Host Laboratory Information

All APHL member state, local and territorial public health laboratories as well as non-federal environmental, chemical, agricultural, veterinary, and food safety laboratories may apply to host APHL fellows. Prior to application submission, please review the host laboratory and mentor requirements ​outlined below.​

Laboratory Eligibility Criteria​

APHL member state and local public health laboratories may apply to host one or more APHL laboratory fellows. The host laboratory and staff must demonstrate the ability to provide a high-quality training experience and research opportunities for the fellow, in accordance with the program timeline. In addition to laboratory-specific work, fellows will participate in distance-based training and learning activities to achieve proficiency in select public health laboratory core competencies.

There is no guarantee that an eligible laboratory will receive a fellow. ​

Host laboratories must:

• Be an APHL member laboratory

• Have broad laboratory capabilities to ensure fellows are familiar with relevant techniques in a given specialty

• ​​​​Demonstrate ability to provide training and/or research opportunities

• Provide a specific project with defined objectives and timelines ​

• Describe how hosting the fellow will integrate with and advance programmatic activities
  

• Designate an on-site primary and secondary mentor who will inform, instruct and coach the fellow; mentors will outline the objectives of the fellow's assigned project(s) and provide guidance for the duration of the program (see Mentor Requirements and Responsibilities below for more information)​​

• Designate an on-site "facilitator" to interact with the fellow, mentors and host laboratory personnel; this individual will assist the fellow in the logistics of working at the laboratory and situating to the area, including locating local housing
  

• Allow the fellow sufficient time away from the proposed work to participate in the APHL program orientation and distance-based training/learning activities to achieve proficiency in select public health laboratory core competencies; distance-based training is expected to take up to 10% of the fellow's time 

• Provide administrative and programmatic support to the fellow and supply them with appropriate office and/or laboratory space, facilities, technical and clerical support (e.g., email account, access to necessary equipment and personnel, etc.).​
  

Mentor Requirements an​​d Responsibilities

The primary and secondary mentors must be experienced public health laboratory professionals who will guide and direct the fellow for the duration of the program. The mentors will be full-time employees at the host laboratory and be responsible for the oversight and professional development of the fellow. The mentors must:

• Hold a supervisory level position

• Have research and training experience complimentary to the fellow's project

• Be available and accessible for the duration of the program

• Meet weekly with the fellow to review progress

• Provide appraisals of the fellow's performance and goals based on project’s objectives agreed upon at the beginning of the assignment

• Provide enthusiastic support to the fellow and productive feedback that provides specific, actionable suggestions to project work 

• Provide quarterly reports to APHL on the fellow’s performance in the laboratory and their progress with the designated project​.

Applicati​​on Process

The online application includes three main sections:

1. General information about the laboratory

2. Proposed project(s)

3. Information about the mentors

Each mentor may submit up to three projects for consideration. There is no limit to the number of mentors per laboratory. However, each proposed mentor must submit a separate host laboratory application. ​

Selecti​on

A selection committee with representatives from APHL, its member laboratories, CDC staff and affiliates, and previous program mentors and fellows will evaluate host laboratory applications. Selection will be based on:

• Strength of the proposed project including applicability of project goals and outcomes to broader public health applications and integration of state public health programs into the proposed project(s)

• Demonstration of the mentor’s ability to meet the requirements outlined above

• Degree to which the fellowship pool meets the needs of the laboratory​

Timeline 

Programs Starting January 2022 

Programs Starti​ng Summer 2022 

Questions​​​?