Application Information

EIS officers are selected from among highly qualified applicants drawn to public health service and interested in practicing applied epidemiology. EIS officers may be assigned to work in the areas of infectious diseases, chronic diseases, injury prevention, environmental health, or occupational health, either at CDC, or at another federal agency, state, or local health department. We are particularly interested in applicants whose coursework and experience indicate flexibility to a variety of topical areas and geographic placements in the U.S. and who have a record of high academic achievement, teamwork, innovation, and leadership. Successful applicants must demonstrate how EIS is a logical career path and in what ways they will benefit from the applied training through service that defines the EIS program.

Step 1: Prepare your application information and materials

• Review eligibility.
• Update your CV and have the following information ready for application prompts: contact information; education; post-graduate training and skills; work and volunteer experience; publications, presentations, and grants; honors and awards.
• Write your personal statement (in essay form) by answering these questions:
  • How will the EIS program complement your previous training and experience?
  • Understanding that there are different topical and geographical EIS assignments, in which would you prefer to work? Why?
  • What are your career plans after graduating from the EIS program? How will EIS help you achieve them?
  • What are your prior experiences, achievements, and special skills that will enable you to perform well as an EIS officer?
  • If you are reapplying, please answer: What has changed since your previous application to make you a more suitable candidate for EIS this year?
• Identify four people to write letters of recommendation on your behalf, following the guidelines on the Supporting Materials tab.
• Obtain copies of transcripts for all earned degrees.
• U.S. citizens and permanent residents must obtain a photocopy of their active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice a clinical specialty.
• Non U.S. citizens and non-U.S. permanent residents must provide evidence of English-language proficiency. If you do not meet the exemption criteria [PDF – 2 pages], you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Step 2: Submit your application and supporting materials by the deadline

• Access the online application.
  • You may enter information in the online application before or at the same time as uploading supporting materials. Be sure to save your application if doing these steps separately.
• Enter your personal information, CV, and personal statement into appropriate sections of the online application form.
• Enter email addresses for 4 people who will write letters of recommendation.
  • Confirm that recommendation writers receive the system-generated email.
  • Follow-up to ensure they submit their letters by the deadline.
• Enter the required information for each college/university in order to upload unofficial transcripts.
  • If accepted into the EIS program, official transcripts must be mailed to CDC by January 31 of the fellowship year.
• Upload a copy of your active, unrestricted, U.S. license to practice a clinical specialty, if applicable.
• Upload TOEFL scores or exemption letter as proof of English-language proficiency, if applicable.
• Submit your application after completing the online application and uploading all required materials. You will not be able to make changes after submitting your application except to update your contact information.
  • You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application. You may also print a copy of your application for your records.
• Refer to the Application Status tab to track your application.

Letters of Recommendation

• Four letters of recommendation are required from persons familiar with your academic achievements, aspirations, personal qualities, and professional attributes.
  • Two letters of recommendation must be from persons who are not currently employed at the CDC.
  • If you received your medical degree from a U.S. institution, you must provide a dean’s letter from your medical school as one of the four letters (e.g., similar to the dean’s letter of recommendation for applying to a residency)
• Persons writing letters should typically be current or former supervisors or professors. Avoid requesting letters from colleagues or friends.
• Recommendations must be specific to the EIS application, written in English, placed on official letterhead, signed and dated within six months prior to date submitted.
• Provide recommendation writers with a copy of the Instructions for Letters of Recommendation [PDF – 2 pages], and tell them to expect a system-generated email from EISapplication@cdc.gov with instructions for submitting their letter electronically.

Transcripts

Your application requires copies of unofficial transcripts for all earned degrees or qualifying degrees in progress.

• You will be prompted in the online application form for your college/university education, which will enable you to browse and attach a PDF version of your unofficial transcripts.
• Transcripts must state your degree of study, courses taken, earned grades, and graduation date if the degree has been conferred.
• When a transcript is issued by a non-U.S. institution:
  • A foreign credential evaluation is required  for all degrees for which English-language transcripts are not available. A credential evaluation service is not the same as a translation service.
  • If any academic institutions you attended are unable to issue your transcripts, you must contact the EIS program via email EIS@cdc.gov for further instructions.
  • All documents must be in English.
• Transcripts and other proof of degree completion will not be returned to you.
• Do not send high school transcripts.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for Non-U.S. Citizens and Non-U.S. Permanent Residents

If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you must submit evidence of English-language proficiency by providing your TOEFL scores or writing an exemption letter. See the EIS TOEFL Requirements [PDF – 2 pages] to learn more about the TOEFL criteria for scores and exemptions, as well as submission instructions.

U.S. Clinical License for U.S. Citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents

U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a clinical degree must provide a photocopy of an active, unrestricted, U.S. license to practice a clinical specialty. You will upload this into the Education section of the online application.

Class of 2018 Deadlines and Decision Dates

Click the button to check the status of your application.