WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.020 MS. JULIE SPIELMAN: Hi. 2 00:00:01.020 --> 00:00:03.990 I'm Julie Spielman, and I'm a Family Nurse Practitioner 3 00:00:03.990 --> 00:00:05.443 with the U.S. Department of State. 4 00:00:05.443 --> 00:00:06.360 MR. ROB GIALLONGO: Hi. 5 00:00:06.360 --> 00:00:07.200 I'm Rob Giallongo. 6 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:09.237 I'm also a family nurse practitioner working 7 00:00:09.237 --> 00:00:10.320 with the State Department. 8 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:11.010 Welcome. 9 00:00:11.010 --> 00:00:11.970 MS. SPIELMAN: Welcome. 10 00:00:11.970 --> 00:00:15.270 So thank you for joining us today for our first 11 00:00:15.270 --> 00:00:19.860 ever Facebook Live and Rob and I are here 12 00:00:19.860 --> 00:00:23.310 to talk to you about medical careers with the U.S. 13 00:00:23.310 --> 00:00:24.990 Department of State. 14 00:00:24.990 --> 00:00:28.083 So have you wondered about possible careers 15 00:00:28.083 --> 00:00:30.000 with the Department of State, and specifically 16 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:32.220 medical careers with the Department of State? 17 00:00:32.220 --> 00:00:35.550 Or the opportunity that might be available to you 18 00:00:35.550 --> 00:00:39.630 to live and work overseas as a health care provider. 19 00:00:39.630 --> 00:00:41.160 If you're a health care provider who 20 00:00:41.160 --> 00:00:44.490 is interested in living and working overseas and providing 21 00:00:44.490 --> 00:00:50.530 health care to our diplomats, that is what we do. 22 00:00:50.530 --> 00:00:52.350 And Rob and I are going to tell you 23 00:00:52.350 --> 00:00:54.360 a little bit about our own experiences, 24 00:00:54.360 --> 00:00:58.830 and then how you might possibly be able to join us. 25 00:00:58.830 --> 00:01:03.210 So I'll start with my first posting with the U.S. 26 00:01:03.210 --> 00:01:07.320 Department of State which was in Antananarivo, Madagascar 27 00:01:07.320 --> 00:01:12.990 back in 2004 when very few people knew 28 00:01:12.990 --> 00:01:15.780 where Antananarivo, Madagascar was, 29 00:01:15.780 --> 00:01:18.100 including myself and my family. 30 00:01:18.100 --> 00:01:21.600 And it was a great place to start. 31 00:01:21.600 --> 00:01:26.370 Madagascar has very unique flora and fauna. 32 00:01:26.370 --> 00:01:28.470 It was a small embassy and it was 33 00:01:28.470 --> 00:01:32.040 a great place for my husband and I to start our career. 34 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:36.270 And then at the end of 2004, shortly after I'd been there, 35 00:01:36.270 --> 00:01:39.000 the Dreamworks film Madagascar came out 36 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:44.220 and then we started to get a lot of Americans coming 37 00:01:44.220 --> 00:01:48.120 to the island looking for giraffes and penguins, 38 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:53.030 neither of which existed in Madagascar, so that 39 00:01:53.030 --> 00:01:54.050 was an interesting-- 40 00:01:54.050 --> 00:01:54.207 MR. GIALLONGO: Right. 41 00:01:54.207 --> 00:01:55.850 So there were no talking zebras that 42 00:01:55.850 --> 00:01:57.620 sounded like Chris Rock or anything like that? 43 00:01:57.620 --> 00:01:57.777 MS. SPIELMAN: No. 44 00:01:57.777 --> 00:01:58.730 No talking favorites. 45 00:01:58.730 --> 00:02:01.400 No Chris Rock, unfortunately. 46 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:04.400 MR. GIALLONGO: Well, my first tour was in Tirana, Albania 47 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:06.760 and shortly after I started there 48 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:10.039 we started planning for a presidential visit 49 00:02:10.039 --> 00:02:11.720 by the U.S President. 