Making the Most of Your APE

Many students are likely just starting to dig into their APEs, but starting a new position can oftentimes feel confusing and directionless at first. If you’re not sure what you’re supposed to be doing at all times, rest assured you’re not alone. While 200 hours can feel like a relatively short amount of time to figure everything out in time to actually accomplish something substantial, there’s so much more to get out of this experience besides your deliverables. Here are a few tips to make the most of your APE!

1. Get to know your colleagues. Whether it be fellow students, your PI, or staff at the organization you’re working at, these could be your future bosses and coworkers. Take some time to introduce yourself to everyone you might be working with. Regardless of if you work for this organization long term, the better your colleagues get to know you the more likely they may be to write you a letter of recommendation or pass along your resume to their peers.
2. Keep busy. Its easy to enjoy the slow pace that may come at the beginning of a job or between projects, but you don’t want to be caught off guard when your supervisor asks what you’ve been doing recently. If you have nothing to work on, make sure your boss knows it. You can also try reaching out to your colleagues and asking if they need help on any projects they may be working on. If you still find yourself with nothing to do, use that time to teach yourself something new, like new SAS code, or read up on the field you’re working in. Showing this kind of initiative is sure to benefit you in the long run!
3. Reflect on your experience. Chances are you pick up some new skills to add on your resume during your APE. Taking the time to think about what you’ve learned, maybe by listing out your skills or journaling about your daily activities, will help you in the future when you need to articulate what you did in a cover letter or are asked to explain in a job interview. Keeping notes like these throughout your APE experience can be helpful as well in order to keep track of what you’ve accomplished and what you still need to work on.

Whether you’re almost finished with your APE already or are still looking for your practicum experience these tips are useful to keep in mind. Your APE is a great way to dip your toes into what your future job as an epidemiologist could look like. Love it or hate, you’re learning something that you didn’t know before.

Featured Image by Saulo Mohana on Unsplash

This post was originally published in June 2022.

The Many Roads to Federal Service at CDC

Written By: Robert Merritt

This post was originally published on March 13, 2022.

I have been fortunate to serve as an Adjunct Faculty member at RSPH since 2001 where I teach the Introduction to the US Health Care System Course (HPM 500). Adjunct faculty members are part-time faculty members who bring expertise from their professions to the classroom. In my case, my career at CDC has spanned over 34 years where my current responsibilities include tracking trends in cardiovascular risk factors and diseases and engaging in epidemiologic and health services research to support evidence-based practice, policies, and programs.

When students learn about my career at CDC, I am often asked two questions: how did you end up working at CDC and how can I get a job at CDC? The answer to the first question warrants a separate blog entry, so I will focus on the second. Based upon my experience as a hiring manager at CDC, I would like to review the most common and effective paths to landing a position at CDC:

Pre-Employment, Fellowship and Training Programs (a.k.a. “Getting Your Foot in the Door”)

There are a variety of internship, fellowship, and training opportunities at CDC (Fellowships and Training Opportunities Home Page | CDC).

CDC actively participates in two community engaged learning programs sanctioned by the RSPH, i.e., the Applied Practice Experience Program (APE) and the Rollins Earn and Learn (REAL) Program. These are important practical learning experiences and are often a prospective employee’s first experience with the agency. CDC also has an Epidemiology Elective Program (EEP) for medical students to experience applied epidemiology through a hands-on experience and mentorship by CDC subject matter expert. Only MD/MPH, MD/MSPH, MD/PHD or equivalent students are eligible (Epidemiology Elective Program | CDC). My division utilizes these three frequently. These are frequently utilized across CDC.

STEM Internships and Fellowships, typically referred to as ORISE Fellowships (Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education) (STEM Internships and Fellowships – ORISE (orau.gov)), are frequently used by CDC and offer a good introductory experience for masters and doctoral degree job seekers. These fellowships often immerse the individual into important programmatic and priority areas at CDC. These positions often lead to opportunities to better compete for more permanent FTE positions or contractor positions. CDC recruits many fellows from this program.

