More About the Program

Description

PHIFP is a 2-year, competency-based training program in public health informatics. The fellowship provides a problem-based learning environment in which fellows apply information and computer sciences and information technology to solve public health problems.

You will have the opportunity to:

• learn about informatics and public health in an applied setting
• work with teams involved in research and development of public health information systems
• lead an informatics project
• design, develop, implement, evaluate, and manage public health information systems

 

Training and Service

The program provides both classroom and on-the-job training. Additionally, PHIFP fellows provide informatics assistance to CDC and our public health partners.

 

What to Expect

The fellowship begins with an intensive orientation followed by real-world assignments and activities. Fellows work in a team environment and are mentored by public health and informatics experts.

Orientation

The orientation provides a background on CDC, public health, and public health informatics. The goal is to prepare you for your assignments and activities.

Required Activities

Fellows take a lead role in solving public health informatics problems. Activities include:

• CDC assignments
• Short-term assignments (InfoAids)
• Final evaluation projects

CDC Assignments

These assignments are typically based at CDC. Travel, both domestic and international may be required. Examples include:

• The Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) program supports a national network of aggregated environmental hazard, human exposure, and health outcomes data. A fellow developed an application ontology and co-designed a content management  database. The result streamlined the input of new data sources and visualizations.
• A fellow served as a principal investigator for a formative assessment examining the benefits of a Human Resource Information System implementation in a low-income country with a health worker shortage.
• Kenya's Health Workforce Information System has been in place for several years, yet its positive impacts on planning and practice have not been formally documented. To identify and document impacts, a fellow led a team to review policy documents, interview senior officials at Kenya’s two Ministries of Health and four health professional regulatory bodies, and analyze data from the system.
• The Laboratory Efficiency Initiative (LEI) supports State and Local Public Health Laboratories (PHLs) to  maintain services during budget cuts. A fellow developed an assessment tool to help laboratories assess their informatics capabilities.  The fellow also developed guidelines to help bridge the identified gaps.

Short-Term Assignments (InfoAids)

Fellows may provide short-term informatics assistance (InfoAids) to public health partners such as the state, local, and territorial health departments, international agencies and non-profit entities.

Examples of InfoAid activities include:

• A fellow supported the trauma registry function of a state health department by developing a record linkage protocol for integrating various data sources such as the vehicle collision data, emergency transport, death records, and hospital trauma records.
• A fellow assisted a federal public health agency by generating information required to support a proof of concept project to demonstrate capacity and utility of electronic health records in acquiring occupation health data.
• A fellow supported the design of a public health preparedness dashboard for a state health department.

 

More Information

Contact:

Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
Mailstop E-92
Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
Phone: 404 498-6219
E-mail: phifp@cdc.gov