50 00:02:11.720 --> 00:02:14.210 And so, very quickly, the entire town 51 00:02:14.210 --> 00:02:18.071 filled up with people that had something to do with the-- 52 00:02:18.071 --> 00:02:21.200 with the visit, whether they were from the White House 53 00:02:21.200 --> 00:02:23.310 or they were journalists, whatever. 54 00:02:23.310 --> 00:02:27.080 And so, about three or four days before the President was 55 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:30.590 due to arrive, one of his staffers got sick 56 00:02:30.590 --> 00:02:34.190 and so he called me on the phone and I said, OK I'll meet you 57 00:02:34.190 --> 00:02:36.080 and I figured he probably get a little bit 58 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:38.990 of traveler's diarrhea, which was very common. 59 00:02:38.990 --> 00:02:42.650 Well, I saw him and realized this is a surgical abdomen 60 00:02:42.650 --> 00:02:47.420 and so quickly got him to see our surgical consultant 61 00:02:47.420 --> 00:02:50.290 and he got evaluated and he said, come on. 62 00:02:50.290 --> 00:02:50.790 Let's go. 63 00:02:50.790 --> 00:02:52.670 We're taking him to the OR. 64 00:02:52.670 --> 00:02:54.470 He's got acute appendicitis. 65 00:02:54.470 --> 00:02:56.880 MS. SPIELMAN: Hmm, and so did you get to go into the OR 66 00:02:56.880 --> 00:02:57.380 with him? 67 00:02:57.380 --> 00:02:57.770 MR. GIALLONGO: I did. 68 00:02:57.770 --> 00:02:59.060 They took me into the-- 69 00:02:59.060 --> 00:03:02.840 the OR with them and I was there for the entire surgery. 70 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:05.690 I was then able to call the patient's family and say, 71 00:03:05.690 --> 00:03:07.350 everything went really well. 72 00:03:07.350 --> 00:03:08.780 He's fine. 73 00:03:08.780 --> 00:03:09.710 Rest assured. 74 00:03:09.710 --> 00:03:12.320 And it was it was a pretty amazing day. 75 00:03:12.320 --> 00:03:15.140 And as a thank you, his friends that 76 00:03:15.140 --> 00:03:17.930 were on the staff of the President, 77 00:03:17.930 --> 00:03:20.570 put me into the short line to meet the President 78 00:03:20.570 --> 00:03:21.800 and get my picture taken. 79 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:23.297 It was really nice. 80 00:03:23.297 --> 00:03:24.380 MS. SPIELMAN: [INAUDIBLE]. 81 00:03:24.380 --> 00:03:26.178 That's good. 82 00:03:26.178 --> 00:03:27.220 MR. GIALLONGO: All right. 83 00:03:27.220 --> 00:03:30.580 So I'd like to tell you about the four different specialties 84 00:03:30.580 --> 00:03:33.550 that we are recruiting for at the Department of State's 85 00:03:33.550 --> 00:03:35.650 Bureau of Medical Services. 86 00:03:35.650 --> 00:03:37.960 The first is Medical Provider. 87 00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:40.420 Julie and I are both Medical Providers. 88 00:03:40.420 --> 00:03:44.440 And medical providers are Family Nurse Practitioners 89 00:03:44.440 --> 00:03:46.870 and Physicians Assistants that are 90 00:03:46.870 --> 00:03:49.870 certified in their specialties. 91 00:03:49.870 --> 00:03:53.110 We also have Regional Medical Officers, 92 00:03:53.110 --> 00:03:58.360 and these are M.D's and D.O's that are Certified Family 93 00:03:58.360 --> 00:04:00.340 Practice Physicians. 94 00:04:00.340 --> 00:04:03.730 We do hire some internal medicine and emergency room 95 00:04:03.730 --> 00:04:08.080 docs that are certified and have experience, both in pediatrics, 96 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:10.420 as well as adult medicine. 