Medical Officers
Medical officers at the FDA make sure that all human drugs manufactured for interstate sale are safe and effective, with truthful and informative product labeling. They ensure the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, blood products, certain diagnostic products, and other biological human products. Medical officers also ensure the safety of medical devices and eliminate unnecessary human exposure to manmade radiation from medical and consumer products. The GS grade levels for these positions are GS-14 ($77,793) and 15 ($91,507). Nonsupervisory positions are subject to a peer review of individual accomplishments.
Alert
In order to be hired as a medical officer with the FDA, you must have earned an MD or doctor of osteopathy degree and have graduated from an accredited school in the United States or Canada. Graduates of medical schools in other countries must demonstrate that they hold a degree equivalent to the MD awarded by accredited schools in the United States.
In order to earn the GS-14 salary, the applicant must have four years of residency training in the specialty of the position to be filled or equivalent experience and training. GS-15 candidates must have five years of residency training in the specialty. A residency program involves training in a specialized field of medicine in an institution accredited for training in the specialty by a recognized body of the American Medical Association. Medical officers work in FDA offices located in suburban Washington, D.C., headquarters and in the field.
