CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) Public Health Internship Program – Health Equity Fellowship

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: A fellowship opportunity is available with the Coronavirus And Other Respiratory Viruses Division (CORVD) in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. This opportunity can be part-time or full-time and is eligible for 100% telework from Atlanta, GA or San Juan, PR.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operations components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC works to protect America from health, safety, and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

The mission of the Coronavirus And Other Respiratory Viruses Division (CORVD) is to improve the health of people and communities by preventing illness, disability, and death from respiratory viruses through public health science and practice in the United States and globally. Within CORVD is the Global Respiratory Viruses Branch (GRVB), which implements and monitors the performance of respiratory virus surveillance systems and surveys around the globe through training, ongoing technical support, laboratory strengthening, and continual monitoring of program performance.

NCIRD - Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) Home | CDC

Research Project: The COVID-19 pandemic has been a long and tragic public health crisis. More than 1 million people have died in the United States. Some segments of our population, including those who are African American, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, and living in low socioeconomic areas, have borne a disproportionate burden of morbidity and mortality. As such there is a critical need to address health disparities and inequities related to COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.

CORVD is seeking a qualified and motivated candidate who is interested in developing applied skills in health equity science and community engagement pertaining to COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.

Learning Objectives: The activities listed below represent the minimum training opportunities that the fellow will complete:

• Evaluate and monitor trends in and effects of disparities for COVID-19 and RSV.
• Support research to expand the knowledge base and inform disparities reduction initiatives among the Division's priority diseases and populations.
• Collaborate and coordinate with internal and external partners to address health equity and disparities and/or social determinants of health among populations who have been historically, socio-economically, or geographically disadvantaged.
• Develop a health equity action plan/roadmap.
• Write at least 1 blog posts, text, or social media content to promote health equity.
• Draft and edit short research memos, one-pagers, and articles for peer-reviewed journal submissions
• Regularly attend the Respiratory Virus Response meetings and briefings.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Hope King (hck2@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: February 5, 2024.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of CDC and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full-time, or part-time, and is negotiable.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. 

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and CDC. Participants do not become employees of CDC, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

The successful applicant(s) will be required to comply with Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) requirements of the hosting facility, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.CDC.NCIRD@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be a current University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences student pursuing a master's, doctoral, or medical degree in Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences, Medicine, Public Health, or other related disciplines. Recent graduates from UPR will also be considered, and a degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:

• Understanding of surveillance systems and approaches/designs
• Data Analytical/Assessment
• Communication skills (oral/written)
• Applied public health practice
• Health Equity expertise