97 00:04:10.420 --> 00:04:14.080 We also have Regional Medical Officer of Psychiatry 98 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:18.790 that are board certified in both adult and child 99 00:04:18.790 --> 00:04:21.010 and adolescent psycholo-- psychiatry. 100 00:04:21.010 --> 00:04:21.910 Excuse Me. 101 00:04:21.910 --> 00:04:25.030 And then last, but not least, we have our Regional Medical 102 00:04:25.030 --> 00:04:28.750 Laboratory Scientists and our laboratory scientists 103 00:04:28.750 --> 00:04:32.710 have a bachelor's degree, national certification, 104 00:04:32.710 --> 00:04:34.900 and they have a combination of bench 105 00:04:34.900 --> 00:04:37.520 and supervisory experience. 106 00:04:37.520 --> 00:04:39.970 MS. SPIELMAN: OK, so I'm going to tell you 107 00:04:39.970 --> 00:04:42.820 a little bit about what we actually do, 108 00:04:42.820 --> 00:04:45.970 what our day-to-day job is like. 109 00:04:45.970 --> 00:04:48.070 All of us medical specialists work 110 00:04:48.070 --> 00:04:51.760 as a team to provide primary and emergency health 111 00:04:51.760 --> 00:04:55.360 care to U.S. Diplomats and to their family members who are 112 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.270 living and working overseas. 113 00:04:58.270 --> 00:05:01.630 We have primary care clinics within the embassies 114 00:05:01.630 --> 00:05:04.720 and we manage these clinics and provide health care 115 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:07.430 to the diplomats and their family members. 116 00:05:07.430 --> 00:05:11.050 We do this side-by-side with our locally employed staff who 117 00:05:11.050 --> 00:05:13.300 might be a doctor, might be a nurse, 118 00:05:13.300 --> 00:05:18.970 might be a medical receptionist, a wide variety of people who 119 00:05:18.970 --> 00:05:21.340 work with us in the Embassy. 120 00:05:21.340 --> 00:05:24.640 The Regional Medical Officers and the Regional Medical 121 00:05:24.640 --> 00:05:28.360 Psychiatrists and the Regional Medical Laboratory Scientists, 122 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.460 which Rob was just talking about. 123 00:05:30.460 --> 00:05:35.500 Also, in addition to providing health care at their post 124 00:05:35.500 --> 00:05:37.720 of assignment, have a region. 125 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:42.460 And that region is geographically centered around 126 00:05:42.460 --> 00:05:43.930 where their own post is. 127 00:05:43.930 --> 00:05:45.610 Some of the medical providers also 128 00:05:45.610 --> 00:05:50.680 have the opportunity to travel and to cover areas 129 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:52.600 in the region. 130 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:56.020 I mentioned that we work with our locally employed staff, 131 00:05:56.020 --> 00:05:58.450 which is really unique, and it gives us 132 00:05:58.450 --> 00:06:02.110 a really good opportunity to get to know the culture even better 133 00:06:02.110 --> 00:06:06.610 than if we were just providing health care on our own. 134 00:06:06.610 --> 00:06:09.910 And in that way, health care in a U.S. embassy 135 00:06:09.910 --> 00:06:13.870 is a lot like working in a small rural town in the United 136 00:06:13.870 --> 00:06:14.740 States. 137 00:06:14.740 --> 00:06:18.100 MR. GIALLONGO: It is, and my practice before the State 138 00:06:18.100 --> 00:06:21.010 Department was in small towns in rural America, 139 00:06:21.010 --> 00:06:22.960 and there's a lot of overlap. 