The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is a two-year leadership development and training program for advanced degree candidates (i.e., Master’s, Doctoral, and Juris Doctorate). The goal of the program is for fellows to have the opportunity to work in different areas in the federal government before converting into a permanent/career-conditional position at the end of their two years. Detailed information on the PMF Program at CDC: Overview | Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program | CDC. Although this program is very competitive, RSPH had many PMF candidates accepted into the program last year that matched with CDC.

The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is a highly competitive, 2-year post-graduate fellowship in applied epidemiology. This CDC program is a unique combination of on-the-job-learning and service. Investigating outbreaks in the field is integral to the EIS experience (Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Home Page | CDC). Emory graduates have competed well for these positions and many EIS graduates remain at CDC.

The CDC Steven M. Teutsch Prevention Effectiveness (PE) Fellowship (Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship Program | CDC) and the Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP) (Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP)|CDC) are also 2-year post-graduate fellowships. Due to the high demand for these skill sets, many graduates remain at CDC.

Finally, CDC may also consider volunteer (guest researcher) positions for students not participating in these two programs. These volunteer positions, although less common, are established by mutual agreement of the CDC office and the individual student. These are non-paid and are often a by-product of professional networking.

We intentionally utilize these as recruitment opportunities to identify future applicants for full-time employment opportunities when they graduate or complete these programs (see Full-Time Employment below).

Securing Full-Time Employment

Full-time employment in the Federal Government takes many forms with each having very specific requirements, such as citizenship, academic training, work experience, criminal history, etc. There are three main avenues for full-time equivalent (FTE) positions: Title 5, Title 42, and Commissioned Corps.

The most desired positions are permanent Title 5 and represent most of the jobs posted on the USA Jobs and CDC Websites (USAJOBS – The Federal Government’s official employment site and Careers Home | Careers at CDC | CDC). These positions often attract hundreds of applicants and may take months to fill. These websites also list temporary and term-limited positions. Make sure you note whether the positions you are applying for are permanent or term-limited (temporary). My advice is to apply to as many of these positions that you are interested in and qualified for. I cannot stress the importance of reviewing these postings carefully for the qualifications and other requirements. Follow the instructions exactly. Most, if not all, of these positions are restricted to US Citizens only.

There are also FTE positions where both US Citizens and Non-citizens are eligible. These are Service Fellowships (Title 42) based upon your level of education and professional experience.  These are categorized as Distinguished, Senior, or Associate Service Fellows. There are not technically permanent but can be renewed every five years with no limit on the number of renewals. Benefits and years of service calculations are very similar to Title 5 employees. There are many federal employees that have remained a Title 42 employee their entire career.

The USPHS Commissioned Corps is one of the nation’s uniformed services — a branch committed to the service of health. Officers advance our nation’s public health, serving in agencies across the government, as physicians, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, scientists, engineers, and other professionals. CDC actively employees USPHS Commissioned Corps Officers (Explore Opportunities | Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (usphs.gov)).

Simply put, there are many roads to Federal service and careers at CDC. There is no one process or strategy that stands out. However, I would argue for the “PPF Approach,” i.e., patience, persistence, and flexibility. The journey is never fast and may take a different path, or combination of paths, than you first imagined.

Robert Merritt is a graduate of Washington and Lee University, Emory University and The University of the South (Sewanee) where he received academic training in sociology & anthropology, medical sociology, public health, and research methods & statistics.  His research career has spanned over 30 years with positions at the Smithsonian Institution (SI), Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  He is currently working as a health scientist in the Division for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention (DHDSP) at CDC. 

Featured Image by Truman Adrian Lobato De Faria on Unsplash

Making the Most of Your Public Service Opportunity

As a continuation of his last two articles, Robert Merritt talks about how to make the most of your career in public services.  To read his previous article “The Many Roads to Federal Service at CDC” click here and to read his article “An Accidental Career in Public Health” click here! This article was originally published in April 2022. 

Written by: Robert Merritt

One of my responsibilities as a senior scientist and manager at CDC is to foster the development of young professionals. I take this very seriously and encourage all my peers to do the same. I’d like to offer some thoughts and advice to those of you that might be considering a career in public service. Although these are drawn from my work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they would also apply to work at a variety of other public federal, state, or local agencies (and even many non-profit organizations).

