Joining DR Corps FAQs

Q: Does Joining DR Corps make me contractually obligated to respond to any incident I'm assigned?

A: No. Being a member of DR Corps means you can be offered the opportunity to deploy when the need arises, but you can refuse a deployment if needed, and another provider will then be given the opportunity to respond.

Q: Will belonging to DR Corps negatively affect my long-term, full-time employment?

A: No. If you are otherwise employed, DR Corps will send a Pre-Approved Leave of Absence (PALA) form to be completed by your current employer, which will grant a pre-approval for future, sudden deployments. Your employer can specify conditions of the approval, as well as what regions and types of disasters/events they are willing to lose your services to. DR Corps will work to honor their requests and deploy you only under the circumstances approved by your current employer. The PALA form is a required document for any otherwise employed member of DR Corps.

Q: How does DR Corps choose which providers are called for each mission?

A: With each deployment requested, a program ranks each provider in the DR Corps database by many factors, which include: the physical starting location of the provider, their license level, whether or not they have their own medical kit (if needed for the deployment at hand), skill level, specialty, experience, responsiveness to correspondence, and previous assignments. After weighing all the variables, the mission call list order is generated.

Q: Will I be compensated for my time deployed in a DR Corps role?

A: Yes. The compensation allowed for each deployment can differ greatly, with the pay varying based on both the assignment type, assignment location, and the license level of the provider (Doctors making much more than EMT's for example). The specific amount of compensation is always included in the deployment call, and the provider is able to turn down a deployment based on the planned daily pay rate for that specific assignment. Very seldom, DR Corps is called with a request to send volunteers to an incident, with no compensation agreement in place for the event. In such cases providers are still called and offered the opportunity to respond and serve as a volunteer, and just like with normal deployments, no penalization occurs when such deployments are turned down.

Q: If I am not a U.S. provider, can I still be deployed with DR Corps?

A: Yes. Most deployments are organized so rapidly that Visas are not able to be attained for foreign providers wishing to respond to disasters/events within the USA. However, since our database spans the globe, all providers will be given first priority in responding to their own country/region before sending providers from other areas.

Q: Are there any employment benefits as a member of the corps?

A: The majority of deployments are temporary, and therefore do not entitle the employee to the long-term benefits offered to corporate, full-time positions. For our federal contracts, Front Line EMS always pays more than the Federal Wage Determination for each deployment and also includes a "Health and Wellness" adder included in the daily rate paid to the provider. Belonging to DR Corps will allow you access to certain, exclusive trainings, activities, seminars, and webinars.

Currently, all DR Corps members receive priority selection for Front Line EMS employment opportunities. In fact, Front Line EMS attempts to fill most of their full-time executive and provider positions by sending interview offers to carefully selected members of DR Corps before advertising a position.

Q: Does DR Corps cover any professional liability while providers are practicing through the organization?

A: Yes. DR Corps does carry its own professional liability coverage, but it is highly recommended that you also purchase a personal malpractice policy, just as you might with any medical job. These can be very inexpensive for lower providers such as nurses and paramedics.

Q: What is typically provided by DR Corps when a provider is deployed?

A: Typically, DR Corps will make sure that accommodation (bunks, tent space, or camping areas) and meals are provided to deployed corps members. Gas receipts and any direct cost incurred while on assignment will be reimbursed to the contractor in their next pay disbursement, as long as a copy of the receipt has been received and the expense approved beforehand. On some deployments where mission-related costs are expected, a DR Corps credit card may be issued. You are encouraged to stay in regular contact with your Provider Liaison, as any needed supplies can be sent rapidly, as soon as we are notified of the need.

DR Corps can also provide required Vehicles, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)/Gear as well as provider medical kits, but corps members will receive a higher deployment rate/system ranking if they happen to have their own PPE, medical kit, or personal vehicle available to use for the incident.

DR Corps is committed to making sure our providers have their needs met while in the field.

Q: What is the process of getting registered as a DR Corps provider?

A: First, an online application must be received. Upon review of your application, a secondary application or a request for credentialing documentation may be requested for applicants moving forward in the selection process. For advancing applicants, a video or phone interview and/or a completed background check may be requested. Selected applicants will need to provide a vaccination record and/or a physical prior to being activated in the DR Corps database as deployable. Once a provider has been approved for contracting, they can begin to move forward in the onboarding process. We receive a lot of applications, so your patience is appreciated. If you have not heard anything back within 2 weeks of your last submittal, feel free to email recruiting@drcorps.org to check on your status.

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