Training Programs: James A.
Ferguson Emerging Infectious
Diseases Fellowship and RISE
Program
Marissa Alexander-Scott
University of Illinois at Springfield
2012
Internships and Fellowships are key
• More important than ever before in order to
be truly competitive for jobs after graduation
• Application of skills learned in class to realworld public health issues
• Exposure to key public health officials prior to
graduation
• Gain lifelong friendships with others
interested in “making a difference”
Two Fellowship programs
• RISE program for undergraduates
• Dr. James A Ferguson Emerging Infectious
Disease Fellowship for graduate students
• https://www.kennedykrieger.org/professionaltraining/professional-training-programs/riseprograms
Maternal and Child Health
Careers/Research Initiatives for Student
Enhancement (MCHC/RISE-UP)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
funded 10 week summer program
• Research opportunity focusing on health
disparities and health equity promotion
• Under-represented students strongly encouraged
to apply, but anyone who wants to eliminate
health disparities will be considered
RISE details
• Program starts May 27th, 2013- August 2nd,
2013
• Students travel to Johns Hopkins University for
orientation the first week
• Nine weeks spent at training sites
• Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University
• University of South Dakota
• University of Southern California
• Closing ceremony is at Centers for Disease
Control in Atlanta
RISE Leadership Experiences
• Students select 1-2 experiences from 3
choices
1. Clinical/Community- hospital and clinic
opportunities (pediatrics, nursing,
psychology, special education, etc.) Also
community-based health care to
underserved
RISE Leadership Experience
2. Community Engagement and Advocacyformation, implementation, evaluation of
health care and disability policy and practice
guidelines
3. Research- training in community-based
prevention, treatment, and epidemiological
studies
RISE Perks
• $ 3500 Stipend
• Housing and travel costs paid*
• Opportunity to live and work in different parts
of the country different from Illinois
• Meet public health professionals and key
leaders from academia, state, and federal
• MCAT/GRE test preparation
• Possible publication opportunities
* Subject to CDC funding
RISE Requirements and Deadlines
• Must have 2.5 or better GPA on 4.0 scale
• Must be a rising junior, junior, or senior OR
recent graduate (up to 12 months of program
orientation)
• 2 Letters of recommendation- one should be
from professor or department chair
• CV/Resume
• Completion of Essays and Interest Questions
• Transcripts- Official
• Application due February 14, 2013
Dr. James A. Ferguson Fellowship
• CDC funded
• 9 weeks
• Choice of working at CDC Atlanta or at Johns
Hopkins
• Work on projects relating to health disparities
– Epidemiology
– Laboratory science
– Public health policy
– Public health education
“Fergie” Perks
• $4,000 stipend
• Housing on Emory campus
• Round-trip travel for people living outside of
Georgia
• Sponsorship to attend a national scientific
meeting following abstract submission
• Sponsored membership in the American
Public Health Association (APHA)
Requirements
• Must be a full-time student in a medical, dental,
pharmacy, veterinary, or public health graduate
program
• Have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
• Must be able to commit to the length of the
entire fellowship (May 27, 2013 to July 26, 2013)
• Letters of recommendation, CV/Resume, Essays,
Transcripts
• Deadline February 14, 2013
My experience
• Spent the first week in orientation at Johns
Hopkins University/Kennedy Krieger Institute
If you have seen the film “Something
the Lord Made”……
RISE and Ferguson at Johns Hopkins
CDC Atlanta
• I worked in the building next to this one
• National Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases
My Project
• Systematic review
• Influenza co-infections in African countries
• Presented information on malaria and
influenza at CDC symposium
• Currently writing article on other coinfections: tuberculosis, dengue, etc
Influenza and Malaria Co-infections: A
Systematic Review
Marissa Alexander-Scott, DVM, MS, MPH (c)
Dr. James A. Ferguson Fellow 2012
University of Illinois at Springfield
Ferguson Fellow Presentation Review
07/26/2012
National Center for Immunization & Respiratory Diseases
International Epidemiology and Response Team
Meeting Dr. Tom Frieden, CDC Director
Fun side trips in Atlanta
What’s Next?
• Definitely want to work at CDC
• Applied to Epidemic Intelligence Service- learn
my fate in December
• Other programs of interest
– ORISE- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and
Education
– CSTE-Council of State and Territorial
Epidemiologists
– Pathways Recent Graduates Program
Any Questions?
• Feel free to contact me at my UIS email
• mscot3@uis.edu
• I hope you choose to apply for these and other
experiences!
Good luck in your studies!