- What
do STOP Teams Do?
In
collaboration with local and national
counterparts (Ministry of Health/WHO/UNICEF),
STOP Team members will likely be:
- promoting,
conducting, and evaluating active
surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis
- planning,
monitoring, and evaluating supplemental
immunization activities, e.g., national
immunization days (NIDs), measles
catch-up campaigns
- promoting,
monitoring, and evaluating routine
immunization programs
- supporting
integrated disease surveillance
- supporting
measles mortality reduction strategies
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- Who
is qualified for STOP Teams?
STOP
assignments require highly qualified
public health professionals. The minimum
qualification to be considered for
a STOP assignment is at least
five years of relevant public
health work experience.
Relevant
experience for field assignments is defined as having worked
(school work/internships not included)
in one or more of the following areas
of public health: communicable disease
surveillance (e.g., acute flaccid paralysis
surveillance), field epidemiology (e.g.,
case outbreak investigations), and
immunization programs (e.g., developing,
implementing, and monitoring programs).
Relevant experience for Data Management includes:
- Computer/database
experience
- Disease
surveillance experience
- Programming
experience desirable
Relevant experience for Communications Management includes:
- Experience in developing and/or implementing public health communications plans
- Social Mobilization experience
Supervisory approval will be required
for all STOP Team members who are currently
employed, with the exception of those
who are self-employed. U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) applicants must have supervisory
approval before applying
to the program.
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- Are
there citizenship requirements?
There
are no citizenship requirements for
STOP Team members.
- Do
I need to have previous international
health work experience?
Previous
work and travel experience in developing
countries is highly desirable, but
not required for this assignment as
long as the technical and social qualifications
are fulfilled. This work assignment
is not ideal as a first international
health work experience.
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- Can
family members accompany STOP
Team members?
The
nature of the assignment and United Nations
(UN) regulations are such that family
members are not allowed to accompany
STOP Team members. This assignment is
considered an unaccompanied
position.
- Is
this a paid position?
This
is not a salaried position. CDC arranges
(sometimes directly or through partner
agencies) travel, lodging, and per diem
during the field assignment, as well
as the pre-departure orientation in Atlanta.
- Where
are STOP Team members sent?
Typically,
Team members are sent to
polio endemic regions in South
Asia and Africa.
However, as the distribution
of polio cases changes, teams will
adapt to meet the needs of local areas.
Applicants do not choose the country
to which they are sent, but they may
indicate a preference which is not
guaranteed.
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- How
long is the individual commitment
to the STOP Team?
Teams
are in the field for 3 months, in addition
to approximately 12 days of orientation
held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Most team
members will depart directly from Atlanta
for field assignments.
- What
conditions can one expect to encounter
in the field?
The
work environments are extremely challenging
and may include extremes of temperature,
lack of electricity, lack of adequate
medical facilities, poor sanitation,
inconsistent water supply, and rugged
traveling conditions. In addition,
since STOP is not a training program,
the level of supervision and field
support may be minimal.
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- When
do the Teams depart?
Teams
depart 3 times a year, in January,
May, and September.
- Is
there anything that may result
in sudden or early termination
of the field assignment?
If the
political situation in the country
the STOP Team member is assigned warrants
evacuation of personnel, CDC and WHO/UNICEF
will be responsible for arranging for
such an evacuation leading to early
termination of the assignment.
As
an assignee to the WHO or UNICEF, WHO/UNICEF
field staff and Ministry of Health
counterparts, as well as CDC and Canadian
Public Health Association (CPHA) staff,
reserve the right to end an assignment
at any time (before, during
orientation, as well as while on assignment)
should they feel the STOP team member
is having difficulty communicating
with others, is being culturally insensitive,
is allowing personal issues to get
in the way of getting
the job done,
is not fulfilling his/her duties to
the satisfaction of any of the partners,
or is jeopardizing the program in any
way.
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- Can
I go on personal travel during
my three months assignment?
There is no official break while on a
STOP assignment. Leaving your country
of assignment during the mission is not
permitted unless prior approval is obtained
from your CDC supervisor and your in-country
supervisor. In many cases, the work is
expected to continue 7 days a week throughout
the duration of the assignment.
- When
should I apply?
Applications
are accepted on an ongoing basis.
STOP applicants are encouraged to
apply at least three months in advance
of their preferred departure date.
Typically, Teams are fully assembled
two months before departure.
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-
How
do I apply?
To apply,
send your current CV (name should be
the same as it appears on your passport),
contact information for 3 references,
and the team for which you wish to
be considered (e.g., January 2005),
to: NIPSTOPteam@cdc.gov
Note:
A medical exam is required at your expense if accepted
into the program. For more information,
please consult the How
to Apply For STOP Teams.
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- Who
pays for my medical examination
(x-ray, etc.) required after the preliminary
acceptance?
You
are responsible for all required examinations,
including a chest x-ray and tuberculin
skin test (PPD). However, vaccinations
are a reimbursable expense (cost of
the vaccine, though not the vaccine
administration fee and/or office visit).
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