Using the Therapist Category Benchmarks for Effective Career Development CDR Tarri Randall Therapist, USPHS Commissioned Corps TPAC Member, Promotion Preparation Subcommittee Chair

Objectives Officer will list the 2012 Promotion Precepts and their respective weights for the Therapist category. Officer will describe the purpose of the category benchmarks. Officer will identify example levels of achievement for each precept.

Promotion Precepts Professional guidelines to assist officers and the Annual Temporary Promotion Board (ATPB) in measuring the capabilities and performances of an officer being considered for promotion Announced annually Remember the benchmarks are to assist in describing the best qualified officer. They are NOT a check list. For our small category of ____# a hybrid board (meaning officers from other categories) may serve on the board

Promotion Precepts Described in Instruction 331.01 “Permanent Grade Promotions” and 332.01 “Temporary Grade Promotions” “Table of Contents”, “Book 3 - Personnel Management”, “Chapter 3 – Promotions and Reductions” and then “Section 1 [Inst 331.01]” for Permanent Grade policy and “Section 2 [Inst 332.01]” for Temporary Grade and EPP policies. The officers e-OPF serves as evidence to support the measure

The Promotion Precepts Precept 1: Performance Rating and Reviewing Official’s Statement (Performance) Precept 2: Education, training, and professional development Precept 3: Career progression and potential Precept 4: Professional contributions and services to the PHS Commissioned Corps (Officership) Precept 5: Basic Readiness

Category Specific Benchmarks Each precept is the same for each category Benchmarks for Precept 2 and 3 are category-specific Education, training and professional development may follow a discipline specific trend Career progression also may be discipline specific

Factors vs. Benchmarks Each precept has a number of “factors” whose purpose is to describe the Precept further The factors are then delineated by the benchmarks The benchmarks are written in ascending levels of achievement or responsibility anticipated for the best qualified officer at that rank

Hierarchy of Benchmarks Factors Precept 3 Career Progression & Potential Billet Progression of higher level billet Assignments Progressively more responsibility Mobility (geographic or programmatic) 1, 2, 3, 4 moves

Meet LT I. McPlan I wonder what I can do to help my career development? 1st step: make sure to get involved with the mentoring program. 2nd step: review those category benchmarks.

LT I. McPlan I saw the template on the TPAC web page under the Professional Development Committee Section 3rd step: prepare my CV following the category template

1. Performance Weight = 40% Factors and benchmarks are the same across the categories, and there are a lot in this precept

Factors for Precept 1 COER Award History Progression of responsibility Achievement and contributions Personal accountability for development Award History Progression across PHS Individual and Unit Honor Awards, other awards, PHS Service awards

Precept 1 (cont.) Reviewing Official’s Statement Current leadership role Progression of leadership potential Contribution to the agency mission Demonstrate increasing impact from local, regional, Branch, Division, Agency, national or international levels Collateral duties at the T-O5 and T-O6 grades

LT I. McPLan PHS# 99123 May 14, 2011   1. PERFORMANCE Awards: CC Honor Unit Commendation 2011 PHS Citation 2010 Other Awards: PHS Service: Isolated Hardship Award 2009 Leadership: TPAC Retirement Recognition Subcommittee 2001-Present Mission Contribution: Provide essential physical therapy services to the underserved population in the BOP. My COER was pretty good this year. I should put down that IHS Therapist of the Year award in this section.

2. Education, Training & Professional Development Weight = 20% (increased from 15% in the 2011 Benchmarks) Factors and Benchmarks are category specific

Factors for Precept 2 Degrees Residencies/Certifications/Credentials Qualifying degree progressing to advanced degree Residencies/Certifications/Credentials Board Certifications Other Certifications Continuing Education and Training

2. EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 2008 Doctor of Physical Therapy, U. of Gotta Know. Board Certifications:   Other Certifications/Credentials: 2010 RDF Training I enjoy working with geriatrics. I will prepare to take that geriatric specialty exam, especially since it will only help meet the goals of the service unit where I am assigned.

3. Career Progression and Potential Weight = 25% Factors and Benchmarks are category specific

Factors for Precept 3 Billet Assignments Progression of higher level of billet Assignments Progression of responsibility, ability and independence Mobility – Geographic and/or Programmatic Collateral Duties/Activities Progression from local, state/regional, or national/international level

3. CAREER PROGRESSION AND POTENTIAL Billets, Assignments, Mobility Billet Level Rank Held in the Position 2010-Present Senior Therapist O-4 O-3 Bureau of Prisons, Springfield, MO 2008 Staff Therapist O-3 O-3 Indian Health Service, Bemidji, MN   Collateral Duties Team Leader of Safe Patient Handling Work Group 2010 - present at duty station Glad I transferred last year. Hopefully I will pass that GCS exam and be able to move into that specialist billet.

4. Officership Weight = 15% Factors and benchmarks are the same across the categories

Factors for Precept 4 Honor/Integrity/Duty Officer Contribution Membership/Leadership/Involvement Recruitment Activities Commitment to visibility

PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND SERVICES TO THE PHS (OFFICERSHIP) Member, APTA 2007- Present Treasurer, Local Chapter, COA 2010 I’ve gotta get that mentor arranged. Maybe I should consider joining that PHS Honor Guard.

Basic Readiness Weight = 0% Administrative check for promotion year 2012

Now you know the benchmarks… what comes next?

The eOPF The many documents found here reflect the officer’s achievements relevant to the benchmarks Opportunity to echo achievements via the COER, the OS, the ROS, the PIR, letters, etc. Listings that are resounded on the CV should be consistent with other documents like the PIR Officers will appear apathetic about their careers by failing to submit documentation in preparation for promotion Awards listed on the summary pages should be consistent with the PIR list. ROS - assesses Promotion Readiness: Is the officer ready for promotion and to serve at the next  higher rank? [Yes/No]. Explain: Leadership: How does the officer take on a leadership role in the OPDIV/STAFFDIV/organization? Mission: How does the officer contribute to the mission of the OPDIV/STAFFDIV/organization? OS: support of corps activities, commitment to visibility as an officer, vision and expectations of a career in the Corps and the Corps mission PIR: real time information

The eOPF Make it a priority to keep your file up to date Review the eOPF for accuracy Submit annual COER Submit current professional license and make sure it is posted in your file Maintain basic force readiness standards If up for promotion the administrative checks include: current COER Current professional license Basic ready No current pending or adverse disciplinary actions

COER Focus should be on primary job duties and relevant accomplishments Accurately reflect your contributions toward the mission of your agency Clear, concise and objective statements that are emphasizing measurable impact Additional duties may be declared but a preferred location may be the OS and the CV

CV Follow the category template Reference level of impact in objective, clear and concise terms Collateral duties/activities listed should be supported somewhere else, ie the COER, OS, letters, etc. Emphasize increasing professional responsibilities and accomplishments

How does all this help your career development? Commonality of all the factors = progression of responsibility and/or impact Work duties and collateral duties should demonstrate progression of level of impact across the career Education and training should demonstrate progression across the career Officership contributions should demonstrate progression of the level of impact across the career

References Therapist Category Webpage (http://usphs.gov/corpslinks/therapist-current/tpac.htm) CCMIS Promotion Preparation Webpage (http://dcp.psc.gov//promotions_table_of_contents.aspx) Commissioned Corps Issuance System (http://dcp.psc.gov)

Contact Information Tarri Randall, PT, DPT, OCS, CWS CDR, US Public Health Service USPHS Indian Hospital Physical Therapy Department P.O. Box 860 Whiteriver, AZ 85941 928-338-3610 tarri.randall@.ihs.gov