Program Overview

Headquartered at the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is a unique two-year, post-graduate program of service and on-the-job training for health professionals interested in the practice of epidemiology. Since 1951, over 2,700 EIS Officers have responded to requests for epidemiologic assistance within the United States and throughout the world.

Every year, CDC's EIS Program selects 70–80 persons from among the nation's top health professionals to enter the EIS and pursue on-the-job training in applied epidemiologic skills. EIS Officers play a major role in the implementation of CDC's mission of preventing disease and injury and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Officer Activities

While serving as part of the front-line of national and international epidemiologic activity, EIS Officers

Conduct epidemiologic investigations, research, and public health surveillance
Serve the epidemiologic needs of state health departments
Present epidemiologic papers at scientific and medical conferences; publish their work in the scientific literature
Disseminate vital public health information to the media and the public

Officer Opportunities

EIS Officers have unique opportunities to

Apply training and skills to actual public health problems and issues
Establish mentorships with recognized experts from CDC and other national and international health agencies
Travel domestically and internationally
Attend training courses in computers, biostatistics and epidemiology

Two-Year Assignments

EIS officers serve in different capacities, including field assignments to state and local health departments and headquarter assignments to centers, institutes, and offices within CDC. Although international work might be part of any EIS assignment, no 2-year assignment is based outside the United States. An EIS officer will not be assigned to the same geographic location where they residing at the time of their application (exceptions are Atlanta, Georgia; Hyattsville, Maryland; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Morgantown, West Virginia).

EIS assignments are made in the spring following acceptance into the EIS Program. Each year, approximately 35% of incoming EIS Officers are assigned directly to state or local health departments, with an Atlanta-based supervisor to complement local supervision. The other 65% of Officers are assigned to CDC headquarters in one of the following areas:

National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH-ATSDR), located in Atlanta.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), located in Atlanta.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), located in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington State, Alaska, Colorado, and Atlanta.
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), located in Atlanta.
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), located in Atlanta.
Office of Genomics and Disease Prevention (OGDP), located in Atlanta.
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), located in Atlanta.
National Center for Zoonotic, Vectorborne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED), located in Colorado and Atlanta.
National Center for Preparedness, Detection and Control of Infectious Diseases (NCPDCID), located in Alaska and Atlanta.
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STDs, and Tuberculosis Prevention (NCHHSTP), located in Atlanta.
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), located in Maryland.

Salary and Benefits

Candidates are enrolled into the EIS Program through one of two personnel systems

The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (U.S. Citizens only)
The EIS Fellowship Program (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens)

Salaries range from $50,000 to $87,000 per annum, depending upon qualifications and experience.