First and foremost, remember: “It’s not about you.”

Public service is focused on others. Currently, the public sector is, without a doubt, a very challenging place to work. Intense scrutiny, vocal criticism, unpredictable resources, and volatile politics will test your mettle, sheer will, and selfless service every day. It is work that aims to support the general welfare and needs of all citizens. This career choice is not about money or fame, but about understanding where we are as a society and how to make it better in some meaningful way. It has been said that public servants have some core qualities (or attributes) that enable them to successfully navigate and contribute to public service. These, in my opinion, are willingness to learn, desire to help others, and an ability to engage people.

Will to Learn

The fact that most of us have (or will soon have) a graduate degree does not negate the need for lifelong learning. Common sense dictates that continuous quality learning is important to every endeavor – especially professional development and success. Therefore, eagerness and craving for new information are essential. To make a positive difference, you should seek to constantly refresh your understanding and learn to adapt to change. My experience is that knowledge and the half-life of knowledge (the length of time that knowledge stays active and accurate) diminish over time.

I strongly urge each new member of my team to seek as many opportunities to learn as they can. What does this mean? Don’t just sit idle and inwardly reflect on your newly acquired book knowledge! Apply your knowledge, skills, and abilities by actively engaging and putting them to practical use! Get to know your colleagues and their expertise through informational meetings. Learn about emerging and new priorities by attending seminars and grand rounds. Join a journal club or community of practice (COP) on a topic of interest. Register for some of the hundreds of training courses sponsored by the agency.

To be successful, you need to be adept at lifelong learning and understand that what you learn now may not be the same in the future – so you need to keep ahead of the curve. Make yourself as informed, well-rounded, and observant of the world as possible.

Make a Difference

The public sector exists to bring services to people, so those working as public servants should have a strong desire to work on behalf of others. As advocates for positive change, leaders in public service know that their positions come with a profound sense of duty. Every public servant has an important role to play, whether they serve as executives, administrators, project officers, program officials, medical officers, epidemiologists, health scientists, or statisticians.

Therefore, the best route to accountability is through public sector professionals who really dedicate themselves to making a difference. We need to invest in the people of our civil service system by developing their skills and strengthening their standards, so they understand the real importance of good governance and the critical role of accountability. The key to future, continued good governance and accountability lies in the way in which we recruit, train, develop, manage, and lead our future public servants. In the end, we are accountable to the citizens we serve.

Engage Others

Public service is not a solo exercise. It’s a team sport. If you want to make a difference in the public sector, you must be ready to include and engage others as part of your work. Think beyond your own organizational perspective and look at things from the viewpoint of our citizens, including (but not limited to) taxpayers, legislators, grantees (city, county, state, tribal, territorial health departments), voluntary and non-government organizations, other Federal agencies, and global partners.

I realized early in my career that the more connections one makes, the more opportunities present themselves. Public service (especially at CDC) is an area in which employees are encouraged to continuously develop professionally. Therefore, creating a wide-reaching professional network opens many doors, simply by establishing relationships with others.

At my agency, I advise participating in meetings scheduled by your immediate group of colleagues (supervisor, team leader, and branch chief), Division, Center, or Agency; employee organizations and associations (there are over 30); workgroups (there are 12); and/or other advisory groups, boards, committees, and councils (there are over 10). Get involved and put yourself out there!

Ultimately, it is entirely what you make of it: if you do not make the effort to develop professionally, your experience will not be as beneficial as it could be. With the right experience and research, you can change your life–and help others at the same time!

Robert Merritt is a graduate of Washington and Lee University, Emory University, and The University of the South (Sewanee) where he received academic training in sociology & anthropology, medical sociology, public health, and research methods & statistics.  His research career has spanned over 30 years with positions at the Smithsonian Institution (SI), Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  He is currently working as a health scientist in the Division for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention (DHDSP) at CDC. 

