Regional Medical Officer Psychiatrist (RMOP)

Last Updated: July 2023

As a Foreign Service Regional Medical Officer Psychiatrist in the Bureau of Medical Services (MED), you’ll discover an opportunity that enables you to contribute your professional skills and engage your personal interests in a public service career.

You will provide quality primary and preventive medical care to U.S. diplomats and their families, supervise staff, direct health unit operations, and engage with foreign audiences to promote peace and prosperity around the world. You’ll travel and explore new cultures, while creating solutions for unique healthcare challenges. You will use your family practice background to advance U.S. interests abroad, as you encounter endless opportunities to maximize your potential and elevate your career.

In return for your service, you’ll have access to continued medical training and career development programs; health and medical coverage; federal retirement benefits; and generous paid leave. When serving overseas, you’ll receive paid housing or an appropriate housing allowance, and paid K-12 education for dependent children.

Conditions for Employment

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

Requirements

  • Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain national security eligibility.
  • Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree from a university in the U.S. or Canada that was approved by a recognized U.S. accrediting body in the year of the applicant’s graduation; or
  • MD or DO or equivalent degree from a foreign school that provided educational and medical knowledge substantially 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.
  • Applicants must have a current, valid, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. Applications will not be accepted from psychiatrists who are not licensed. The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) must certify applicants in psychiatry. American Board certification and re-certification, state medical licensure, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration must be maintained for the duration of employment.
  • Applicants must have a current board certification by the ABPN and have a minimum of three years post-residency clinical experience within the past eight years, in adult or child/adolescent psychiatry with at least 50% of the applicant’s time involved in direct patient care during the last three years.

Learn more about the duties and find all the requirements for the position and the application process by visiting an archived USAJOBS listing.  This is for informational purposes only.  Candidates must adhere to the requirements listed in the open vacancy announcement at the time of their application.  Sign up to receive a notification when the vacancy is open for application.

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

U.S. law requires companies 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 selection process, please visit: http://careers.state.gov/faqs