Public Health Service Overview

Since its creation in 1798, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) has continually directed its resources to meet the changing needs of the Nation. Two centuries ago the focus was the Merchant Marines; in the 1800s, arriving immigrants; in the early 1900s, contagious disease. Today, professionals in more than a hundred different disciplines work in the PHS, charged with the complex task of protecting the Nation's health. The PHS is made up of the Office of Public Health and Science and nine operating divisions:

  • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
  • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • Health Resources and Services Administration
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
  • Indian Health Service
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Office of Public Health and Science
  • Office of the Secretary
  • Program Support Center
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  • Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

In addition, commissioned officers are also assigned to the following agencies/programs:

  • District of Columbia Commission on Mental Health Services
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Federal Bureau of Prisons
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • National Park Service
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • U.S. Department of Defense
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Division of Immigration Health Services (DIHS)
  • U.S. Coast Guard
  • U.S. Marshals Service

Pharmacists have played a vital role in the PHS over the last 100 years. While most pharmacists have been clinicians, many have also served in regulatory, administrative or research roles. Pharmacists serve in either the PHS Commissioned Corps, a Uniformed Service, or the Federal Civil Service. As of July 2010 there were over 1000 pharmacists in the PHS Commissioned Corps and over 200 in Civil Service.

Today the greatest need is for clinical pharmacists to work with medically underserved populations. Most PHS pharmacists begin their careers in a clinical setting, advancing to senior clinical positions or moving to regulatory affairs, research, or administration. The PHS hires both Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy graduates. Many regulatory, research, and administrative positions require an advanced degree.