Featured Image by Mukuko Studio on Unsplash

8 Books Every Epidemiologist Should Read

As we make our way through the heart of midterms, you may be looking for something new to do to de-stress. Luckily, a former Rollins student curated the perfect list of must-read books for every epidemiologist, which you can find here. This collection offers a diverse array of titles that seamlessly blend knowledge and storytelling. Get ready to expand your intellectual horizons with our recommended reads! 

Last Valentine’s day my friends and I arranged a book exchange party similar to your typical white elephant Christmas game. I was expecting (okay, hoping) to have a plethora of fantasy, romance, or mystery novels to choose from, but was surprised when the overwhelming majority of books were nonfiction. Leave it to public health students to turn a romantic holiday into an educational opportunity. Reading the synopses off the back covers of these books, however, made me realize that there were plenty of intriguing stories from the world of public health to choose from, and my education on many of these topics was severely lacking. This led me to investigate epidemiology-related book options besides the requisite The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

I’ll be honest, I rarely do the readings for any of my classes. While I’ve been known to spend an embarrassing amount of time in the YA section of bookstores, I don’t often buy our course textbooks. If you’re like me and prefer a book with a plot than an educational motive, then maybe one of these books will be a good entrance into the world of educational readings. Here’s a list of 8 books to start with as an epidemiologist:

1. Spillover by David Quammen- If you’re interested in infectious or zoonotic diseases this is the book for you. The book’s author, David Quammen, investigates the causes and impact of spillover, the phenomenon in which a new pathogen is passed to humans from wildlife. He tracks the origins of diseases like ebola or avian flu while following scientists around the globe through remote jungle and high security labs.
2. The Ghost Map by Steven Berlin Johnson- Read about the father of field epidemiology, John Snow, in this work which tells the story of the 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak. If you want to learn more about the most intense cholera outbreak in Victorian London and understand the role community played in the evolution of epidemiology, pick up a copy of this book asap.
3. The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels, and the Business of AIDS by Elizabeth Pisani- If you’re looking for a witty take on a serious topic, read this. Pisani details her life as an AIDS epidemiologist and her plight for funding of HIV prevention programs among the most vulnerable communities.
4. Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington- This book explores the dark history of the exploitation of black Americans by medical physicians and researchers. A must-read for anyone seeking to understand the roots of America’s racial health disparities and medical mistrust, Washington tells the stories of black Americans from the era of slavery to the present day in her book, calling out the injustices of America’s medical establishment.
5. House on Fire by Joseph Finder- If you’re still looking for a fiction novel then this thriller/crime mystery book may satisfy you. This story follows protagonist Nick Heller after he discovers his old friend has died of an opioid overdose. As he works to uncover a pharmaceutical company’s dark secrets in his attempt to hold someone accountable for his friend’s death, he becomes embroiled in a larger conspiracy than he’s bargained for.
6. Inside the Outbreaks by Mark Pendergast- For future Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) hopefuls this book is a great read. Readers will be taken through the history of the EIS and follow EIS officers around the world in their efforts to eliminate lethal threats to public health, from smallpox to gun violence.
7. Beating Back the Devil by Maryn Mckenna- Another book following the drama of life in the EIS, this book examines the complexities of a different officer’s work in every chapter. Following the first class of officers to enter the EIS after September 11, Mckenna also details the experience of considering bioterrorism for the first time.
8. The Next Pandemic by Ali S. Khan- In a chillingly accurate prediction of the current pandemic, this book is a lesson on how to keep ourselves safe from inevitable future pandemics as it narrates disasters like anthrax and Ebola and the ways they may have been prevented. Dr. Khan gives us insight into the human mistakes which led to these emergencies in his firsthand account of life as public health first responder.

Hopefully one of these books piques your interest, and gives you something a little more relaxing to do this winter break than working on your thesis or scouring 12Twenty for jobs and APE opportunities. If finals has you down, what better way to find motivation for next semester than a set of books reminding you why you’re needed in epidemiology?

Featured Image by Ergita Sela on Unsplash

This post was originally published on December 12, 2021 by Alex Whicker. 

A Retrospective for PROspective: 3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting at RSPH

Hi, my name is Chisom and I am a second-year Global Epidemiology Student here at RSPH. To my incoming first-years: Welcome to the Family! The decision you made to enroll here at Rollins will certainly reward you in the future. 

