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. 2022 May 30;19(11):6662.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19116662.

Epidemic Intelligence Service Alumni in Public Health Leadership Roles

Marvin So  1 , Andrea Winquist  2 , Shelby Fisher  3 , Danice Eaton  2   4 , Dianna Carroll  2   4 , Patricia Simone  2 , Eric Pevzner  2   4 , Wences Arvelo  2
Affiliations

Epidemic Intelligence Service Alumni in Public Health Leadership Roles

Marvin So et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Since 1951, the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has trained physicians, nurses, scientists, veterinarians, and other allied health professionals in applied epidemiology. To understand the program's effect on graduates' leadership outcomes, we examined the EIS alumni representation in five select leadership positions. These positions were staffed by 353 individuals, of which 185 (52%) were EIS alumni. Among 12 CDC directors, four (33%) were EIS alumni. EIS alumni accounted for 29 (58%) of the 50 CDC center directors, 61 (35%) of the 175 state epidemiologists, 27 (56%) of the 48 Field Epidemiology Training Program resident advisors, and 70 (90%) of the 78 Career Epidemiology Field Officers. Of the 185 EIS alumni in leadership positions, 136 (74%) were physicians, 22 (12%) were scientists, 21 (11%) were veterinarians, 6 (3%) were nurses, and 94 (51%) were assigned to a state or local health department. Among the 61 EIS alumni who served as state epidemiologists, 40 (66%) of them were assigned to a state or local health department during EIS. Our evaluation suggests that epidemiology training programs can serve as a vital resource for the public health workforce, particularly given the capacity strains brought to light by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Epidemic Intelligence Service; applied epidemiology; leadership; workforce.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
States in which an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Alumnus Has Served as the State Epidemiologist, Career Epidemiology Field Officer (CEFO), or both positions, 2000–2016. Note: CEFOs assigned to New York were all assigned to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. All six U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands are served by one CEFO.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Countries with Field Epidemiology Training Program Resident Advisors, by Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Alumni Status, 2000–2016. Note: Three Career Epidemiology Field Officers were assigned at the regional level and not reflected on this map.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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