Post-Doctoral Fellowship in STD Prevention
The complete application package including the fellowship descriptions, additional information and the application can be found on our website at http://aptrweb.org/prof_dev/fellowships_PMFP.html. Once at this page select “Download Request for Applications” to view the complete application package as a pdf. document.
Background/History:
The Division of STD Prevention (DSTD), at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides
national leadership through research, policy development, and support of effective services to prevent
sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV infection) and the related complications such as
enhanced HIV transmission, infertility, adverse outcomes of pregnancy, and reproductive tract cancer.
The Division assists health departments, health-care providers and non-governmental organizations,
and collaborates with other governmental entities through the development, syntheses, translation,
and dissemination of timely, science-based information; the development of national goals and
science-based policy; and the development and support of science-based programs that meet the
needs of communities. DSTD accomplishes this mission through the provision of technical and
financial support to 65 STD prevention programs nationwide; including the 50 states, 7 large cities,
and 8 territories. STD prevention activities supported include disease surveillance, disease
intervention (counseling and partner notification services), school and community based educations
programs, and program relevant behavioral, epidemiologic, clinical, health services, and evaluation
research. At the national level, DSTD supports technical assistance, laboratory, clinical, and program
training, operational programs, policy coordination, guidelines development and prevention research.
Fellowship Assignment Description:
Several infectious disease and other sub-specialty postdoctoral fellowship programs in the United
States emphasize sexually transmitted diseases in trainees’ research experience and career
development. However, the majority of these fellowships have emphasized microbiology,
immunopathology, diagnosis and clinical management more than epidemiology, prevention, and
service delivery. While the existing training programs have been successful in creating a national
pool of superior academic investigators, with a few notable exceptions, trainees have either remained
in an STD research setting or have moved out of the field altogether and have not assumed positions
of leadership and responsibility in the field of STD services in state or local health departments. This
STD prevention fellowship will emphasize epidemiology, behavioral science, health services research,
and prevention of STDs. Under supervision and mentorship, fellows will pursue one or more research
projects directly relevant to careers in public health, STD epidemiology, and prevention. Examples
include research in provision of STD prevention services, research in STD/HIV interaction, analysis of
traditional or innovative approaches to STD prevention and control such as partner notification or peer
counseling; and behavioral intervention research.
The proposed fellowship’s major component consists of research training that emphasizes STD
epidemiology, behavioral sciences, prevention and/or service delivery at the Division of STD
Prevention (DSTD), National Centers for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP), Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).ease Control and Prevention
Required and/or Desired Skills and Knowledge:
This fellowship is a post-doctoral level experience. Applicants must have earned an MD, DO, PhD,
DrPH, or equivalent degree. Preferred medical specialties include infectious diseases, OB/GYN,
family medicine, adolescent medicine, preventive medicine or internal medicine. While the fellowship
is primarily designed for individuals with medical training, non-medical post-doctoral candidates,
including individuals trained in public health, epidemiology, or one of the behavioral sciences, health
services research or nursing, are also eligible and may be considered.
Strong preference will be shown to applicants currently involved with a university-affiliated research
component with an emphasis in one or more of the following as related to STD: epidemiology,
behavioral science, prevention, and science delivery.
NOTE SPECIAL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Applicant must provide three letters of recommendation. The personal essay should be one page,
and outline career goals with particular emphasis on future involvement in STD prevention.
Expected Benefits:
The primary goal of this fellowship is to provide a training experience for individuals who, upon
completion, can be appointed to universities, or state or local health department STD prevention
programs. This is critical to developing/ reshaping a balanced STD prevention focus into the next
century. The individual fellow will be assigned specific program-relevant research during the
fellowship. This unique experience will help to develop a cadre of experts in STD prevention with an
understanding of the public health system in this nation, and who will be able to address STD
prevention needs across public and private sectors.
Period of Assignment:
The term of each Fellowship is one year, with the possibility of a one year renewal, for a total of two
years maximum, and is anticipated to be completed entirely at the Centers for Disease Control’s
National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of STD Prevention (DSTD) in Atlanta, GA.
DSTD maintains projects in other geographic locations in the continental US and, upon identification
and availability of a suitable project, may instead choose to sponsor one or more of the fellowships at
an alternate geographic site(s), to be determined at the discretion of the DSTD. Fellows will be
informed within 6-8 weeks prior to their expected start-date as to the location of their assignment
