Student Trainee (IHS Extern)

About the role

Applications are now being accepted for the Indian Health Service Summer 2027 Externship Program. Externships will be from May 2027 to September 2027. These positions are being filled under Excepted Service.

Transcripts are required with your application; unofficial transcripts are accepted. The duty location is negotiable; however, the final location will be determined by IHS and must be at an IHS site. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

What you will do

• Eligible degree programs for Summer 2027 (must be accepted into program at time of application): Must be enrolled in the Associate Degree program by January 1, 2027: Clincial Laboratory Science Dental Therapy Diagnostic Radiology Must be enrolled in the Bachelor Degree program by January 1, 2027: Clinical Laboratory Scientist Dental Hygiene Diagnostic Radiology Environmental Health Engineering (Must be ABET accredited program) Nursing Must be enrolled in the Master Degree program by January 1, 2027: Dental Therapy Mental Health Counseling Nurse Midwife Nurse Practitioner Occupational Therapy Physician Assistant Social Work (LCSW) Must be enrolled in the Doctoral Degree program by January 1, 2027: Clinical Psychology Dentistry Nurse Anesthetist Nurse Practitioner (DNP) Occupational Therapy Optometry Pharmacy Physician, Allopathy Physician Assistant Physician, Osteopathy Physical Therapy Podiatry Duties Include: Gain working knowledge and experience in your chosen health profession or field with Indian Health Service during non-academic periods for minimum of 30 days up to 120 workdays per calendar year.
• Assist preceptor in daily duties in their academic field.
• Assist and prepare reports on assigned projects.
• Assist on day-to-day administrative operations by performing tasks related to their department functions "Not all health professions students are eligible to participate in an externship.
• Please use the LINK IHS Extern Program | IHS Scholarship Program to the chart to identify if your discipline of study is eligible."

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Qualifications are based on the student's number of completed semester/quarter hours in their academic program.
• This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children.
• Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
• Physical Demands: The work involves walking, sitting, standing, reaching and bending in the assessment and treatment of patients.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit ***
• You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.
• Background Investigation Requirement: This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.
• A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.
• Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance.
• Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.
• Financial Suitability Requirement: This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination.
• Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.
• Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).
• Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification.
• If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

Education

IHS Extern Program | IHS Scholarship Program NOTE: Those who have or will graduate from their program of study before or during the externship period are not eligible for the Extern Program. You may be asked to provide an updated transcript history if it becomes apparent that you have completed additional coursework after submitting your application.

You will be rated based on the number of credit hours completed to determine grade level you are applying to. Adjustments may be made at time of appointment. This position has an education requirement.

You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: ***

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit ***

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications. If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process. To ensure a fair and consistent hiring process, IHS uses a multi-hurdle assessment process.

Each "hurdle" must be passed before moving to the next step. This helps us evaluate applicants based on job-related qualifications, competencies, and experience. Demonstration of these specialized experience statements ascertain your competency in the following: Click here to view vacancy questions: ***

All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 12/02/2026, to be considered.

Documents you must provide

• USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements.
• Resume: You are highly encouraged to visit the USAJOBS Help Center before submitting a resume.
• USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements Required as applicable for the purposes of specific eligibility and appointment claim(s), and position requirements: Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records.
• For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432.
• Refer to BIA-4432 link: Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS When an Indian Preference candidate possesses Veterans preference the rules regarding Veterans preference apply under ESEP and the applicant must provide documentation in order to receive preference.
• Veterans Preference: If claiming Veteran's Preference provide a copy of your DD214 Form (Member 4 copy).
• To claim 10-Point Veterans Preference, submit a SF-15 Application (***) along with the appropriate supporting documentation.
• For additional information regarding Veterans Preference visit: ***
• Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions below: ***
• Current or former Federal employee: Include your most recent SF-50 or if Reinstatement eligible include your Career SF-50.
• Noncompetitive eligibles: Submit additional documents to prove your eligibility to apply to this vacancy.
• Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application.
• You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades.
• Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• Licensure, Certifications: Applicants should list their license/certifications on their resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable.
• Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 12/02/2026

What to expect next

Stay Updated with Text Alerts You can choose to receive text message notifications about your application status. To enable this feature: - Log in to your USAJOBS account. - Go to your Account Settings and select Notification Preferences. - Check the option to receive SMS/Text Messages. Text message updates are optional and provided in addition to email notifications.

Standard messaging rates may apply. You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJOBS account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJOBS that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line eligibility questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation.

You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJOBS Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.

We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement. If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.

Additional information

The duty location is negotiable; however, the final location will be determined by IHS and must be at an IHS site. To learn more about the IHS Extern Program please visit the following link IHS Extern Program | IHS Scholarship Program NOTE: Those who have or will graduate from their program of study before or during the externship period are not eligible for the Extern Program.

You may be asked to provide an updated transcript history if it becomes apparent that you have completed additional coursework after submitting your application. You will be rated based on the number of credit hours completed to determine grade level you are applying to. Adjustments may be made at time of appointment.

Please visit ihs.gov/findhealthcaremap/ to identify your top 3 sites. Not all cities or states have Indian Healthcare Facilities. Please verify that places you identify do.

You will need to select "filters" then select governance type" and then selected "IHS." This position is ineligible for the Bargaining Unit. This position meets the criteria specified in pillar number one of the five pillars of the PHS Commissioned Corps.

PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps MUST apply online under the merit promotion announcement indicated above in order to receive consideration. For more information on PHS Commissioned Corps, visit the website at: ***