140 00:06:22.960 --> 00:06:25.900 And everyone knows you, you know everyone 141 00:06:25.900 --> 00:06:29.243 and you know you may step out, and next thing 142 00:06:29.243 --> 00:06:30.910 you know someone's asking for a curbside 143 00:06:30.910 --> 00:06:35.320 consult at the grocery store or outside your office 144 00:06:35.320 --> 00:06:37.602 or at the swimming pool so yeah. 145 00:06:37.602 --> 00:06:38.838 MS. SPIELMAN: Yeah. 146 00:06:38.838 --> 00:06:41.480 Our embassies are quite varied around the world, 147 00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:45.430 and so in Antananarivo, my first post, 148 00:06:45.430 --> 00:06:49.000 there were about 90 patients that I had responsibility for. 149 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:51.230 In Baghdad it was over 600. 150 00:06:51.230 --> 00:06:53.890 And so that makes a big difference 151 00:06:53.890 --> 00:06:57.130 in how you practice your care, and of course, also the people 152 00:06:57.130 --> 00:06:59.290 you have helping you out in the embassy 153 00:06:59.290 --> 00:07:01.750 and in your health unit. 154 00:07:01.750 --> 00:07:06.580 As diplomats ourselves, we live and work overseas for anywhere 155 00:07:06.580 --> 00:07:09.850 from one to three years, on average about two years, 156 00:07:09.850 --> 00:07:14.080 at each post and we move around the world. 157 00:07:14.080 --> 00:07:17.800 That oppor-- that chance to live in a place for two years 158 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:20.260 really gives us a unique opportunity 159 00:07:20.260 --> 00:07:23.110 to become a part of the local community. 160 00:07:23.110 --> 00:07:25.450 The city that we're living in allows 161 00:07:25.450 --> 00:07:28.870 us to get to know the culture of the country we're in, 162 00:07:28.870 --> 00:07:31.810 and maybe even to start to learn a bit of the language, 163 00:07:31.810 --> 00:07:35.380 depending on how good we are with languages. 164 00:07:35.380 --> 00:07:38.050 MR. GIALLONGO: I'm not very good with languages. 165 00:07:38.050 --> 00:07:42.070 So let me tell you about some of the benefits of this career. 166 00:07:42.070 --> 00:07:44.170 One of them is that your children's education 167 00:07:44.170 --> 00:07:49.480 is paid for, K through 12, and my children were two and six 168 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:51.730 when we went overseas and they've 169 00:07:51.730 --> 00:07:56.140 attended American International schools in Toronto, 170 00:07:56.140 --> 00:07:58.810 Mumbai, Cairo. 171 00:07:58.810 --> 00:08:01.330 My daughter graduated from the Cairo American 172 00:08:01.330 --> 00:08:04.750 College which is a K through 12 international school. 173 00:08:04.750 --> 00:08:07.840 And the graduation ceremony was held 174 00:08:07.840 --> 00:08:09.748 at the Great Pyramids of Giza. 175 00:08:09.748 --> 00:08:10.790 MS. SPIELMAN: Wow thats-- 176 00:08:10.790 --> 00:08:11.728 that's really cool. 177 00:08:11.728 --> 00:08:13.270 MR. GIALLONGO: I can't show you guys, 178 00:08:13.270 --> 00:08:15.733 but I am going to show a picture to Julie-- 179 00:08:15.733 --> 00:08:16.650 MS. SPIELMAN: Oh, wow. 180 00:08:16.650 --> 00:08:18.650 MR. GIALLONGO: --of the graduation taking place, 181 00:08:18.650 --> 00:08:22.630 and I will post this picture on our recruiting website 182 00:08:22.630 --> 00:08:24.615 so you can see that. 183 00:08:24.615 --> 00:08:25.115 OK. 184 00:08:25.115 --> 00:08:27.843 185 00:08:27.843 --> 00:08:29.760 MS. SPIELMAN: There's also some other benefits 186 00:08:29.760 --> 00:08:31.200 that we could talk about today. 187 00:08:31.200 --> 00:08:32.033 MR. GIALLONGO: Sure. 188 00:08:32.033 --> 00:08:36.690 So all your moving and storage expenses are paid for. 189 00:08:36.690 --> 00:08:39.210 There's hardship pay differentials, 190 00:08:39.210 --> 00:08:43.890 depending on which post you are assigned to. 191 00:08:43.890 --> 00:08:46.650 Furnished housing which is rent free. 192 00:08:46.650 --> 00:08:50.130 And for all of us medical specialists, 193 00:08:50.130 --> 00:08:52.830 we get a once a year medical conference 194 00:08:52.830 --> 00:08:56.310 that is paid for by the State Department. 195 00:08:56.310 --> 00:08:58.810 It is put on by the State Department as well 196 00:08:58.810 --> 00:09:02.756 and we get at least 25 CEUs every year. 197 00:09:02.756 --> 00:09:04.160 MS. SPIELMAN: Yeah. 198 00:09:04.160 --> 00:09:05.910 MR. GIALLONGO: So there's also the benefit 199 00:09:05.910 --> 00:09:09.000 of traveling and getting to experience, not only a country, 200 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:11.430 but an entire region of the world 201 00:09:11.430 --> 00:09:14.580 like you could never do on a two week vacation 202 00:09:14.580 --> 00:09:16.080 from your present job. 203 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:19.650 So every time my kids have time off from school, 204 00:09:19.650 --> 00:09:21.990 we were always trying to get off and get 205 00:09:21.990 --> 00:09:24.498 someplace to explore and see something new with the kids. 206 00:09:24.498 --> 00:09:25.290 MS. SPIELMAN: Yeah. 207 00:09:25.290 --> 00:09:27.332 MR. GIALLONGO: It's really an amazing opportunity 208 00:09:27.332 --> 00:09:28.830 for a family. 209 00:09:28.830 --> 00:09:32.850 MS. SPIELMAN: This job is also unique in other ways. 210 00:09:32.850 --> 00:09:34.830 Having the opportunity to treat patients 211 00:09:34.830 --> 00:09:37.560 with infectious diseases that you would only read about 212 00:09:37.560 --> 00:09:40.740 if you were working and living in the United States, 213 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:42.810 such as malaria and schistosomiasis. 214 00:09:42.810 --> 00:09:44.790 I've had the opportunity to have plenty 215 00:09:44.790 --> 00:09:46.920 of patients with both of those. 216 00:09:46.920 --> 00:09:50.370 And there's also the opportunity to work with other diplomats 217 00:09:50.370 --> 00:09:54.630 from other countries, to work on mass casualty scenarios. 218 00:09:54.630 --> 00:09:58.230 One of my favorite things is to learn about medicine 219 00:09:58.230 --> 00:10:00.870 and how medicine is done in other parts of the world 220 00:10:00.870 --> 00:10:06.030 because we interact with doctors and providers and specialists 221 00:10:06.030 --> 00:10:09.510 from in the country we're located in and in the region 222 00:10:09.510 --> 00:10:13.170 we're located in and that really gives us a unique opportunity 223 00:10:13.170 --> 00:10:16.380 to learn medicine as it's practiced differently 224 00:10:16.380 --> 00:10:17.610 in other parts of the world. 225 00:10:17.610 --> 00:10:19.000 MR. GIALLONGO: Yeah. 226 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:22.370 I tell people that when I was practicing in the States-- 227 00:10:22.370 --> 00:10:25.140 usually day-to-day things were pretty much the same, but then 228 00:10:25.140 --> 00:10:28.410 when I started this job it was like every day was unique. 229 00:10:28.410 --> 00:10:30.900 And you could be-- besides seeing patients, 230 00:10:30.900 --> 00:10:34.260 you're planning for pandemic-- 231 00:10:34.260 --> 00:10:35.640 a pandemic response. 232 00:10:35.640 --> 00:10:40.380 You may be surveying the local medical community for what 233 00:10:40.380 --> 00:10:41.790 services are available. 234 00:10:41.790 --> 00:10:45.300 You might be hosting a talk in which you have someone come in 235 00:10:45.300 --> 00:10:48.880 and talk to the the local medical community. 236 00:10:48.880 --> 00:10:54.000 And we also do things like plan and implement blood donation 237 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:56.700 days at the embassies and you may 238 00:10:56.700 --> 00:10:58.470 be asked to consult with the ambassador 239 00:10:58.470 --> 00:11:01.650 about some local public health concerns. 