CDC Workforce Development and Public Health Training

The CDC operates one of the largest public health workforce development systems in the United States, training tens of thousands of professionals each year across disciplines ranging from epidemiology to laboratory science. This page covers the definition and scope of CDC workforce development, the mechanisms through which training is delivered, the common scenarios in which these programs apply, and the decision boundaries that determine which pathways are appropriate for different public health roles.

Definition and scope

CDC workforce development encompasses the structured programs, fellowships, continuing education curricula, and institutional partnerships designed to build and sustain public health capacity at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels. The CDC's Learning and Development infrastructure supports not only agency employees but also the broader governmental public health workforce that depends on CDC technical expertise and credentialing support.

The scope is broad. Workforce development at the CDC spans entry-level fellowship programs for early-career scientists, mid-career applied epidemiology training, laboratory science certification tracks, and leadership development programs for senior public health administrators. The CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship, jointly administered with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), places fellows directly in state health departments for two-year assignments focused on applied outbreak investigation and surveillance operations.

Two categories of program distinguish the CDC workforce development portfolio:

• Fellowship and applied training programs — structured multi-year assignments embedding trainees in operational public health settings. These include the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS), the Public Health Associate Program (PHAP), and the CSTE fellowship.
• Continuing education and certification programs — self-paced or instructor-led courses delivered through CDC TRAIN, the Public Health Foundation's national learning management platform, and CDC-hosted conferences and institutes.

The distinction matters operationally: fellowship programs carry stipends, placement obligations, and federal employment status in most cases, while continuing education offerings are open-enrollment and typically non-credentialed at the federal level, though some carry accredited continuing education units (CEUs) recognized by state licensing boards.

For a broader orientation to the agency's structure and priorities, the CDC overview establishes how workforce development fits within the agency's overall public health mission.

How it works

CDC workforce development operates through three delivery channels: direct federal programs, cooperative agreements with external partners, and funded support for state and local health department training systems.

Direct federal programs are administered within CDC centers and offices. The Epidemic Intelligence Service, established in 1951, remains the most recognized pathway, selecting approximately 80 officers per two-year class to investigate disease outbreaks and conduct applied epidemiological research. EIS officers serve on assignments at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, at state health departments, or at international postings under CDC Global Health Operations programs.

The Public Health Associate Program (PHAP) places associates — typically recent college graduates — in two-year assignments at health departments and public health organizations across all 50 states, 6 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. The program targets entry-level workforce gaps identified through CDC's workforce capacity assessments and state partnership frameworks documented under CDC state and local partnerships.

Cooperative agreement funding flows through mechanisms described in detail under CDC grants and cooperative agreements, supporting training infrastructure at academic public health preparedness centers, Prevention Research Centers, and schools of public health. The CDC Foundation, a congressionally authorized nonprofit established under 42 U.S.C. § 280e, also funds supplemental workforce initiatives outside the direct appropriations process.

The numbered workflow for a typical fellowship applicant follows this sequence:

Common scenarios

CDC workforce development programs apply across a defined set of operational scenarios that reflect recognized gaps in the U.S. public health system.

Outbreak surge capacity: State epidemiology programs with limited staff request EIS officer deployments during active outbreak investigations. This scenario applies when the outbreak crosses county lines, involves a novel pathogen, or requires laboratory support beyond state capacity — conditions documented under CDC outbreak investigation process.

Laboratory workforce gaps: The Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS), a CDC fellowship modeled on EIS, places fellows with advanced laboratory science credentials in public health laboratories at the state level. LLS fellows support the CDC laboratory science and research mission by building state-level capacity in methods including next-generation sequencing and reference diagnostic testing.

Emergency preparedness training: Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement recipients — all 50 states, 4 major cities, and 8 territories — must use a portion of PHEP funding for workforce training and exercises. This connects directly to the functions described under CDC public health emergency response.

Health equity workforce building: The CDC's health equity programs include targeted fellowship pipelines for professionals from communities historically underrepresented in public health leadership, addressing documented diversity gaps in the governmental public health workforce.

Decision boundaries

Not all workforce development needs are appropriate for CDC-administered programs. Clear boundaries define when CDC programs apply versus when state, local, or academic resources are the primary pathway.

CDC direct programs apply when:
- The training need involves applied federal epidemiology methods, outbreak response, or cross-jurisdictional surveillance systems.
- The trainee will serve in a placement that directly supports a state or territorial health department's CDC-funded program.
- The competency gap is identified through a formal workforce assessment tied to Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) standards or PHEP performance metrics.

State or academic programs apply when:
- The training addresses state-specific licensing requirements (nursing, environmental health officer certification, etc.) that CDC does not credential.
- The skill gap is in administrative, legal, or financial management domains outside CDC's technical scope.
- The workforce need is within a non-governmental health organization not eligible for CDC fellowship placements.

A key distinction separates the EIS from the PHAP: EIS requires a doctoral-level degree (MD, DO, PhD, DVM, or equivalent) and targets senior-scientist roles; PHAP accepts bachelor's degree holders and targets generalist associate-level functions. Conflating the two programs leads to misaligned recruitment. Details on EIS specifically appear under CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service.

Public health professionals seeking continuing education without fellowship commitments access CDC TRAIN, which hosts more than 1,000 courses (Public Health Foundation, TRAIN Learning Network), many carrying free CEUs applicable toward state-recognized public health credentials.