CDC Maternal Health and Chronic Disease Fellowship

A fellowship opportunity is currently available with the Maternal and Infant Health Branch (MIHB) in the Division of Reproductive Health (DRH) within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) located in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operation components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

The Maternal and Infant Health Branch (MIHB) in the Division of Reproductive Health (DRH) conducts a broad range of surveillance, research and programmatic activities to develop evidence that can be used to improve maternal and infant health in the United States. Research and other projects address both maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. CDC collaborates with private and public partners to reduce the rates of adverse health outcomes and to improve the health before, during, and after pregnancy for all women and infants.

The selected participant will be provided opportunities for hands-on participation in maternal and infant health surveillance and research and related technical activities in MIHB at the CDC. Specifically, the participant will train with members of the Maternal Health and Chronic Disease Team whose mission is to optimize health of women and infants by preventing chronic disease and reducing maternal morbidities through science and leadership. The participant will learn from senior epidemiologists through projects that focus on priority areas of cardiovascular health, mental health and substance use, severe maternal morbidity, and risk appropriate care. The participant will train closely with a mentor who will provide guidance and assistance on all their projects. Training of students, interns and fellows in the area of maternal and child health is an important public health priority.

Under this fellowship program, the participant will have the opportunity to gain experience in conducting research which may include the collection, review, and analysis of epidemiologic and programmatic data. Activities involve literature searches, computerized analyses of data, preparation of scientific articles for publication, and presentation of epidemiologic studies or surveillance activities. There are several pre-existing databases available to MIHB scientists including, but not limited to PRAMS, NCHS natality data, BRFSS, NHIS, and NHANES.

Dissemination of the findings from these studies will be encouraged which may include presenting research at national scientific meetings and/or publishing research in peer-reviewed journals. Additional activities related to this fellowship may include conducting literature reviews for chronic disease and risk factors for reproductive age women, facilitating an internal CDC substance use work group, and conducting bi-weekly literature updates.

The participant may have the opportunity to update existing toolkits and collaborate with partners at state health departments to assess and improve systems of risk-appropriate care. The participant may also have the opportunity to learn more about the process of data sharing between CDC and state health departments and participate in a multi-state learning community focused on risk-appropriate care.

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and CDC. The initial appointment can be up to one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of CDC contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. The appointment is full-time at CDC in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Participants do not become employees of CDC, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

If you have questions, send an email to ORISE.CDC.NCCDPHP@orau.org. Please include the reference code for this opportunity in your email.