240 00:11:01.650 --> 00:11:05.160 Next thing you know, you're organizing a medivac of someone 241 00:11:05.160 --> 00:11:07.840 out of your post via air and-- 242 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:09.380 it's always something different. 243 00:11:09.380 --> 00:11:09.982 MS. SPIELMAN: Right. 244 00:11:09.982 --> 00:11:10.766 MR. GIALLONGO: Yeah. 245 00:11:10.766 --> 00:11:11.160 MS. SPIELMAN: Right. 246 00:11:11.160 --> 00:11:12.993 MR. GIALLONGO: But you can also get involved 247 00:11:12.993 --> 00:11:16.590 in non-medical activities at the embassy or consulate 248 00:11:16.590 --> 00:11:18.810 that you're working, and one such thing 249 00:11:18.810 --> 00:11:21.540 are public diplomacy events. 250 00:11:21.540 --> 00:11:25.410 And I once gave a talk on the history of jazz 251 00:11:25.410 --> 00:11:28.110 in Kosovo which was-- which was really fun. 252 00:11:28.110 --> 00:11:29.740 MS. SPIELMAN: All right. 253 00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:32.580 So if all of this sounds interesting to you, 254 00:11:32.580 --> 00:11:37.500 you can find out more by going to careers.state.gov backslash 255 00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:38.220 med. 256 00:11:38.220 --> 00:11:41.790 And that will take you to our Med landing page. 257 00:11:41.790 --> 00:11:45.360 The careers.state.gov takes you to all 258 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:47.400 of the careers at the Department of State, 259 00:11:47.400 --> 00:11:50.340 but with the backslash med, you get on our landing page 260 00:11:50.340 --> 00:11:52.590 and that has a lot of information 261 00:11:52.590 --> 00:11:55.740 about the medical specialties, and it even 262 00:11:55.740 --> 00:11:59.010 has videos of current providers who 263 00:11:59.010 --> 00:12:02.070 have been interviewed and talking about their job, 264 00:12:02.070 --> 00:12:03.960 so you get it from another perspective 265 00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:06.600 besides the two of us. 266 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:10.080 The careers.state.gov site, in general, 267 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:14.190 has all kinds of information about the benefits and pay 268 00:12:14.190 --> 00:12:18.540 and information on how to apply for the positions. 269 00:12:18.540 --> 00:12:20.880 There's quizzes you can take with your family 270 00:12:20.880 --> 00:12:23.610 to see if it really is the right career for you, 271 00:12:23.610 --> 00:12:27.540 or maybe it's not but it gives you an opportunity 272 00:12:27.540 --> 00:12:30.720 to see if it is a fit for you. 273 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:35.280 And, if after reviewing careers.state.gov you have 274 00:12:35.280 --> 00:12:38.640 a question and you can't find the answer anywhere, 275 00:12:38.640 --> 00:12:40.860 you can always email medrecruiting@state.gov 276 00:12:40.860 --> 00:12:45.050 and somebody will get back to you with-- 277 00:12:45.050 --> 00:12:47.110 with specific answers. 278 00:12:47.110 --> 00:12:49.380 So with that, I'm just going to see 279 00:12:49.380 --> 00:12:52.455 if there's any questions that we can quickly answer. 280 00:12:52.455 --> 00:12:55.270 281 00:12:55.270 --> 00:12:56.220 Let's take a look. 282 00:12:56.220 --> 00:12:59.090 283 00:12:59.090 --> 00:13:02.510 We're going a little too fast. 284 00:13:02.510 --> 00:13:04.050 OK that's a good question. 285 00:13:04.050 --> 00:13:06.560 Do we need to take the Foreign Service Officers 286 00:13:06.560 --> 00:13:08.660 test to work as an RMLS. 287 00:13:08.660 --> 00:13:13.370 So RMLS is Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist, 288 00:13:13.370 --> 00:13:16.580 and for our positions, we're considered specialists. 