My Experience Joining an Informatics Fellowship Program

I joined the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP) in 2021. PHIFP is a two-year, on-the-job training program designed for professionals with backgrounds in computer science, data analytics, and data science in healthcare. The program equips fellows to apply their expertise to address current and future public health challenges.

To apply to PHIFP, applicants must have the following:

• Master's degree or doctoral degree.

Your educational degree should be related to healthcare or computer science fields. If your degree is from outside the U.S., you must have your credentials verified by an accredited institution (such as World Education Services) to ensure they are equivalent to a master's or doctoral degree in the U.S.

You will only need to undergo the credential verification process after you have been selected and matched with a host site. At this stage, you must request your alma mater to submit your credentials directly to a verifying body (e.g., WES). WES will then forward a copy of the evaluation report to the CDC, and you will also receive a copy.

• Experience working in public health.

Experience in public health is a significant advantage for acceptance into this program, more so than clinical experience. From my background as a nursing informaticist, I’ve found that informatics projects in public health differ greatly from those in private hospitals. In a healthcare organization, the primary focus is on improving patient care at the bedside. In contrast, public health informatics centers on collecting and analyzing data for public health surveillance and response.

To be accepted into the program, applicants must pass the following:

• PHIFP application screening

You need to ensure that your credentials and experience align with the PHIFP requirements; otherwise, you will not qualify. In short, you should have a background in both information technology and healthcare. If you don’t have this background yet, it’s still beneficial to apply to understand the whole process. However, I highly recommend building your portfolio in these fields to improve your chances.

• Host sites interview

If you pass the PHIFP screening process, CDC host sites will contact and interview you. A host site is an interested unit within centers, institutes, and offices (CIOs) across the CDC, as well as other federal agencies and state and local health departments. It is crucial to be well-prepared for these interviews, as more than one host site may reach out to you. They may provide information about their informatics projects prior to the interview. If you receive this information, be prepared to proactively discuss how your skills and experience can contribute to their projects.

• Host sites and applicants matching

In this fellowship program, fellows are assigned to host sites that match their skill sets with the host site's informatics needs. Therefore, if you apply but do not get into the program, it does not mean you have fewer skills than other applicants; it simply means you did not match the specific requirements of any host site. However, it is important to note that the fellowship program is highly competitive!

• Complete the onboarding process.

If a host site matches your skill set, you will be notified of your acceptance. At this point, the CDC will inform you of the onboarding steps. It is important to note that this is a two-year, full-time fellowship program. Accepted applicants will need to relocate to their host site's location. If you are a non-US citizen living outside the U.S., be prepared to allocate time for processing your passport and visa. Your visa fee may be waived, and you won’t need to schedule an appointment with the U.S. Embassy in your country, as the U.S. government will sponsor your visa for this fellowship program.

To graduate in this program, fellows should be able to complete the following:

• Host site projects

Your host site will have various projects for you to contribute to throughout the fellowship program. These projects can range from developing simple data analytics tools to manage the host site's data to more complex tasks, such as creating data pipelines for public health surveillance.

• Info-aids

Info-aids are short-term informatics technical assistance provided to federal, state, local, and territorial health departments. They can also extend to special requests from partnered countries through CDC country offices and non-profit agencies. An example of an info-aid might be conducting an informatics evaluation of a system used to manage vaccine distribution.

• Capstone project

A capstone project has a broader scope and longer timeframe compared to an info-aid. It can encompass almost the entire system development lifecycle, including planning, design, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. As a capstone project, you will lead the initiative in collaboration with your host site or other centers.

• Data Science Upskilling (DSU) program

In your first year as a PHIFP fellow, you will be automatically enrolled in the DSU program, which was one of my favorite experiences at the CDC. This program covers a wide range of data science topics, including computational methods, statistical analysis, machine learning, visualization, and data ethics. If you, like me, enjoy diving into the details of programming to solve problems, you'll appreciate the depth this program offers. It involves participating in week-long boot camps, dedicating time on Fridays, and gaining access to extensive online courses.

Conclusion

Upon graduating from the PHIFP, you will be well-equipped to tackle informatics challenges in public health. In my view, completing this fellowship is a badge of excellence that distinguishes you from your peers.

Many alumni have leveraged their experience to secure advanced positions in their home countries, while others have extended their fellowships or taken on roles as associate fellows. Some have continued their careers at the CDC as health scientists, and others have joined international non-profit organizations.

I highly recommend this program to informaticists seeking to advance in public health. Joining the PHIFP has been one of the most rewarding decisions in my professional journey.