1. After watching Contagion, did you leave the theater thinking, “Wow, I wanna work for the CDC!”
2. Are you interested in a career in public health, but don’t know where to start?
3. Are you trying to figure out your post-grad plans?
4. Don’t want to go grad school right away?
5. Need a job with benefits?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then YOU should apply for CDC’s Public Health Associate Program (PHAP). PHAP is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) development program that provides opportunities for promising future public health professionals to gain broad experience in the day-to-day operation of public health programs. PHAP is perfect for recent college grads (BA/BS) who want a career in public health.

PHAP Program Highlights:

• PHAP is a competency-based training and service program
• The competitive, two-year fellowship is a paid federal position and includes benefits
• Provides on-the-ground entry level jobs in the public health field for recent college graudates who are US citizens
• Includes experience in at least two different program areas including: STD; TB; HIV; Other Communicable Diseases; Chronic Disease, Environmental Health; Public Health Preparedness; Immunization; Injury Prevention; Maternal and Child Health
• It is anticipated that PHAP will hire 133 associates in FY 2013 and will receive well over 1000 applications for those positions

Public Health Associates are assigned to a state, tribal, local or territorial public health agency and work alongside local public health professionals. This is also a great opportunity for those of you who want of change of scenery and want to work in a completely new environment. You’ll gain hands-on, frontline experience in the public health field.

As an associate, you’ll get all of the benefits of working for the CDC (and I’m not just talking about health care). You’ll have access to all of CDC’s resources (training courses, library, etc.) and you’ll get the chance to meet and network with other CDC professionals (if you’re lucky, you might even get to meet the CDC Director, Dr. Frieden). You will also have a CDC supervisor and CDC mentor who will both help guide you along your path to becoming a successful public health professional.

After completing the program, PHAP graduates will be qualified for future jobs with federal, state, tribal, local and territorial public health agencies, and will be uniquely prepared to pursue an advanced degree in public health.

More reasons to apply for PHAP:

• Employees of CDC are recognized as part of the nation’s leading public health agency, and receive a salary, paid sick and vacation leave, health insurance, and access to a variety of support services and resources.
• Assignments give associates a portfolio of public health experiences and the opportunity to demonstrate competency in a wide variety of activities related to the delivery of public health services.
• Associates receive extensive supervisory and mentoring support throughout the entire program.
• Associates develop valuable career skills, on-the-job training, and become well-rounded public health professionals.

Photo by Alyssa Llamas

Application is open through February 5, 2013. Take advantage of this great opportunity! Visit www.cdc.gov/phap to apply!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS