About the Epidemic Intelligence Service

Opportunities & Updates

The 2025 fellowship application period is closed. The next application period will open in March 2025.

The 2025 host site application period is closed. The next application period will open in December 2024.

For questions about the EIS program, please contact us directly at EISApplication@cdc.gov.

Overview

EIS offers an unparalleled service and learning program. EIS officers are CDC's disease detectives who learn from and work alongside subject matter experts while providing service to domestic and international partners. EIS maintains its core focus on training disease detectives to practice consequential epidemiology, which is the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data for evidence-based public health action.

EIS was among the first programs to be accredited by the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET), the global network for field epidemiology training programs (FETPs), during their first accreditation cycle in 2016. During the 2023 reaccreditation cycle, EIS achieved reaccreditation at a new and higher level, earning distinction in all standards and merit in all thematic areas.

EIS will continue preparing generations of public health leaders for years to come. The EIS program is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). For both EIS officers and our staff, we are taking steps to attract and recruit highly trained and service-oriented applicants from a variety of disciplines, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and geographic locations. Increasing and maintaining diversity among our EIS officers and program staff ensures a richer variety of perspectives and experiences within the program and within our role to strengthen the public health workforce.

Did You Know?

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Timeline

Milestone Investigations

EIS has a 73-year history of success in training disease detectives. EIS officers step up at a moment's notice to investigate public health threats in the United States and around the world. From the Smallpox Eradication Program in the 1960's to the COVID-19 pandemic, EIS officers are called on to protect people and save lives.

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Preparedness

EIS has changed all elements of their program to be better prepared to response and serve

The EIS program constantly evolves as the field of epidemiology, the science of learning and communication, and the needs of CDC and state and local health departments change over time. With 97% of EIS officers remaining in public health positions after the fellowship, the EIS program is uniquely positioned to influence the diversity of the public health workforce and its leadership. We recognize this opportunity and accept the responsibility to embody DEIA in all elements of our fellowship program, from recruitment and selection to training of officers and program staff.

To increase diversity in public health and incorporate DEIA into the heart of the EIS program, we have made organizational changes in how we recruit, select, and train our officers and program staff. The following describes some of these changes and supporting activities.

EIS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (DEIA) Council: In 2021, we formed the EIS DEIA Council to provide guidance on a range of priorities and actions. The Council now meets quarterly and advises on all DEIA efforts throughout the EIS program. Council membership includes diverse representation including EIS alumni, current officers, and representatives from disciplines and offices across the agency.

• Developed a series of webinars on the EIS experience and application process to increase accessibility to information; previously, only candidates who knew or had access to current EIS officers or alumni were able to obtain this information
• Sought input from the EIS DEIA Council to improve methods for promoting staff vacancies to increase diversity in the pool of candidates applying for EIS program staff positions
• Worked with groups from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic populations at CDC to develop strategies to increase awareness of EIS among Black, Hispanic, and indigenous American candidates

Selection: Since 2020, we continuously examine all elements of the application and selection processes to minimize bias and discrimination. In this area, we:

• Require unconscious bias training for anyone conducting EIS candidate interviews
• Require all staff involved in the selection process to participate in a workshop on minimizing bias and discrimination
• Held an external review of our candidate selection process and made changes to be more standardized and objective and to reduce potential for bias and discrimination
• Reached out to alumni from historically underrepresented groups to participate in EIS interviews
• Have engaged a DEIA expert external to the program to serve as an equity advocate and participate in the selection process
• Shifted from in-person to virtual interviews to make it easier for candidates across geographic locations to apply to EIS
• Adopted the use of standardized letters of reference to ensure all applicants are being rated on the same criteria

Training: We are infusing health equity principles into all elements of our training and have taken the following actions as of November 2022:

• Added racism as a public health issue within the required EIS curriculum
• Included a health equity seminar as part of the required EIS curriculum
• Require programs that host EIS officers (or host sites) to specify their plans for incorporating health equity into their EIS positions
• Require that EIS officers and program staff use non-stigmatizing and culturally appropriate language and images when referring to people and populations
• Created a seminar on cultural sensitivity and community engagement

Reports

The Epidemic Intelligence Service 2023 Annual Update features recent program highlights, response work summaries, EIS class demographics, and more. See previous annual reports on the archived page.

