Training Programs: James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship and

RISE Program

Marissa Alexander-ScottUniversity of Illinois at Springfield

2012

Internships and Fellowships are key

• More important than ever before in order to be truly competitive for jobs after graduation

• Application of skills learned in class to real-world public health issues

• Exposure to key public health officials prior to graduation

• Gain lifelong friendships with others interested in “making a difference”

Two Fellowship programs

• RISE program for undergraduates

• Dr. James A Ferguson Emerging Infectious Disease Fellowship for graduate students

• https://www.kennedykrieger.org/professional-training/professional-training-programs/rise-programs

Maternal and Child Health Careers/Research Initiatives for Student

Enhancement (MCHC/RISE-UP)

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded 10 week summer program

• Research opportunity focusing on health disparities and health equity promotion

• Under-represented students strongly encouraged to apply, but anyone who wants to eliminate health disparities will be considered

RISE details

• Program starts May 27th, 2013- August 2nd, 2013

• Students travel to Johns Hopkins University for orientation the first week

• Nine weeks spent at training sites• Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University• University of South Dakota• University of Southern California

• Closing ceremony is at Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta

RISE Leadership Experiences

• Students select 1-2 experiences from 3 choices

1. Clinical/Community- hospital and clinic opportunities (pediatrics, nursing, psychology, special education, etc.) Also community-based health care to underserved

RISE Leadership Experience

2. Community Engagement and Advocacy- formation, implementation, evaluation of health care and disability policy and practice guidelines

3. Research- training in community-based prevention, treatment, and epidemiological studies

RISE Perks

• $ 3500 Stipend• Housing and travel costs paid*• Opportunity to live and work in different parts

of the country different from Illinois• Meet public health professionals and key

leaders from academia, state, and federal • MCAT/GRE test preparation • Possible publication opportunities* Subject to CDC funding

RISE Requirements and Deadlines

• Must have 2.5 or better GPA on 4.0 scale

• Must be a rising junior, junior, or senior OR recent graduate (up to 12 months of program orientation)

• 2 Letters of recommendation- one should be from professor or department chair

• CV/Resume• Completion of Essays and Interest Questions• Transcripts- Official• Application due February 14, 2013

Dr. James A. Ferguson Fellowship

• CDC funded• 9 weeks • Choice of working at CDC Atlanta or at Johns

Hopkins • Work on projects relating to health disparities– Epidemiology– Laboratory science– Public health policy– Public health education

“Fergie” Perks

• $4,000 stipend• Housing on Emory campus• Round-trip travel for people living outside of

Georgia• Sponsorship to attend a national scientific

meeting following abstract submission• Sponsored membership in the American

Public Health Association (APHA)

Requirements

• Must be a full-time student in a medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, or public health graduate program

• Have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale• Must be able to commit to the length of the

entire fellowship (May 27, 2013 to July 26, 2013)• Letters of recommendation, CV/Resume, Essays,

Transcripts• Deadline February 14, 2013

My experience

• Spent the first week in orientation at Johns Hopkins University/Kennedy Krieger Institute

If you have seen the film “Something the Lord Made”……

RISE and Ferguson at Johns Hopkins

CDC Atlanta

• I worked in the building next to this one• National Center for Immunization and

Respiratory Diseases

My Project

• Systematic review• Influenza co-infections in African countries• Presented information on malaria and

influenza at CDC symposium• Currently writing article on other co-

infections: tuberculosis, dengue, etc

Influenza and Malaria Co-infections: A Systematic Review

Marissa Alexander-Scott, DVM, MS, MPH (c)Dr. James A. Ferguson Fellow 2012University of Illinois at Springfield

Ferguson Fellow Presentation Review07/26/2012

National Center for Immunization & Respiratory Diseases

International Epidemiology and Response Team

Meeting Dr. Tom Frieden, CDC Director

Fun side trips in Atlanta

What’s Next?

• Definitely want to work at CDC• Applied to Epidemic Intelligence Service- learn

my fate in December• Other programs of interest– ORISE- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and

Education– CSTE-Council of State and Territorial

Epidemiologists– Pathways Recent Graduates Program

Any Questions?

• Feel free to contact me at my UIS email

• mscot3@uis.edu

• I hope you choose to apply for these and other experiences!

Good luck in your studies!