Direct Commission Health Services Officer (DCHSO)

If you're a trained and certified physician, dentist, nurse, or behavioral health provider, the USCG Direct Commission Health Services Officer program can allow you to practice medicine in support of Coast Guard members and missions.

• Career path: Expect assignments in medicine outpatient primary care or operational medicine.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank commander (O-5)
• Commitment: Four years of active duty.

Eligibility Requirements

Officer: Direct Commission Health Service Officer (DCHSO)

Age:

21–41*

*on 30 Sept. of the fiscal year the selection panel convenes.

Citizenship:

Must be a U.S. citizen.

Dependents:

• Single: Any primary custody dependents require a waiver and dependent care plan.
• Married: No more than three dependents, including spouse.

GPA:

No requirement.

Education:

See program requirements for credentialing.

Military Service:

No more than 12 years of non-Coast Guard active-duty (or 14 years cumulative) military service. Members currently in another military service (or Reserve) must have an approved DD368 (conditional release).

Medical Requirements:

Must meet commissioning physical standards, including normal color vision.

Program Specific Requirements:

• Physician-specific: Must be board-certified (or board-eligible) physicians who have completed one of the following residencies: family practice, pediatrics, clinical informatics, psychiatry, or internal, emergency, aerospace, public health and general preventative, occupational, sports, or undersea and hyperbaric medicine.
• Dentist-specific: Must be licensed or eligible to be licensed by a U.S. jurisdiction.
• Behavioral Health-specific: Must be a clinical psychologists with a doctorate in clinical psychology or a clinical social workers with a master's degree in social work. Must maintain a social work license from a U.S. jurisdiction.
• Nursing-specific: Must be a registered nurse with a bachelor's degree in nursing and licensed by a U.S. jurisdiction.
• Applicants must have an unrestricted U.S. state or territory license, and board certification (as applicable) must be current.
• Those trained outside the U.S. must have registered with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and pass the U.S. medical license examination (USMLE).