Fellowship Programs
The APHL fellowship programs, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prepare laboratory scientists for careers in public health laboratory practice. 

Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Laboratory Fellowships
The Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Laboratory Fellowship Program, sponsored by APHL and CDC, trains and prepares scientists for careers in public health laboratories and supports public health initiatives related to infectious disease research. The EID Advanced Laboratory Training Fellowship is a one-year program designed for bachelor’s or master’s level scientists, with emphasis on the practical application of technologies, methodologies and practices related to emerging infectious diseases. The EID Laboratory Research Fellowship is a two-year program designed for doctoral level (PhD, MD or DVM) scientists to conduct high-priority infectious diseases research.

Areas of training and/or research include: development and evaluation of diagnostic techniques, antimicrobial sensitivity and resistance, principles and practices of vector or animal control, emerging pathogens and laboratory-epidemiology interaction.

All fellows participate in an orientation session at CDC in Atlanta to gain a general understanding of the public health laboratory system and how it relates to infectious disease surveillance, prevention, research and control. Fellows are placed in local, state or federal (CDC) public health laboratories throughout the US. Fellows are provided with a stipend, medical insurance, travel to the host laboratory and a professional development allowance. Applicants must be US citizens and must be able to start appointment at the host laboratory as well as participate in the orientation session at CDC Atlanta following the program timeline.

All applicants are required to submit one original single-sided application to APHL by the application deadline. A resume or cover letter cannot take the place of an application. Recommendation forms with letters and transcripts should be collected by the applicant and forwarded with the application to APHL. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all materials are received at APHL by the application deadline. Applications that are incomplete, or received after the deadline date, will not be considered. To view or download the fellowship program application, click here. (If you have trouble downloading the application, make sure that your Internet settings allow pop-ups from the APHL Web site.)

Additional information can be found at Frequently Asked Questions or by contacting:

Heather Roney
Fellowship Program Manager
Association of Public Health Laboratories
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 700
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: 240.485.2778
Fax: 240.485.2700
Email: heather.roney@aphl.org

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between the training fellowship and the research fellowship?
   The training fellowship is a one-year program for candidates with bachelor’s or master’s degrees. The research fellowship is a two-year program for candidates with postdoctoral (PhD, MD or DVM) degrees. Don’t be misled by the names – training fellows do research and research fellows receive training during their fellowship!

2. What academic degrees are applicable to this program?
   Appropriate academic degrees for this program include biology, microbiology, virology, chemistry, medical technology or a related discipline. Applicants without a degree in a physical science will be considered if they have significant laboratory science and/or public health coursework or experience.

3. I will not have finished my degree by the application deadline. Can I still apply?
   Yes, you do not have to have completed your degree by the application deadline. All bachelor’s and master’s level candidates must have completed their degree by the time the fellowship begins (mid-September 2008). Postdoctoral candidates who require additional time to complete their degree requirements may delay their start date to February 2009. Degree requirements must be completed by February 2009.

4. I am not a US citizen. Can I still apply for the fellowship?
   No, this program is open only to US citizens.

5. Does the fellowship program provide a salary and benefits?
   Yes, the annual stipend (2007) is $29,694 for fellows with a bachelor’s degree; $33,101 for fellows with a master’s degree; and $40,736 for fellows with a postdoctoral degree. Fellows are also provided with comprehensive medical insurance, travel to the interviews, orientation, and host laboratory and a professional development allowance.

6. What types of research do fellows do?
   The fellowship program offers a wide variety of training and research experiences. Examples of projects include research in molecular genetics, pathogenesis, epidemiology and cell biology. Fellows may be trained in specific laboratory techniques such as real-time PCR, DNA sequencing and mass spectrometry. Fellows may receive specialized training and experience with a specific pathogen, or generalized training in influenza or STD surveillance, newborn screening or chemical and biological warfare agents. Other work may include diagnostic virology, bioanalytical chemistry, foodborne disease research including Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), clinical and environmental diagnostics and epidemiologic studies of disease outbreaks.

   Fellows also have opportunities to participate in research seminars, teleconferences, regional and national meetings and other continuing education opportunities.

   For more information about the work of the current class of fellows, see APHL’s Focus on Fellows brochure.

