Application Information
Physicians seeking board certification in General Preventive Medicine and Public Health should apply for the Preventive Medicine Residency while veterinarians, nurses, or other health professionals with an MPH should apply for the Fellowship.
PMR/F participants are selected from among highly qualified applicants drawn to public health and interested in developing their leadership and management skills in an experiential learning environment as evidenced by:
It is desirable that PMR/F applicants have applied epidemiology experience similar to that of a tier-2 mid-level epidemiologist according to CDC’s competencies for applied epidemiologists in governmental public health agenciesexternal icon. All applicants will be asked to describe their experience to qualify for the track they are applying for (500 word limit for each area).
- A demonstrated interest in public health work through the course selection in their academic transcripts, research or dissertation (if applicable), and prior experiences with governmental or nongovernmental public health agencies
- Varied experiences in applied epidemiology in different topical areas and geographic placements in the U.S.
- A record of high academic achievement, teamwork, innovation, and leadership
Applicants to either the Residency or Fellowship must meet the following criteria:
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Attend orientation in Atlanta, Georgia, in July
If seeking employment at CDC in the Early-career tracks, applicants must meet the following additional criteria:
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Relocate for their assignments. Individuals with prior experience at a state or local health department will be assigned to a CDC location. Individuals with prior experience at the federal level will be assigned to a state or local health department
Key Deadlines and Decision Dates
| July 1 | Application opens |
| August 31 | Application period closes at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). All applications and supporting materials must be received by the deadline. Late applications will not be considered |
| Early September | PMR/F program staff review applications |
| Middle of September | Selected applicants invited to interview |
| Late September through Early October | Candidate interviews and selection |
| Late October | Candidates notified of acceptance |
| July 1 | Month-long Orientation in Atlanta, GA |
Note that applicants for the 12-month PMR/F Mid-career Residency Track that starts July 1, 2022 will open January 1 – February 28, 2022. This application will follow the PH-TIPP application timeline and can be accessed through the PH-TIPP website.
email icon Contact the PMR/F program if you have any questions about the PMR/F application process.
24-month Residency (Two Practicum Years)
- Degree type: MD/MBBS/DO
- Licensure requirement: A current, unrestricted license to practice medicine from a licensing jurisdiction in the U.S. is required
- MPH (from a CEPH-accredited schoolexternal icon) or equivalent: Required prior to starting
- Number of years of prior ACGME-accredited training: One or more
- Requirement to be a PHS Officer: Not required
- Host site: Reassignment to a host site different from previous work setting is required for each 12-month practium year
- Clinical training requirement: PMR/F will work to ensure residents get the requisite 320 hours of direct patient care
- Prior experience: Reassignment to a host site different from previous work setting is required
- Additional information: Most of the Early Career Residency participants are full-time employees of CDC
24-month Residency (MPH at USUHS)
- Degree type: MD/MBBS/DO
- Licensure requirement: A current, unrestricted license to practice medicine from a licensing jurisdiction in the U.S. is required
- MPH (from a CEPH-accredited schoolexternal icon) or equivalent: Does not have a prior MPH. Needs to obtain an MPH during the PMR/F training period
- Number of years of prior ACGME-accredited training: One or more
- Requirement to be a PHS Officer: Applicants for this track must apply to be a PHS officer prior to applying to PMR/F and be accepted to PHS by the time of the start of the training in order to be eligible
- Host site: Applicants must to Bethesda, MD for the MPH program at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciencesexternal icon, full-time for 12-months and then a practicum year site for their second year. Applicants who have no prior CDC experience will be required to complete their practicum year at a CDC Headquarters position in Atlanta, GA
- Clinical training requirement: PMR/F will work to ensure residents get the requisite 320 hours of direct patient care
- Prior experience: EIS or equivalent experience is required
- Additional information: Participants will be required to become full-time employees (as residents) of the CDC PMR/F for the duration of the training period. Participants in this track may be required to forgo certain Medical Special Payspdf iconexternal icon and incur a service obligation to USPHS of twice the duration of the MPH program
12-month Early Career Residency
- Degree type: MD/MBBS/DO
- Licensure requirement: A current, unrestricted license to practice medicine from a licensing jurisdiction in the U.S. is required
- MPH (from a CEPH-accredited schoolexternal icon) or equivalent: Required prior to starting
- Number of years of prior ACGME-accredited training: Two or more
- Requirement to be a PHS Officer: Not required
- Host site: Reassignment to a host site different from previous work setting is required
- Prior experience: EIS or equivalent experience is required
- Additional information: Most of the Early Career Residency participants are full-time employees of CDC
12-month Mid-Career Residency
- Degree type: MD/MBBS/DO
- Licensure requirement: A current, unrestricted license to practice medicine from a licensing jurisdiction in the U.S. is required
- MPH (from a CEPH-accredited schoolexternal icon) or equivalent: Required prior to starting
- Number of years of prior ACGME-accredited training: Two or more
- Requirement to be a PHS Officer: Not required
- Host site: Applicants for this track must be employees of a host site that agrees to support their training at time of application. PMR/F will determine host site suitability based on supervisor’s support and if there are appropriate population health projects
- Clinical training requirement: Applicants for this track must also have a letter of support from a clinical site willing to support the 320 hours of required clinical experience during the training year. This patient care requirement may add to their job responsibilities to complete the residency if the learner is not already providing care in their position.
- Prior experience: Experience in applied epidemiology, program administration, grant proposal development and management is required
- Additional information: Residents in this track will generally follow the curriculum of the CDC Population Health Training In Place program learners. All participants in this track need to travel to Atlanta for the in-person orientation in July at their or their host agency’s expense
12-month Early Career Fellowship
- Degree type: RN, DVM, and MD/MBBS/DO not seeking ABPM board certification
- Licensure requirement: A current, unrestricted license to practice medicine from a licensing jurisdiction in the U.S. is required
- MPH (from a CEPH-accredited schoolexternal icon) or equivalent: Required
- Number of years of prior ACGME-accredited training: Not required
- Requirement to be a PHS Officer: Not required
- Host site: Reassignment to a host site different from previous work setting is required
- Prior experience: EIS or equivalent experience is required
- Additional information: Most of the Early Career Fellowship participants are full-time employees of CDC
Page last reviewed: December 14, 2021