As a second-year student, I don’t have to reach back too far in my memories to remember what it was like to be in your shoes. This time last year, I had all of the usual anxieties and butterflies regarding relocating to a new city, making new friends, and embarking on a new educational journey. I mean, we’ve all been there before; being a young college freshman walking onto campus for the first time. But something about starting graduate school just hit different. 

Now, while I admittedly still have a great deal to learn during my time here at Rollins, I’d like to think that I still have some knowledge that I can impart upon incoming first-years. Specifically, what I wish I knew prior to starting classes last fall. Here are the TOP 3 Things That I Wish I Knew Before Starting at RSPH: 

1. Read your emails, download Corq, and sign up for events as soon as you are able to. 

As an introvert, myself, I agonized over the idea of forcing myself to get out and socialize. However, we all know that at a new school, in a brand new city, it can be pretty isolating to stay in one’s comfort zone and keep to yourself. So I highly encourage you all to read the emails that come in from your department as well as downloading the Corq app in order to keep up with events that are happening throughout the week. There are so many clubs and organizations that put on mixers in order to bring like-minded folks together so take advantage! I met some of my closest friends here at Rollins through these events. Just make sure, and I can’t stress this enough, that you are proactive in registering for events, especially when there is an attendance limit. You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to network and meet new people just because you procrastinated getting a ticket. I’ve been there, it stings a little. 

2. Keep an open mind about your research interests. 

I know everyone means well, but I sometimes worry that immediately asking what our research interests are so early in our public health career can inadvertently cause us to pigeonhole our potential. I think it is super important to use your time here at Rollins to, yes, delve deeper into the fields that intrigue you, but to also remain open to all that is out there. Public Health is such an incredibly broad field. There are disciplines out there that you don’t know that you don’t know about. I came in with an interest in infectious diseases transmission in youth populations. However, through my coursework, I became incredibly interested and passionate about correctional healthcare and infectious disease transmission among MSM (men who have sex with men) in these settings. I can honestly say this was not on my radar prior to starting at Rollins and now, I have a real passion for it. Get out there, keep an open mind, and be a sponge to new information; you never know what might stick! 

3. Send that email. 

Listen, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take and lose 100% of the races you don’t run. Send. That. Email. The faculty at Rollins, in my humble opinion, are some of the most helpful and accessible guides out there. You have some of the leading voices in the field at your fingertips, so you better use those fingertips to start drafting up some emails. Ask them for access to journal articles, advice on your thesis, assistance with acquiring an APE, etc. Do not let the possibility of not getting a reply hinder you from reaching out. It will always be worth it in the end. 

Now, I know I provided 3 things that I wish I knew but I can assure you, there are many more. Please know that if you are ever curious, need any advice, or have any lingering questions during your time here, feel free to reach out to me. I am always down to help out a fellow eagle! 

This post was originally published in August 2022, and is being reposted on August 26, 2024.

Messaging matters: comments, criticisms, and suggestions in a professional setting

This post was originally published in September 2022.

A new academic year brings a host of new interactions – with classmates, instructors, mentors, and employers. Most often, these interactions go smoothly, but there are certainly times when there’s room for improvement. Learning to provide valuable feedback in a professional setting is an important skill to develop. Whether your feedback is anonymous or not, it’s important to remember that there is another human being on the receiving end. Begin by giving that person the benefit of the doubt, and assuming that they are acting with the best intentions. When you have the opportunity to provide feedback in writing (e.g., via email, through course evaluations, or a survey), consider waiting to hit send until you’ve had some time to reflect on what you’ve written – particularly if you drafted your message in a heated moment!

This week’s featured article provides some additional advice about how to provide valuable feedback in the workplace. Here are the highlights (click through for the specifics!)

1. Focus on the issue
2. Be sincere
3. Avoid the sandwich method
4. Be specific
5. Allow a response
6. Recommend a solution
7. Provide a summary

I encourage you to reference these guidelines as you’re sharing your ideas for improvement. Taking these steps will help these interactions to go much more smoothly, and you’re also more likely to achieve the result you were hoping for.