFICER AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, HOW THE CG WILL BENEFIT BY SELECTING THEM, AND A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OR EXAMPLE OF HOW THEY RESPOND TO STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. 5. APPLICANTS MUST COMPLETE AN E-RESUME AND SELECT THE POSITION ASSOCIATED WITH THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT POST GRADUATE PROGRAM. SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS 15 JUNE 2008. 6. FORWARDING COMMAND ENDORSEMENTS VIA THE E-INTERVIEW, SHALL INCLUDE A COMMENT ON THE APPLICANTS LEADERSHIP, INTERESTS, ABILITY AND POTENTIAL VALUE TO THE SERVICE AS A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT. ONLY ENDORSEMENTS FROM THE IMMEDIATE COMMAND ARE AUTHORIZED. IN THE "JOB ENDORSEMENT" PAGE UNDER THE "RECOMMENDATION" DROP-DOWN MENU, COMMANDING OFFICERS SHOULD CHOOSE "MAKE OFFER" TO POSITIVELY ENDORSE A CANDIDATES APPLICATION. 7. APPLICANTS MUST SEPARATELY MAIL REMAINING APPLICATION MATERIALS SUCH AS OFFICIAL COPIES OF TRANSCRIPTS, SAT/ACT SCORES, TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION, PERSONAL ESSAY, APPROVED PRE-COMMISSIONING PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, CERTIFIED DOCUMENTATION OF HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCE, SIGNED PAYBACK STATEMENT, AND A SIGNED PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT TO CGPC-OPM-1. ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE RECEIVED NLT 15 JUNE 2008. 8. COPIES OF COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. AN APPLICANT WHOS TRANSCRIPTS ARE UNACCEPTABLE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER PA PROGRAM WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM APPLICATION TO THE CG PA TRAINING PROGRAM. 9. APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK AMPLIFYING INFO ON ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, PREREQUISITES, AND CLARIFICATION OF APPLICATION PROCEDURES BY CONTACTING LCDR JAMES CANNON, COMDT (CG-1122), AT (202) 475-5183. DO NOT CALL UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOR PREREQUISITE OR COURSE REQUIREMENTS. QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROCESSING OF ADV EDUCATION APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO YN1 CHRISTOPHER HORN (CGPC-OPM-1), AT (202) 493-1617. 10. RADM MARK J. TEDESCO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND WORK-LIFE SENDS. 11. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.