AF seeks medical commissioning candidates

  • Published
  • By Debbie Gildea
  • Air Force Personnel Center
Joint Base San Antonio - Randolph, Texas --  Interested officers, enlisted members and cadets eligible for fiscal 2013 Biomedical Sciences Corps training and commissioning programs can learn more during a world-wide webcast slated for July 18, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

Webcasts, slated for 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. central time, will focus on four BSC programs, including application and eligibility requirements. Opportunities this year include the Doctor of Physical Therapy Training, Ph.D. Clinical Psychology Training, Inter-service Physician Assistant, and Direct Accession programs.

Each program has specific criteria, but applicants for all programs must be U.S. citizens, meet minimum commissioning requirements, meet Air Force fitness standards and be medically qualified for worldwide duty.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Training Program
The U.S. Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy provides students entry-level competence in traditional physical therapy skills. Air Force enlisted students are commissioned as second lieutenants in the Air Force Medical Science Corps. Open to enlisted, officers and cadets in their final semester, Airmen join the Air Force Biomedical Sciences Corps upon successful completion of training, at which time graduates earn a doctor of physical therapy degree from Baylor University.

Applicants must have a 1,000 on the old format Graduate Record Examination or 297 on the new format, with a minimum score of 450 (or 150 new) in the verbal portion; at least 100 observation hours in a variety of clinical settings; an undergraduate grade point average of 3.1 on a 4.0 scale; and prerequisite courses including anatomy, physiology, biology, physics, chemistry, psychology, social science and statistics.

Applications will be accepted through Nov. 25. Applicants should email the AFPC Biomedical Science Corps Utilization and Education Branch at afpc.DPANW@us.af.mil or call 210-565-2775 (DSN 665-2775) for more information. In addition, information is available at https://kx.afms.mil/afbsceducation, and on the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil.

Ph.D. Clinical Psychology Training Program
The Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences graduate training program in Military Clinical Psychology is designed to prepare broad-based Ph.D. clinical psychologists and to emphasize appreciation and understanding of the needs of the military. Eligibility is open to active duty officers, enlisted, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members with a GRE of 1,100 (old format) or 302 (new format).

Applications can be submitted to the USUHS website through Jan. 1, 2013, and USUHS will submit them to AFPC. For more information, application instructions and general guidance, go to http://www.usuhs.mil/mps/militaryprograms.html.

Inter-service Physician Assistant Training Program
Airmen who meet Inter-service Physician Assistant Training admission criteria and successfully complete required training are awarded a qualifying degree as a physician assistant. The program is open to active duty enlisted and commissioned members, with applications due between Nov. 1, 2012 and Jan. 25, 2013.

Enlisted applicants must be airmen first class through senior master sergeants who have between two and 14 years active military service as of Aug. 1, 2014. Active duty officers must have fewer than four years time in service by Aug. 31, 2014. ROTC and USAFA cadets must be released by the AFPC line officer accessions branch before they can begin the application process, and USAFA cadets must also be endorsed for the program by the USAFA Health Professions Advisory Committee before applying.

Application packages must include academic worksheets, transcripts and SAT reports, which must be emailed to the AFPC Biomedical Science Corps Utilization and Education Branch at afpc.dpanw@us.af.mil or mail their package to AFPC/DPANW, 550 C Street West Ste 27, Randolph AFB TX 78150-4729. Completed applications are due Jan. 25, and the selection board will convene Mar. 22.

For more information on these and other medical training programs, including additional criteria, application procedures, and commissioning programs, go to the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil or the medical services knowledge exchange site at https://kx.afms.mil/afbsceducation.

For more information about other commissioning opportunities and personnel issues, visit myPers.