Prevention Effectiveness
Steven M. Teutsch Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Prevention Effectiveness Methods at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

About the Centers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, is the nation’s lead prevention agency and is responsible for assisting the medical community and state and local health departments to prevent unnecessary illness, injury, and death.

CDC provides leadership and direction in public health through its component Centers, Institute, and Offices (CIOs) and regularly evaluates the effectiveness of its prevention activities. These assessments use decision analysis, meta-analysis, economic analyses, and other methods to determine the effect of prevention programs on public health and are called prevention effectiveness methods (PE) at CDC.

About the Fellowship

The PE Fellowships were begun in 1995 to establish capability within CDC to conduct prevention-effectiveness studies. The Fellowships are for post-doctoral candidates with expertise in quantitative policy analysis who wish to gain experience and training in assessing the effectiveness of prevention strategies.

Fellows take a lead role in designing and conducting studies, work closely with national and international experts in public health, provide technical assistance throughout CDC on specific projects or methods, and have the opportunity to teach CDC courses in PE methods.

In addition, fellows are provided educational opportunities through seminars, training, and professional continuing education in public health and economics.

Who is Qualified?

Before beginning the fellowship, qualified candidates must provide certification of completion of the degree requirements for a Ph.D. in economics, decision analysis, health services research, quantitative policy analysis, operations research, industrial engineering, or closely related field. Expertise in public health is desirable but not required; rather the fellowship is an opportunity for fellows to learn to apply their skills in quantitative policy analysis in the field of public health.

Residency Requirements

Applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are preferred, although applicants who do not have permanent residency status will be considered. Because the PE Fellowship is a U.S. domestic public health training program, proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English is essential.

Length and Location of Fellowship

Fellowships are for a period of two years and commence in July. Each fellow is assigned to a CIO at CDC specializing in a particular health area, such as infectious disease, chronic disease, environmental health, or HIV/AIDS. Technical collaboration and guidance are provided by the sponsoring CIO and by the staff in the PE Branch. Applications must be received no later than February 15, 2008. The Fellowship class begins at the end of June, 2008 with an intensive orientation and training program.

Interviews

Applications are reviewed by a committee to determine if eligibility requirements are met. After this review, telephone interviews will be conducted with staff from the various available assignments throughout CDC in order to "match" a candidate’s background, interests, and career goals with CDC’s programmatic needs. Offers for fellowship positions are made in late March, and specific assignments will be announced by the middle of April.

Salary

Salary and benefits are similar to other government positions for recent graduates with doctoral degrees. Fellows are responsible for their own move to and from Atlanta and for providing their own housing.

Recent Analyses at CDC

• Using mathematical models to evaluate resource and material flow in an STD clinic
• Willingness to pay for raccoon baiting to prevent the transmission of rabies
• Willingness to pay for household water bottles to prevent diarrheal illness in Bolivia
• The relationship between economic transition and population health in the Newly Independent States of the Former USSR and countries in Central and Eastern Europe
• Cost-effectiveness analysis of strategies to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome
• The increasing marginal benefit of condom usage
• Assessing the external costs of HIV
• Diagnostic and treatment charge estimates for the National Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
• Decision analysis on health care workers’ HIV chemoprophylaxis with combination drugs following an occupational exposure
• Decision analysis of thyroid cancer screening in a population exposed to Iodine 131 in children living in Hanford, Washington
• Estimation of the net economic value of treatment and prevention of elephantiasis in Haiti
• Cost-utility analysis of quality-of-life outcomes associated with prophylactic asthma medications

How to Apply

For more information about the Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship and application procedure, write or call

PE Fellowship Program Coordinator
Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship Program (PEFP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Mailstop E92
Atlanta, GA 30333 USA
Phone: (404) 498-6147
Fax: (404) 498-6164
E-mail: PEFP@cdc.gov

The items listed below must be submitted to the Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship Program by Feburary 15, 2008.

• Curriculum Vitae: In the standardized format.
• Reference Letters: Three letters of recommendation--one must be from a faculty member (thesis or dissertation adviser), supervisor, or other individual who is familiar with your achievements and can speak to your personal qualities, professional attributes, and what you can contribute to CDC and the Fellowship Program, plus two additional letters.
• Personal Statement: Essay (1,000 words or less) addressing:
  • Personal interests/career goals related to the fellowship position
  • Skills/Talents you will bring to the fellowship (include computer skills/experience)
  • Skills/Qualifications specifically requested in the fellowship position description
• Transcripts: Official undergraduate and graduate school transcripts mailed directly to the PE Fellowship Program (above address). If transcripts are not issued by an institution, other proof of degree completion must be submitted.

Mail your application package to

PE Fellowship Program Coordinator
Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship Program (PEFP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Mailstop E92
Atlanta, GA 30333 USA

All applicants receive equal consideration without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or any other nonmerit factors.

CDC maintains a smoke-free environment.

Standard Curriculum Vitae Format
for Application to the Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship Program

Personal Information

• Full name with degrees
• Complete work and home addresses (specific information for overnight delivery, not a P.O. Box)
• Home phone number; work phone number; fax number; e-mail address
• Social Security number
• Country of citizenship (must provide proof of immigration status -- copy of visa, naturalization certificate, permanent resident card, etc.)

Academic History

List all institutions attended, including high school, in reverse chronological order:

• Name of institution and location (city and state)
• Years attended
• Degree or diploma received
• Date of graduation
• Major
• Title of dissertation
• Academic honors (date and type received)

References

• List three persons (including your thesis or dissertation advisor) familiar with your professional qualifications who have been asked to submit letters of reference directly to the PE Fellowship Program

Employment/Research History

• List employment record that is relevant to this application
• Describe relevant research experiences (Publications)
• Please provide on a separate sheet of paper or indicate "None"