What the Federal Bureau of Prisons has to offer a Physician Assistant.

What the Federal Bureau of Prisons

has to offer a

Physician Assistant

Bureau of Prisons • Established in 1930• 117 institutions• 6 regional offices• Central Office (headquarters)• 2 staff training centers• 22 community corrections offices

• The Bureau is responsible for the custody and care of approximately 218,000 Federal offenders. Approximately 82 percent of these inmates are confined in Bureau-operated facilities, while the balance is confined in secure privately

managed or community-based facilities and local jails.

The BOP Mission• The Bureau protects public safety • The Bureau helps reduce the potential for future criminal

activity by encouraging inmates to participate in a range of programs that have been proven to reduce recidivism.

Inmate Population• Total population: 217,363 • Total sentenced population: 198,459 • Inmates in BOP facilities: 180,725• Inmates in privately-managed secure facilities1: 22,939• Inmates in other contract facilities2: 13,699

1 Includes inmates housed in privately-managed secure facilities under contract with the BOP or with a state or local government that has an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the BOP.2 Includes inmates housed in community corrections centers, home confinement, jail/short-term detention, contract juveniles, and long-term boarders.

Inmates By Security Level

• Minimum: 17.1 % • Low: 38.6 % • Medium: 29.2 %• High: 10.9 % • Unclassified1: 4.0 %

Inmate Age and Gender

• Average Inmate Age: 39•Male: 203,232 (93.5 %) • Female: 14,131 (6.5 %)

Types of Offenses• Drug Offenses: 101,929 (50.4 %) • Weapons, Explosives, Arson: 30,733 (15.2 %)• Immigration: 24,279 (12.0 %) • Robbery: 8,366 (4.1 %) • Burglary, Larceny, Property Offenses: 7,165 (3.5 %)• Extortion, Fraud, Bribery: 10,529 (5.2 %) • Homicide, Aggravated Assault, and Kidnapping Offenses: 5,571 (2.8 %) • Miscellaneous: 1,798 (0.9 %) • Sex Offenses: 9,772 (4.8 %) • Banking and Insurance, Counterfeit, Embezzlement: 883 (0.4 %)• Courts or Corrections: 645 (0.3 %) • Continuing Criminal Enterprise: 515 (0.3 %) • National Security: 97 (0.0 %)

* Data calculated for those with offense-specific information available.

Is a Career in the BOP

Right for You?

Initial Eligibility Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen. • Must be prior to your 37th birthday• exceptions: Physician Assistant; Medical

Officer; Dental Officer; Registered Nurse; Nurse Practitioner• may be waived up to their 40th birthday.

Physical Requirements

• All applicants must meet the physical requirements.• This examination will be made without

cost to the applicant and will include a urinalysis test for drug detection.

The Physical Abilities Test

• All applicants must be able to pass a physical abilities test which includes:• Dummy Drag (I don’t mean Edelman drag)• Climb and grasp • Obstacle Course• Run and Cuff • Stair Climb

Work Schedule

All Employees are Correctional Workers first

Regardless of the position to which an individual is hired (i.e., Secretary, PA, Plumber, Teacher, Doctor, Dentist, etc.). As correctional workers, staff may be called to work at any time in emergency situations.

Employment Interview

• Qualified applicants have an employment panel interview. • Interviews are held within the general area

where the applicant resides. • Applicants pay travel expenses to and from the

interview site and to their first employment location.

Background Investigation• Subject to satisfactory completion of a background

investigation.• Includes law enforcement and criminal record checks, credit

checks, inquiries with previous employers and personal references.

• Suitability determinations are based upon an individual’s character or conduct that may affect how the agency accomplishes it duties or responsibilities.

Probationary Period • Each new permanent employee serves a one-year

probationary period.• During this time, the supervisor monitors and provides

guidance to the employee. • For continued employment, the supervisor evaluates the

performance and conduct of the employee. • This is also the time to judge whether the job is compatible

with your skills and aspirations.

Vacation, Sick Leave, and Holidays

• Annual or vacation leave is earned on the basis of years of Federal service, including creditable military service• Full-time employees with 15 years or more of creditable service

accrue 26 days of annual leave a year;• Those with more than three but less than 15 years earn 20 days• Those with less than three years earn 13 days• All full-time employees earn 13 sick days a year. • Occasional absences for short periods will be granted if possible.• There are ten (10) paid Federal Government holidays

Training • All persons appointed to the Federal Bureau of Prisons must

successfully complete in-service training as a condition of employment, including• 200 hours of formal training within the first year of employment. • This includes:

• orientation to the physical plant,• familiarization with policies and procedures,• techniques for supervising and communicating with inmates in their

daily activities.