289 00:13:16.580 --> 00:13:18.470 All of these-- the four positions 290 00:13:18.470 --> 00:13:21.920 we've talked about today do not require the Foreign Service 291 00:13:21.920 --> 00:13:23.570 Officers test. 292 00:13:23.570 --> 00:13:30.230 Our application and assessment mechanism is-- 293 00:13:30.230 --> 00:13:35.240 is-- it is very selective, but it does not require the Foreign 294 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:36.650 Service Officers test. 295 00:13:36.650 --> 00:13:39.050 And so, no, you don't need to take the Foreign Service 296 00:13:39.050 --> 00:13:40.310 Officers test to get 297 00:13:40.310 --> 00:13:41.643 MR. GIALLONGO: I saw a question. 298 00:13:41.643 --> 00:13:43.190 There are pets relocated as well. 299 00:13:43.190 --> 00:13:47.330 Yes, your pets are relocated with you, 300 00:13:47.330 --> 00:13:48.740 depending on how you do that. 301 00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:52.030 Sometimes you bear the cost, but there's also 302 00:13:52.030 --> 00:13:54.712 a cost that will be covered by the State Department. 303 00:13:54.712 --> 00:13:57.170 MS. SPIELMAN: And I can tell you, I've traveled with my dog 304 00:13:57.170 --> 00:13:59.420 to every post. 305 00:13:59.420 --> 00:14:01.820 MR. GIALLONGO: And my dog we got in Cairo 306 00:14:01.820 --> 00:14:04.630 and he's back here now in the States with us. 307 00:14:04.630 --> 00:14:06.260 MS. SPIELMAN: So I see another question 308 00:14:06.260 --> 00:14:09.200 about physician assistants. 309 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:13.010 Yes, indeed, physician assistants and family nurse 310 00:14:13.010 --> 00:14:16.340 practitioners are what we call medical providers, 311 00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:18.420 and that's what we were talking about. 312 00:14:18.420 --> 00:14:22.940 MR. GIALLONGO: So we are looking for PAs with a broad background 313 00:14:22.940 --> 00:14:27.590 so family practice type experiences is really the best. 314 00:14:27.590 --> 00:14:30.260 MS. SPIELMAN: And then I do see a question about-- 315 00:14:30.260 --> 00:14:33.110 and I actually got one in anticipation of this 316 00:14:33.110 --> 00:14:36.200 --about whether we're actually hiring at this point because 317 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:40.460 of the freeze in general for the Department of State. 318 00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:44.060 And yes we are accepting applications. 319 00:14:44.060 --> 00:14:49.500 We are continuing to post our vacancies. 320 00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:54.470 The Bureau of Medical Services has-- 321 00:14:54.470 --> 00:14:56.960 we have a difficult time continuing 322 00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:02.000 to keep all the providers that we need overseas. 323 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:05.300 We just-- people like to have-- 324 00:15:05.300 --> 00:15:07.400 these posts like to have medical providers 325 00:15:07.400 --> 00:15:09.590 and they'd like to have medical specialists. 326 00:15:09.590 --> 00:15:13.880 And so every year more posts ask to have us 327 00:15:13.880 --> 00:15:17.670 and we can't keep up with that demand, and so at this point, 328 00:15:17.670 --> 00:15:20.630 we are still recruiting for and hiring 329 00:15:20.630 --> 00:15:22.550 all of the Foreign Medical Specialists, 330 00:15:22.550 --> 00:15:24.740 so we encourage you to apply. 331 00:15:24.740 --> 00:15:26.690 MR. GIALLONGO: Someone asked about the time 332 00:15:26.690 --> 00:15:29.000 it takes to get through the application process. 