Peace
Corps Application Timeline
Summer & Fall 2011 – Started seriously
exploring the option of the Peace Corps after College.
·
December 2011 – Consciously committed to
applying for the Peace Corps for the summer of 2013.
·
March & April 2012 – Researched as much
as I could about the Peace Corps, its’ benefits (grad school fellowship,
non-competitive federal employment eligibility, cross-cultural and foreign
language experience, etc.), risks, medical clearance, application process and
other miscellaneous topics.
·
May 1st, 2012 – Registered my personal information on the on-line Peace Corps application portal.
·
May & June 2012 – Gathered and inputted
all the necessary information for my application: personal information,
financial obligations, secondary-education transcripts, tailored resume, work
experience, past community involvement, regional preferences, professional and personal references, etc.
·
July 11th, 2012 – Completed the
cross-cultural and motivational essays, and subsequently submitted my complete Peace Corps application.
·
July 12th, 2012 – Completed the
Health Status Review form on-line and submitted it. The form was basically a
battery of comprehensive questions about past and/or present medical
conditions.
·
July 23rd, 2012 – Receive an email
from my assigned Peace Corps Recruiter with information attached pertaining to what Peace
Corps programs I may qualify for: Urban and Regional Planning, Business
Advising, Business Development, Public Health Education, Health Extension and
Community Services. Additionally, I was directed to complete a host of questionnaires
and addendums, including:
o
Health Extension Skills Addendum
o
Community Services Addendum
o
Small Business Skills Addendum
o
Romantic Involvement Questionnaire
o
Legal Status Form
o
Vegetarianism Questionnaire
·
July 24th, 2012 – Received a large
packet in the mail from the Chicago Recruitment Office asking me to complete
and return two fingerprint charts and a National Agency Check background check
form. There were also information sheets about alcohol and drug use, financial
obligations, and past medical history.
·
July 27th, 2012 – Mail back my
completed fingerprint charts, NAC background check form, notarized letter about
my student loans, and college transcripts to the Chicago Recruitment Office.
·
August 2nd, 2012 – Email my
recruiter my completed skill addenda for Health Extension, Community Services
and Small Business. Completing the addenda was much more time consuming then I
had previously thought. Most of my time was spent on the Health Extension and
Community Services addenda.
·
August 6th, 2012 – I receive an
email from my recruiter. He’s reviewed my application materials and wants to
schedule an in-person interview!
·
August 7th, 2012 - I call my
recruiter and we schedule an interview for 11am on August 14th at
the Peace Corps Regional Office in Chicago, IL.
·
August 14th, 2012 – I have my
in-person interview with my recruiter in Chicago. It went really well. He asked
me about my rationale for applying, my expectations and concerns about service, flexibility pertaining to geographic assignments and special circumstances. The total interview last almost three hours. Towards the
end of the interview, he heavily implied he was going to nominate me for a Health program with a
June, 2013 departure date!
·
August 15th, 2012 – I successfully register with the Peace Corps Medical Applicant Portal (MAP). This portal will function as the primary line of communication between the Office of Medical Services (OMS) and myself. The Peace
Corps also reformed their medical clearance process, so I had to fill out a Health
History Form. It was a bunch of questions concerning possible health issues
that you’ve had in the past. It took less than an hour to fill out. This form supplanted the Health Status Review form I filled out on July 12th.
·
August 29th, 2012 – I receive an
email from my Recruiter stating that he’s nominating me for a Health Sector
position with a June, 2013 departure time!
·
August 29th, 2012 – I receive a
message from the PC pre-service nurse assigned to my case via the Medical Applicant Portal. She requests
documentation for a past condition I noted on my health history form.
·
September 13th, 2012 – After being
out $20 for “copying fees” from my doctor’s office, I upload the documentation
that my pre-service nurse requested to the MAP.
·
September/October/November/December/January/February
– A lot of waiting... and more waiting... and yet more waiting. I am, however, finally medically pre-cleared by the Office of Medical Services and I am also legally cleared for service
during this time.
·
February 27th, 2013 – The Peace
Corps Placement & Assessment Office contacts me. They request an updated resume, final
transcripts and a completed Health Sector questionnaire.
·
February 28th, 2013 – I email the
Placement Office the requested information except for the transcripts because I
haven’t graduated yet, but that shouldn't impede my application.
· March 4th, 2013 – I receive an email from the Placement Office indicating that they have received all the requested information and that my file is being passed onto a Placement Specialist for further review. The email also states that I can expect to here back from them in 4-6 weeks.
· March 4th, 2013 – I receive an email from the Placement Office indicating that they have received all the requested information and that my file is being passed onto a Placement Specialist for further review. The email also states that I can expect to here back from them in 4-6 weeks.