Orientation training includes:• 80 hours of Institution Familiarization at the facility. • 120 hours of specialized training at our residential training

center located at Glynco, GA, • Firearms • consist of successful qualification with

• 9mm, Semiautomatic Pistol• M-16 Rifle/Carbine • 12 Gauge Shotgun.

Promotion Potential• While it may be the practice of the Federal Bureau of Prisons

to fill vacancies internally. • Each employee is in competition with others similarly

qualified.• Selections are made from the persons considered the best

qualified based on their knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Transfers

• There are opportunities to transfer to various locations across the United States, to include Hawaii and Puerto Rico. • Generally, employees are expected to complete,

at a minimum, a 12 month trial period before applications for transfer will be considered.

Retirement

• At age 50, an employee who has completed 20 years of service is eligible to retire. • Employees with 25 years of law enforcement

service may retire at any age. • Visit the official website for information about

the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

Life and Health Insurance

• A variety of health insurance plans are available to Federal employees, with the Government paying 28 to 40 percent, depending on the health plan. • The government pays one-third of the cost for

Basic life insurance.

Thrift Savings Plan

• The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees.• The purpose of the TSP is to provide retirement income. • The TSP offers Federal civilian employees the same type

of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under the 401(k) plans.

Occupations in the Federal Bureau of Prisons

• Accountant• Accounting Technician• Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic

(HVAC)• Attorney and Summer Law Intern• Automotive Mechanic• Carpenter and Electrician• Chaplain• Clinical and Counseling Psychologist and• Pre Doctoral Psychology Internships• Computer Specialist• Contract Specialist• Correctional Officer• Correctional/Drug Treatment Specialist• Dentist and Dental Hygienist• Legal Instruments Examiner• Maintenance Mechanic• Medical Officer• Medical Records Technician

• Nurse Practitioner• Painter• Pharmacist• Physical Therapist

• Physician Assistant• Plumber• Recreation Specialist• Registered Nurse• Safety Specialist• Secretary• Sheet Metal Mechanic• Teacher• Training Instructor• Utility Systems Repairer-Operator•

BOP Career Opportunities for Physician Assistants

• Physician Assistants provide diagnostic and therapeutic medical care and services to inmates in Federal prisons,

• Assist in the observation and evaluation of patients• Take case histories • Conduct physical examinations• Order laboratory studies. • We have a continuous need for Physician Assistants around

the country

Certification Requirement

• All applicants must be certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Physician Assistants to apply for positions with the Federal Bureau of Prisons

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities• Candidates must demonstrate • (1) skill in making diagnoses, selecting and providing appropriate

treatment for medical or surgical emergencies as indicated until emergency assistance arrives

• (2) ability to assess a patient's condition and to initiate appropriate treatment

• (3) knowledge of pharmaceuticals • (4) ability to interpret diagnostic tests in order to determine

therapeutic treatment plans• (5) ability to deal effectively with patients.

Basic Qualification Requirements for all Physician Assistant GS-9/11 Positions

• One year of professional experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service is required.

• Acceptance of professional medical education: Candidates who have completed three full years of a curriculum in an accredited medical school in the United States leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree may be rated eligible for GS-9.

• Candidates who have completed the requirements for the degrees of Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathy, but who lack a license to practice in the United States, may be rated eligible for GS-11 if you meet the physician assistant "certification requirement" referenced above.

Salary • Salaries are based on the position and location of the job for

which you are selected. • The Law Enforcement Special Salary Rate and Locality Pay

scale may vary from the General Schedule and Locality pay scale.

• View current Federal Government pay rates and locality pay from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management website at www.opm.gov.

• Those assigned to evening duty (i.e., 4:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.) Or morning watch (i.e., 12:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.) is paid a percentage of their basic hourly rate above regular pay for all work Sunday.

Grade STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5 STEP 6 STEP 7 STEP 8 STEP 9 STEP 10

SUPPLEMENT

07 46551 48103 49656 51208 52760 54312 55864 57417 58969 60521 37%

09 52785 54544 56303 58062 59821 61580 63339 65098 66857 68616 27%

11 62859 64954 67049 69144 71239 73334 75429 77524 79619 81714 25%

PAY SCALESERIES 0603 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

Loan Repayment

• $10,000 a year for up to 6 years• Start with 3 year agreement• Then yearly afterwards•Must be educational loans

Retention Bonus

• 25% of base pay• Can do as a lump sum for when first start• Afterwards is added to every paycheck

The Bottom Line

• So if you make $62,000 • Add in 25% bonus per pay• Gives you 656 more dollars every two

weeks• Now add in $10,000 loan repayment a

year• Guaranteed raises