333 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:31.470 It can be quite a lengthy process. 334 00:15:31.470 --> 00:15:35.030 It starts off with the application process 335 00:15:35.030 --> 00:15:37.760 and if you make it through that point, 336 00:15:37.760 --> 00:15:41.870 you will be asked to come in and give an oral interview. 337 00:15:41.870 --> 00:15:46.250 And then, if you pass that, you are given a conditional offer, 338 00:15:46.250 --> 00:15:48.770 but you still need to pass a medical clearance 339 00:15:48.770 --> 00:15:50.270 and a security clearance. 340 00:15:50.270 --> 00:15:51.435 And both of those 341 00:15:51.435 --> 00:15:53.060 MS. SPIELMAN: Suitability review, also. 342 00:15:53.060 --> 00:15:55.010 MR. GIALLONGO: And a suitability review. 343 00:15:55.010 --> 00:15:56.970 And all of those can take months. 344 00:15:56.970 --> 00:15:59.210 I would say that probably the quickest I've ever 345 00:15:59.210 --> 00:16:00.920 seen someone come to is about nine months 346 00:16:00.920 --> 00:16:04.710 and more like nine to 18 months can be the length of time. 347 00:16:04.710 --> 00:16:08.160 So don't sell the farm yet, OK? 348 00:16:08.160 --> 00:16:10.410 MS. SPIELMAN: And then there's a really good question, 349 00:16:10.410 --> 00:16:13.550 and I think we'll take this as our last question, which 350 00:16:13.550 --> 00:16:16.430 is, is there any say in your first assignment 351 00:16:16.430 --> 00:16:18.080 or is it the needs of the service? 352 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:21.200 And yes, it is the needs of the service. 353 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:24.440 Your first two tours are directed 354 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:29.000 assignments and you will be placed where we need you most. 355 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:32.360 We do take into consideration are 356 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:33.680 you coming in with a spouse? 357 00:16:33.680 --> 00:16:35.600 Are you coming in with a family? 358 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:40.190 That is-- we definitely take that into consideration. 359 00:16:40.190 --> 00:16:41.870 And-- but it is needs of the service 360 00:16:41.870 --> 00:16:45.860 and we will assign you wherever we need to assign you 361 00:16:45.860 --> 00:16:46.905 where we have openings. 362 00:16:46.905 --> 00:16:47.780 MR. GIALLONGO: Right. 363 00:16:47.780 --> 00:16:52.220 And for your second tour you do get to look at the list 364 00:16:52.220 --> 00:16:57.090 and tell us what your 10 most favorite posts are. 365 00:16:57.090 --> 00:17:00.500 And we try very hard to make sure that we get people-- 366 00:17:00.500 --> 00:17:02.420 it doesn't always work out, but-- 367 00:17:02.420 --> 00:17:04.835 you do have more say the second time around. 368 00:17:04.835 --> 00:17:06.140 MS. SPIELMAN: Yeah. 369 00:17:06.140 --> 00:17:08.450 So I think with that, we'll close. 370 00:17:08.450 --> 00:17:12.829 And again, you can go to careers.state.gov backslash med 371 00:17:12.829 --> 00:17:16.220 for comment specific information or-- 372 00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:19.520 and I encourage everybody to take a look at that. 373 00:17:19.520 --> 00:17:21.920 If you can't find your answers there, 374 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:26.450 go to medrecruiting@state.gov and we 375 00:17:26.450 --> 00:17:28.099 can answer specific questions. 376 00:17:28.099 --> 00:17:30.480 And thanks very much for joining us today. 377 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:32.230 MR. GIALLONGO: Thank you.