With 2020 underway and our 2020-2021 application season now closed, we are reflecting on the PHI/CDC Global Health Fellowship Program highlights and Fellows’ accomplishments in 2019:
Fellows at a Glance:
In 2019, we had a total of 48 Fellows stationed in the U.S. and overseas, concentrating on 1 of 6 tracks. Fellows were located in Atlanta and D.C. domestically, and in the following countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Haiti, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, eSwatini, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe:
Professional Development, Publications & Presentations:
Our Fellows pursued professional development trainings around the world, worked on publications and presentations, and received mentorship and on-the-job experience at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offices in Atlanta and overseas.
93% of Fellows gained additional training in a variety of coursework that ranged from language training to scientific writing courses to data analysis bootcamps. These learning opportunities were conducted by a diverse group of universities and public health institutions, including UNAIDS, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, CDC, WHO Collaboration Centre, International Governance of Global Health at the University of Barcelona, and Royal Tropical Institute. 74% of Fellows worked on publications in 2019 and 67% gave presentations.
Congratulations to the following Fellows in 2019 whose publications or presentations were finalized:
- Aderonke Ajiboye, MPH:
- Oral Abstract Presentation at the 2019 INTEREST conference in Accra, Ghana. Characterizing the HIV Epidemic among 15-24 Year Olds in Urban Ethiopia, 2017-18 Ephia
- Anyie Li, MPH:
- Second Author of the Following Publication: Can vaccination coverage be improved by reducing missed opportunities for vaccination? Findings from assessments in Chad and Malawi using the new WHO methodology. [Published January 24, 2019]
- First Author of the Following Publication: Opportunities to improve vaccination coverage in a country with a fledgling health system: Findings from an assessment of missed opportunities for vaccination among health center attendees—Timor Leste, 2016. [Published July 18, 2019]
- Second Author of the Following Publication: Overview of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis access, procurement and distribution in selected countries in Asia and Africa, 2017-2018. [Published October 3, 2019]
- Makhabele Woolfork DrPH:
- Podcast led by Dr. Charlotte Hughes-Huntley: Episode #109. Interview with Dr. Makhabele Nolana Woolfork, Global Epidemiologist
- Vanessa Da Costa, MPH:
- Oral Abstract Presentation at the SA AIDS 2019. Exploring exclusive breastfeeding practices of infants in South Africa in the context of HIV and change, 4th author
- Mary Gaeddert, MPH:
- Assistance in Producing the Following Publication: South Africa Field Epidemiology Training Program: Developing and Building Applied Epidemiology Capacity, 2007-2016
Other examples of Fellows’ accomplishments in 2019 include assessment of Guatemala’s 10-year surveillance system, spearheading data management processes for CDC South Africa’s 90-90-90 surge program, and implementing HIV recency surveillance in Namibia and TRACE informatics technical working group. Our Fellows sum it up the best when noting what an invaluable experience it is to have on the ground training with CDC experts:
First Annual Fellows Showcase & Awards Ceremony:
We hosted our First Annual Fellows Showcase & Awards Ceremony in July 2019 at CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. You can read more about the showcase here. We look forward to hosting this event again in 2020. Congratulations again to all our recipients:
In addition, CDC Malawi Country Director & Mentor Nicole Buono recognized Fellow Sarah Shaw, MPH, with an Extra Mile Award, recognizing Sarah’s “tireless efforts…high level of attention to detail [and] collaboration.” Congratulations, Sarah!
Advice for Future Fellows :
In looking ahead there are many lessons to take away from Fellows’ experiences. Here are a few highlights:
