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Epidemic Intelligence Service - Epidemiology Program Office

Background

In 1952, the first Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Conference was held as a 2-day event devoted to infectious disease-related topics. Through the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, a small number of non-infectious disease topics, such as family planning, cancer, and birth defects, began to be included. By the mid-1970s, efforts were made to "balance" the presentations by having all components of CDC program areas represented, and by the early 1980s, the poster session became an integral part of the EIS Conference.

The EIS Conference began as a forum for 2nd-year EIS officers (epidemiologists-in-training) to demonstrate the quality of the work they had accomplished during the 2-year training program. Gradually, the conference began to include 1st-year EIS officers, as well as EIS alumni/ae. From the beginning, the primary function of the EIS Conference was to teach and provide presentations on cutting-edge science.

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