7. Who are the host laboratories and where are they located?
   APHL member local, state and CDC public health laboratories are eligible to apply to host one or more EID fellows. These laboratories are located throughout the US. Host laboratories must submit an application by March 3, 2008. These applications will be available for candidates to view in May 2008. Approximately half of all fellows will be placed in local and state laboratories around the US, and approximately half of all fellows will be placed in CDC laboratories in Atlanta, Georgia; Fort Collins, Colorado; Anchorage, Alaska; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

8. How are fellows assigned to a host laboratory?
   Both host laboratories and fellows will be given the opportunity to prioritize their preferences for fellow-host laboratory assignments. Fellow-host laboratory matches are based on program opportunities, host laboratory preference and fellow preference. APHL cannot guarantee that fellows will be assigned to his/her first choice laboratory, and fellows must be willing to accept several host laboratory assignments. Fellows cannot request or accept an assignment at a host laboratory of current/recent employment.

9. Tell me more about the mentors.
   Program mentors are experienced public health laboratory professionals committed to providing training and research opportunities to fellows. Fellows will have the opportunity to network with mentors before submitting their final list of laboratory choices.

10. How many fellowship positions are offered annually, and how many applications does APHL receive?
    Annually, up to 35 training fellowships (bachelor’s and master’s level) and 10 research (doctoral level) fellowships are awarded. In 2007, APHL received nearly 250 applications for the program.

11. Who should write my letters of recommendation?
    Ideally, your letters of recommendation should be written by individuals who can comment on your laboratory skills and interests, such as science professors or laboratory supervisors. Non-science professors and other employers are also acceptable references.

12. What if my letters of recommendation or transcripts are sent directly to APHL?
    We prefer all application materials arrive together in one envelope. However, if a letter of recommendation or transcript is sent directly to APHL separate from the rest of your application, APHL program staff will add it to your other application materials.

13. If my application is postmarked by the application deadline but not received at APHL until after the deadline, will it still be considered?
    No, only complete applications that are received by the application deadline will be considered.

14. By what criteria does the selection committee review my application?
    Each application is reviewed by several members of the selection committee and evaluated based on the following criteria:
    • Reasons for participation and future plans
    • Description of desired training and research focus
    • Academic performance, employment history and extracurricular activities
    • Professional recommendations

    Finalists will be invited to interview for the program in June in Atlanta.

15. What happens after I complete the fellowship?
    Some fellows do accept temporary or permanent positions at their host laboratory following completion of the fellowship program. Others pursue advanced degrees, employment opportunities at academic or private laboratories, other fellowships and positions in health-related private industry or non-profit health-related organizations. There is no guarantee of employment at the host laboratory, APHL or CDC following completion of the fellowship program.

16. Will I receive notification that my application was received by APHL?
    Yes, APHL will acknowledge receipt of all applications by e-mail. However, it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that his/her application is complete. So please, try to include all letters of recommendation and transcript(s) in one packet!

17. Can I include additional materials (such as extra letters of recommendation, copies of publications, etc.) in my application?
    No, please do not include any additional materials in your application. Only the requested application materials will be forwarded to the selection committee for consideration.

Leslie Wolf, PhD: From Fellow to Director

Leslie Wolf always expected to work as a researcher in academia or industry. Fortunately she learned about APHL’s EID Fellowship Program in public health and her curiosity was piqued. After finishing a post-doctoral program in immunology, Wolf let her curiosity be her guide and soon found herself as an EID fellow grinding up ticks in the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health.

Wolf was using cutting-edge molecular technology to search the tick extract for DNA belonging to Ehrlichia, a tickborne bacterium that is similar to the agent that causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever. She found evidence of infection in North Carolina ticks.

Thanks to this research and Wolf’s related work with patient blood specimens, Ehrlichia screening is now a routine part of the test panel for tickborne diseases in North Carolina and a few other states.

After the fellowship, Wolf never considered leaving the world of public health. She joined the staff at the North Carolina laboratory, and now—just six years later—serves as its acting director.

“The EID Fellowship Program showed me that there is a career in public health where I can have an effect on people everyday," she said. "Every test we do touches someone’s life, whether it’s water testing, newborn screening or infectious disease surveillance and diagnosis.”

To view the Focus on Fellows: Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory Fellowship brochure, click here.

To view the Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship application, click here.