Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP)

The Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) helps countries build sustainable capacity for detecting and responding to health threats and to develop expertise so disease outbreaks can be detected locally and prevented from spreading. CDC works with foreign ministries of health to establish field (or applied) epidemiology training programs modeled after CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service. FETPs provide actionable information so public health workers can use science and data to detect and monitor disease outbreaks and determine public health policy and programming. As part of their mission to strengthen public health systems globally, FETPs also assist countries to meet their core capacity requirements for surveillance and response under the revised International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005).

Since 1980, CDC has helped establish 50 programs and, as of February 2013, supports workforce development in 46 countries. This includes the placement of a full-time, in-country Resident Advisor (RA) for 21 two-year FETPs serving 33 countries and for three programs that are less than two years in length.

CDC-supported programs have produced more than 2,800 graduates. More than 80% of graduates work in government in  their home countries and many obtain leadership positions within their national health systems (i.e., program chiefs, national directors for epidemiology, and heads of national and regional surveillance departments).

CDC Staff

FETP teams of physicians, epidemiologists, public health advisors, instructional designers, health communication specialists, and support staff provide scientific expertise, training consultations, and other programmatic support and advice to help foreign Ministries of Health to enhance their own health protection and health promotion programs.