·
March 4th, 2013 – I RECEIVE AN
INVITATION TO SERVE AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH HIV/AIDS EDUCATOR IN SWAZILAND!!! STAGING: June 25th, 2013.
·
March 6th, 2013 – I officially
accept the invitation after reviewing the pdf’s that the Placement Officer
sent me in regards to Swaziland and my assignment. I also am assigned a host of seemingly overwhelming medical tasks to be completed by April 26th for medical clearance and receive access information for my on-boarding portal.
·
March 7th, 2013 – I receive another
email from the Placement Office. It informss me I have to construct an Aspiration
Statement, reform my resume to fit their format, apply for my no-fee passport ASAP and do a bunch of other miscellaneous stuff. Stressin’ out a bit,
obviously.
·
March 12th, 2013 – Receive a communication from the Peace Corps Office of Medical Services. I need to get
the Yellow Fever Vaccine. This is in addition to a dental exam, x-rays, full
physical exam, blood work, and even more vaccines. Good thing I have health
insurance!
·
March 16th, 2013 – I send in my
application for my no-fee passport and my current personal passport via FedEx to Peace Corps travel adjunct.
·
March 18th, 2013 – I send in my
updated resume and Aspiration Statement after many revisions.
·
March 23rd, 2013 – I go to my
dentist to obtain a full-mouth X-ray series. 18 X-ray shots in all. Fun stuff,
I tell ya. ;)
·
April 2nd, 2013 – I go to the
Midland Health Department to get my required vaccinations: Tdap booster, Polio
booster and Yellow Fever vaccination.
·
April 12th, 2013 – I go to
Covenant to get my required blood work done. It consists of an HIV test, basic metabolic
panel, CBC, Hepatitis B and C test,etc.
·
April 14th, 2013 – I have to go
back to Covenant because the lab screwed up some of my tests and have more blood drawn.
·
April 17th, 2013 – I get my
physical exam done with my physician. Everything goes well; no red flags in my blood work or exam. I have a tuberculosis
skin test done, so I have to come back on Friday for them to read it.
·
April 19th, 2013 – Tuberculosis test read
& doc' signs off on my physical exam forms.
·
April 23rd, 2013 – Dental exam completed.
· April 24th, 2013 – I upload documentation supporting my immunity to Varicella (the virus that causes Chickenpox) to the MAP.
· April 24th, 2013 – I upload documentation supporting my immunity to Varicella (the virus that causes Chickenpox) to the MAP.
·
April 26th, 2013 – Upload my completed dental exam forms to the MAP.
· April 28th, 2013 – I overnight my full-mouth Dental X-rays to the Office of Medical Services via FedEx.
· April 29th, 2013 – Receive a message from my assigned Peace Corps Pre-Service Nurse confirming the delivery of the dental x-rays.
· May 1st, 2013 – Find an email in my inbox from the OMS confirming the completion of all assigned medical tasks. They state that my information is under review and that they'll contact me if they require anything else.
· May 9th, 2013 – I complete the online Safety and Security / Core Expectations training modules. They contained a series of short presentations followed by scenario-based quizzes to test your knowledge.
· May 14th, 2013 – Receive a communication from OMS stating that my Pre-Service Nurse has reviewed my medical file. I have an abnormally low WBC (White Blood Cell) count, so they want a repeat CBC to see if it was a fluke or a symptom of something else.
· May 16th, 2013 – Submit my repeat CBC.
· May 20th, 2013 – Medically and Dentally cleared for Peace Corps Service!
· May 23rd, 2013 – Receive Staging Instructions - Philadelphia, PA (June 25th-26th)
· May 24th, 2013 – Call SATO Travel to book my flight from my home to Philly.
· April 28th, 2013 – I overnight my full-mouth Dental X-rays to the Office of Medical Services via FedEx.
· April 29th, 2013 – Receive a message from my assigned Peace Corps Pre-Service Nurse confirming the delivery of the dental x-rays.
· May 1st, 2013 – Find an email in my inbox from the OMS confirming the completion of all assigned medical tasks. They state that my information is under review and that they'll contact me if they require anything else.
· May 9th, 2013 – I complete the online Safety and Security / Core Expectations training modules. They contained a series of short presentations followed by scenario-based quizzes to test your knowledge.
· May 14th, 2013 – Receive a communication from OMS stating that my Pre-Service Nurse has reviewed my medical file. I have an abnormally low WBC (White Blood Cell) count, so they want a repeat CBC to see if it was a fluke or a symptom of something else.
· May 16th, 2013 – Submit my repeat CBC.
· May 20th, 2013 – Medically and Dentally cleared for Peace Corps Service!
· May 23rd, 2013 – Receive Staging Instructions - Philadelphia, PA (June 25th-26th)
· May 24th, 2013 – Call SATO Travel to book my flight from my home to Philly.