Historically Significant Publications

• Epidemiologic field investigations by the Centers for Disease Control and Epidemic Intelligence Service, 1946–87Goodman RA, Bauman CF, Gregg MB, Videtto JF, Stroup DF, Chalmers NP. Public Health Rep. 1990;105(6):604–610.Discusses the epidemiologic field investigation as an important tool CDC uses to assist state, local, and international public health agencies.
• Applied epidemiology for the 21st Century Thacker SB, Buffington J. Int J Epidemiol. 2001;30(2):320–325.
  Reviews literature examining key issues in epidemiologic practice and training.
• Veterinarians and public health: the Epidemic Intelligence Service of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1951–2002 Pappaioanou M, Garbe PL, Glynn MK, Thacker SB. J Vet Med Educ. 2003;30(4):383–391.
  Puts forth EIS as a career option for veterinarians.
• Bright, Aggressive, and Abrasive:" A History of the Chief Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1951 – 2006. Kelsey, Hugh J. Thesis, Georgia State University, 2006.
  Examines the evolving roles of the Epidemic Intelligence Service Chief, program, and CDC in relation to public health history.
• Epidemiology and public health at CDC CDC. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006;55(Suppl No. 2):3–4.
  Defines epidemiology and traces its relationship with public health at CDC.
• The Epidemic Intelligence Service: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Disease Detectives Hamilton DH. Virtual Mentor. 2006;8(4):261–264.
  Highlights early and more recent investigations that reflect the EIS program's key philosophy—to train epidemiologists to respond to the whole spectrum of public health emergencies.
• Epidemic Intelligence Service of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 50 years of training and service in applied epidemiology Thacker SB, Dannenberg AL, Hamilton DH. Am J Epidemiol. 2011;154(11):985–992.
  Highlights the changing experience of EIS officers because of increased need for more sophisticated analytical methods and tools, as well as CDC's expanded mission into chronic diseases, environmental health, occupational health, and injury control.
• Fifty-Five Years of International Epidemic-Assistance Investigations Conducted by CDC's Disease Detectives Rolle IV, Pearson ML, Nsubuga P. Am J Epidemiol. 2011;174(11 Suppl.):S97–112.
  Focuses on the evolution of EIS officers' international epidemiologic field investigations and how they contribute to global disease prevention and control, public health science, and health policy.
• Introduction: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epi-Aids—A Fond Recollection Koplan JP, Foege WH. Am J Epidemiol. 2011;174(11 Suppl.):S1–3.
  Reflects on the evolution of the Epi-Aid; a written summary of a field investigation and a key element of the EIS officers' experience.
• Vaccine-preventable Diseases, Immunizations, and the Epidemic Intelligence Service Hinman AR, Orenstein WA, Schuchat A. Am J Epidemiol. 2011;174(11 Suppl.):S16–22.
  Describes past and future role of EIS in vaccine-preventable diseases epidemiology and immunization program implementation.
• The Epidemic Intelligence Service: An exciting opportunity for pharmacists to improve population health Minhaj FS, Carranza D, Adeyemo A, Smith DJ. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2022 Apr 20:S1544-3191(22)00129-7.
  Puts forth EIS as a career pathway for pharmacists.
• Epidemic Intelligence Service Alumni in Public Health Leadership Roles So M, Winquist A, Fisher S, Eaton D, Carroll D, Simone P, Pevzner E, Arvelo W. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 30;19(11):6662.
  Examines the EIS program's effect on graduates' leadership outcomes.

Resources

Epidemic Intelligence Service 70th Anniversary Webinar

CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) 70th anniversary celebration took place virtually on June 4, 2021. This webinar features a lecture given by former CDC Director Dr. Bill Foege and remarks from former CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and former CDC Principal Deputy Director Dr. Anne Schuchat. The event also includes awards, video tributes, a special accolade in honor of Dr. Schuchat’s retirement, and a presentation of a diverse panel of EIS alumni who share stories of their public health careers.