title: Career paths to public health: programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
abstract: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers training in specific, critically needed disciplines such as epidemiology and laboratory sciences, frequently through experiential, on-the-job service and learning fellowships. The agency also provides a more general exposure to public health as a field, often for younger participants, through shorter-term internships. In addition, other programs provide opportunity for exposure to public health thinking and public health problems in an academic setting as early as elementary school. Although a primary purpose of these programs, especially the experiential fellowships and internships, is to attract young people to public health careers, a secondary goal, particularly for the younger students, is to foster an awareness and concern regarding their personal health. The Career Paths to Public Health Program focuses on students and teachers from elementary to undergraduate schools and builds on CDC's existing postgraduate training programs. The program enhances student interest in the practical uses of mathematics and science and introduces them to the exciting work of public health. These activities also provide a nexus for working with both traditional partners in academia and public health and new academic partners to foster programs of mutual interest.
authors.affiliation: Office of Workforce and Career Development, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. sbt1@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Thacker
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Judy R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Delany
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D003479:Curriculum; D004500:Education, Graduate; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D016730:Program Development; D011634:Public Health; D015980:Public Health Practice; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce