Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
This summer I interned at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta in the Epidemiology Workforce Branch, which is under the Center for Scientific Education and Leadership Skills and the Division of Education and Professional Development. I primarily assisted the Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS) program, which is an extension of the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) program. LLS and EIS fellows are trained during a two week summer course, after which they are stationed in an under-resourced area and periodically sent on epi-aids. During epi-aids, EIS and LLS fellows assist state, local, tribal, and international governments in identifying, researching, and combating emerging epidemics. In order to do this, fellows must work closely with the leadership already established in the area they are sent to. Fellows sent on epi-aids are sometimes informally referred to as “disease detectives,” and high profile epi-aids are often covered by the media. However, EIS and LLS fellows spend the majority of their two-year fellowship doing behind the scenes work that is a bit less glamorous, but just as vital to the CDC’s mission.
My main responsibility was preparing for the fellows’ summer course, and once it began I also got the opportunity to sit in on daily sessions. Sitting in on sessions was an amazing experience; I got to hear lectures on communicating and public speaking, sit in on interactive case studies, and learn about laboratory safety and ethics. The case studies were especially interesting since they featured examples taken from real-life events. Fellows (and a few interns) were paired off into groups to discuss the information given, and during the last week of summer course the fellows presented their findings to the branch in a mock press-report. The fellows were all very willing to engage with the interns, and I got to hear about their previous work and education. The majority of the fellows were post-docs, and all were exceptionally educated and qualified, and listening to their experiences taught me how many different paths lead to the CDC.
Since the LLS program is relatively new, I also prepared daily surveys for the fellows to take regarding their experiences with certain sessions. These surveys were then used to evaluate which sessions were successful, and which needed modification for next year. I sat in on meetings devoted solely to rephrasing survey questions, sometimes by only a word or two. It was interesting to see how changes that I would normally deem insignificant can actually change the function and accuracy of the statistical analysis created from the survey data.
While I primarily worked with the LLS program, I also made myself available for anyone that needed an extra hand, and in this way I gained exposure to many public health positions within the office. I was tasked with scheduling meetings and Skype calls, as well as finalizing summer course materials. Everyone around the office was very receptive to any questions I had, and made sure to acknowledge the work that I was doing. The Epidemiology Workforce Branch fostered a supportive office environment, and I appreciated the ample opportunities and resources I was given during my internship.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the CDC. Everyone in the office was very welcoming, and made efforts to include me in office gatherings and meetings. There was a weekly branch meeting that everyone in the office attended, and through these meetings I grew to understand what each person in the office was working on. In the first few weeks of my internship, people throughout the office would stop by my cubicle to introduce themselves and tell me about the work they were currently doing. Everyone was also very open about their education and career backgrounds, and I learned about many different career paths relating to public health throughout my time at the internship.
The most rewarding component of my internship was how relevant the work was. Epidemics focused on by epi-aids that I learned about during my time at the internship ranged from measles to public access electric scooters. Although public health epidemics impact all populations, many public health epidemics occur in vulnerable populations and have detrimental effects on the lives of those who already have barriers preventing them from seeking assistance. Public health work requires intentionally seeking out these vulnerable populations, and listening to leaders within the affected communities. Identifying, understanding, and combatting public health epidemics will always be necessary and relevant work. While I was in the office, two public health emergencies were declared: polio and Ebola. It was interesting to see how the government responded, and how the effects of these responses were visible even within my branch; certain people were pulled from the office to assist with the national and international responses, which caused restructuring. This internship gave me first-hand insight into how the CDC operates and serves people and communities globally.
I have no doubt that this internship will greatly impact both my remaining time at Williams, and my future career path. As a public health concentrator, I am already committed to pursuing public health work, but this internship helped me confirm my interests and guide my course selection for the fall and spring. I am looking forward to applying the knowledge I learned from this internship to the public health capstone course. I am unsure of exactly what I aim to pursue after graduation, but after this internship I feel much more prepared to enter the workforce. The internship taught me valuable lessons in efficiency, accountability, and technical skills. I also gained exposure to a government office environment, and learned some of the pros and cons to working in government. I created and strengthened connections with public health professionals, who I plan to stay in contact with. I also learned about different public health graduate programs, and what pursuing an MPH entails. Public health knowledge is applicable to all fields of work, and I am confident that I will be able to incorporate what I learned this summer into my future career.
I would like to sincerely thank the Estate of George Mead and the ’68 Center for Career Exploration who made this incredible opportunity possible for me.
Megamenu Social