Fellow Eligibility & Requirements

Check Eligibility

Successful applicants are willing to accept assignments in a wide range of public health topic areas and locations across the U.S. They have a record of high academic achievement, teamwork, innovation, service orientation, and leadership. Successful applicants demonstrate how EIS is a logical step in their career path and in what ways they will benefit from the applied training through service that defines the EIS fellowship. We strongly recommend that applicants learn as much about the fellowship as possible prior to preparing their applications.

Applicants can learn about EIS by attending EIS conference (held virtually in 2026), talking with current officers or alumni, reviewing content on our website, and participating in our webinars on the EIS experience and application process. Attending the annual EIS conference is the optimal way to learn about current officers' work and experiences and to meet alumni. There is no registration fee to attend the EIS conference which takes place in late April or early May each year. You may find it helpful to review highlights from the most recent EIS conference and the TED-style talks on the Hear Our Stories page.

If selected for EIS, you are required to move to the location of your position. The EIS program cannot guarantee where that will be. At a minimum, you must be willing to move to Atlanta, Georgia.

Requirements for U.S. Citizens

Please note: MPH is not a qualifying degree for the EIS program. In most cases, a doctoral level degree is required. Please see below for more information about specific degree requirements.

Physicians (e.g., MD, DO, MBBS)

• Must have completed medical degree by time of application submission, AND
• Must have an active, unrestricted, U.S. license to practice medicine by the time of application submission
  • If currently completing an ACGME residency or fellowship, physicians may apply with a training license, but the applicant must be able to provide an unrestricted license by the start date of the EIS fellowship
• Strongly encouraged to have by the time of application:
  • An MPH or equivalent degree (e.g., MS, MSc, MHI, MHA, MHSA, or MA with coursework in epidemiology or quantitative methods), OR
  • At least one year of full-time public health work experience. Examples of relevant public health work experience include:
  • Public health-related work at a local, state, or federal agency
  • Public health-related work at an international governmental or non-governmental organization
  • Post-doctoral work in public health sciences

Veterinarians (e.g., DVM, VMD)

• Must have completed veterinary degree by July 1st of the application year (i.e., the same year that you submit the application), AND
• Must have an active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice veterinary medicine by September 1st of the application year (i.e., the same year that you submit the application)
• Strongly encouraged to have by the time of application:
  • An MPH or equivalent degree (e.g., MS, MSc, MHI, MHA, MHSA, MA, or MPVM with coursework in epidemiology or quantitative methods), OR
  • At least one year of full-time public health work experience. Examples of relevant public health work experience include:
    • Public health-related work at a local, state, or federal agency
    • Public health-related work at an international governmental or non-governmental organization
    • Post-doctoral work in public health sciences

Nurses and Physician Assistants (e.g., BSN, MSN, MPAS, DNP)

• Nurses must have completed a minimum of a BSN by the time of application submission, AND
• Must have an active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice by the time of application submission
• Strongly encouraged to have by the time of application:
  • MPH or equivalent degree (e.g., MS, MSc, MHI, MHA, MHSA, or MA with coursework in epidemiology or quantitative methods) in addition to your clinical degree, OR
  • At least one year of full-time public health work experience. Examples of relevant public health work experience include:
    • Public health-related work at a local, state, or federal agency
    • Public health-related work at an international governmental or non-governmental organization
    • Post-doctoral work in public health sciences

Other Doctoral-Level Healthcare Professionals (e.g., DDS, DMD, PharmD)

• Must have completed doctoral-level clinical degree by the time of application submission, AND
• Must have an active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice your clinical specialty by the time of application submission
• Strongly encouraged to have by the time of application:
  • MPH or equivalent degree (e.g., MS, MSc, MHI, MHA, MHSA, or MA, with coursework in epidemiology or quantitative methods), OR
  • At least one year of full-time public health work experience. Examples of relevant public health work experience include:
    • Public health-related work at a local, state, or federal agency
    • Public health-related work at an international governmental or non-governmental organization
    • Post-doctoral work in public health sciences

Doctoral-level scientists (e.g., PhD, DrPH, ScD)

• Must defend thesis or dissertation before March 31st of the year entering EIS
• Qualifying degrees are typically in public health or a related discipline (e.g., epidemiology, biostatistics, health informatics, health policy and services, behavioral sciences, environmental or occupational health, injury prevention, or nutritional sciences)
• Applicants with doctoral-level degrees from other disciplines who demonstrate interest and/or experience in working on public health problems will also be considered.
• If you have questions about whether you are eligible, email eisapplication@cdc.gov

Requirements for non-U.S. Citizens with U.S. Permanent Resident Status

U.S. Permanent Residents must contact the EIS program at eisapplication@cdc.gov prior to submitting an EIS application to confirm employment authorization. The Green Card or Permanent Resident Card used for hiring must be valid for the duration of the two-year appointment.

The EIS program is currently unable to process applications for non-U.S. citizens without permanent resident status.