About the PE Fellowship

The CDC Steven M. Teutsch Prevention Effectiveness (PE) Fellowship, a post-doctoral research fellowship, addresses public health demand for quantitative policy analysis, health economics-based inquiry, and integrative health services research. With each new class, the PE Fellowship builds a cadre of quantitative policy analysts whose research provides decision makers at CDC, congress, and non-governmental agencies vital information for allocating and using resources to maximize the impact of their public health programs.

As of 2021, the CDC Steven M. Teutsch Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship is offering a track within the fellowship: the Analytics and Modeling Track. Fellows in this track will develop their knowledge of modeling and other related subjects such as decision analysis, outbreak response, advanced econometrics, data visualization, machine learning, and the use of software. For more information about this track and how to apply, please visit the Analytics and Modeling Track webpage.

While most of the learning occurs in the field, the PE Fellowship sponsors a core set of didactic trainings that focus on five competency domains:

  • Analysis and assessment
  • Foundations for leadership
  • Interpersonal and professional communication skills
  • Policy analysis
  • Public health science and practice

A core value of prevention effectiveness involves considering economic issues when evaluating public health policy. The collective experience in quantitative policy analysis and capability with considering economic issues provides communities across the nation with the information and tools needed to protect health through disease prevention, health promotion, and health threat preparedness.

What is Prevention Effectiveness?

Prevention effectiveness assesses the impact of public health policies, programs, and practices on health outcomes by determining their effectiveness, quality, and cost.

At CDC, prevention effectiveness research includes the use of econometric, decision science, simulation, and operations analysis and modeling to understand determinants of health, morbidity, mortality, health inequalities, healthcare use, and expenditures.

Key Publications from PE Fellows

PE Fellowship graduates contribute to the health economics body of literature. They have published an estimated 3,700 papers in peer-reviewed journals over the past 20 years.

Service

PE Fellows participate in studies to assess the effectiveness of prevention strategies. They assist CDC programs with developing the capacity to carry out economic assessments and control policies in both domestic and international settings. PE Fellows will also expand standardized methods and policies for assisting with economic studies and provide assistance with study design, data management, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of results, and policy formulation. To accomplish these prevention effectiveness activities and functions, PE Fellows will: 

  • Provide leadership for new and innovative approaches to studying the economics of prevention and health promotion activities including, but not limited to, cost studies, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, resource allocation, quantitative policy analysis of health system studies, and disease models.
  • Write protocols describing standard practices for designing, implementing, and presenting studies that outline the economic impact of proposed policies and legislation. PE Fellows will also provide leadership and technical assistance for the implementation of study protocols in research settings and in collaboration with other national and international organizations.
  • Collaborate with program managers and subject matter experts to prepare and disseminate research findings and participate in applying and translating those findings to prevention activities.
  • Provide accelerated data analysis and evaluation during CDC’s emergency activities to relay high quality information necessary for experts to make critical decisions.
  • Serve as subject matter expert for economic and quantitative policy analysis within the assigned CDC program. In this role, PE Fellows will provide advice to, and consult with, senior scientists and a variety of individuals, groups, and organizations about economic evaluation and quantitative policy analysis for disease control and prevention.