A collaborative initiative of the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), the ASPH/CDC Public Health Preparedness Fellowship Program will recruit and place up to three fellows in state public health agencies. The program will provide an opportunity for early-career public health professionals, with a keen interest in public health preparedness, to train at a state agency for one year on projects of their own design, with the guidance of a host-state mentor, that contribute to the critical preparedness mission of the state. In this way, the fellows will learn about the state’s public health mission as they gain valuable on-site experience in real-world problem solving.

In May 2006, CDC declared preparedness to be a national priority. In February 2008, CDC's Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (COTPER) released its first report on public health emergency preparedness. The COTPER report described significant progress that had been made since 2002 by federal, state, and local public health agencies in addressing preparedness issues. It also identified several challenges that remain. Nearly every one of the challenges identified in the report either directly or indirectly required expansion and updating of the public health workforce.

Driven by this reality, CDC has teamed up again with ASPH to offer the Public Health Preparedness Fellowship Program to train bright young public health professionals in various aspects of public health preparedness at the state and local level for one year. Up to three fellows will be placed in state public health agencies to work on projects that will enhance the state's preparedness efforts, while working on the front lines in critical preparedness projects for the state.

Eligibility

Applicants must have earned a graduate degree from an ASPH-member graduate school of public health (accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health) within the last five years. Applicants may still be enrolled at a SPH at the time of application, but must receive their degree prior to the expected start of the Fellowship. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or hold permanent residence in the U.S. (a “Green Card”) to be eligible for the Fellowship Program.

When and where are the Fellowships offered?

Fellows will be placed in participating public health agencies that are funded by CDC's Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program. PHEP-funded public health agencies include the 50 States, Directly Funded Cities (LA County, Chicago, and NYC), the District of Columbia, and the US Territories (Guam, USVI, PR, Am. Samoa, Palau, No. Marianas Islands, Marshall Islands). This year, specific opportunities are offered in New Hampshire; New York City; and Ohio. Selected fellows are required to relocate to the fellowship location. Relocation expenses will not be paid.