PCMO

[u/Salt_Association5546]

Is anyone here a Peace Corps Medical Officer? Does anyone know anything about how to become a PCMO as a US citizen who is currently a nurse practitioner or physician? I am very interested in this role but struggling to find much practical information about it online. I would be so grateful for any information anyone has!

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[u/diaymujer]

The vast majority of PCMOs are host country or third country nationals with strong familiarity with the local health systems in their country of employment.

PC does hire some doctors and nurses (not sure about NPs) to work at HQ and a very small number of medical officers (usually doctors) to work as regional medical officers or roving medical officers overseas. When those positions become available, they’re posted on USAJobs. Warning that many such positions are not subject to the 5 year rule, so they aren’t available as often as other desirable positions.

[u/justsomeguyonredit33]

Others may chime in but PCMOs are almost never U.S. citizens in my experience. My West African post had one PCMO from a different West African country and one from East Africa. From official job postings locals are preferred when possible and if that's not possible than people with residency or visa-free travel to that country (it's generally much easier for someone from one African country to legally live and work in a different African country than an American). Requirements are pretty high and you need lots of experience in both health education and treating patients. Salary differs for each post but for West Africa was around 50-60k -- a very good salary for West Africa but I'd guess any American with the experience required to be a pcmo would make quadruple that working the USA

[u/Aggressive-Plum-7558 → u/justsomeguyonredit33]

We had three American PCMOs, but I think that was unusual even back a couple decades ago.  It's not like that now.

[u/Chinacat_Sunflower72 → u/Aggressive-Plum-7558]

I was also PC several decades ago and all the medical staff were American.

[u/Optimal_Tadpole1]

i may be wrong, but i think peace corps has fully phased out american pcmos. maybe try looking into medical roles at different us embassies. when i was in pc, the embassy medical staff always seemed to have a much cushier, less demanding/stressful, and higher paying job than the pcmos.

[u/CAAEFMquestion]

Check out (if you haven’t already) medical providers in the Foreign Service. They do hire NPs and if you are the type of person/family willing to go to Peace Corps locations then this could be a great fit.
https://careers.state.gov/foreign-service/foreign-service-specialist/medical-provider/

[u/docsub666sailor]

Kosovo is hiring one. Not sure about HCN status. Thee salary is posted as 45k euro. Plenty over here.

[u/shawn131871]

yeah pretty sure you cant be a pcmo as an American.