And I peeked at the 2016 thread again, and saw that there was a second wave of interview invites that went out in December... this is going to be a long Fall and Winter as this process unfolds. Good luck everyone!
EIS 2017
- Thread starter UGAPinkDawg
- Start date
And I peeked at the 2016 thread again, and saw that there was a second wave of interview invites that went out in December... this is going to be a long Fall and Winter as this process unfolds. Good luck everyone!
I think the second wave you refer to is after the interviews by the way. That was for waitlists and such.
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2008
- Messages
- 10
- Reaction score
- 3
I'm interviewing on October 13th! I booked a hotel room just a few doors down from the EIS building. Are there any women who would be willing to share a room with two double beds on the evening on the evening of the 12th? If so, please send me a private message!
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2016
- Messages
- 20
- Reaction score
- 3
Congrats all! I didn't make it to the interview round. Please keep sharing your progress. Its off to other opportunities for me!
I did not... makes me nervous... did you?
Sorry to hear this. Best of luck to you UGAPinkDawg! I can continue to share my experience.
Yesterday (Monday) I sent out a second email confirming my acceptance of the invite that I received on Thursday night. (I did respond immediately Thursday night via email as instructed). I received a confirmation this afternoon, responding to my second email! Whew.
Anyone else interviewing on Oct 17th?
Any suggestions on how to prepare for the interview day? The email encouraged us to "find out as much as you can about CDC and the EIS program prior to your interviews" and directed me to the EIS website. I have put out emails too some EIS alum and plan to meet with colleagues that have CDC experience. I planned on some mock interviews after I prep over the next couple of weeks.
Anyone else interviewing on Oct 17th?
Any suggestions on how to prepare for the interview day? The email encouraged us to "find out as much as you can about CDC and the EIS program prior to your interviews" and directed me to the EIS website. I have put out emails too some EIS alum and plan to meet with colleagues that have CDC experience. I planned on some mock interviews after I prep over the next couple of weeks.
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2008
- Messages
- 10
- Reaction score
- 3
By the way, I found a roommate for that evening so the spot has been taken!
As for interview preparation, I too plan on e-mailing the EIS alumni who I had come in contact with over the past year.
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2016
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 2
Stix80,
I am interested in finding out how others are preparing for the interviews. I have spoken to several EIS alums, but they were not recent alums. Have your contacts shared things that may be beneficial to all of us? Currently, I have a list of questions that I am going through, both general interview questions as well as specific to the top three offices I placed on my application. I am going though those and having examples ready to support what they may be looking for in past professional and academic experience. Going over these answer and becoming comfortable and succinct is helpful thus far, but I want to make sure I am not missing anything. Thanks for your insight
I held a mock interview with a student advocate in charge of our professional development. Just to get comfortable talking about myself and practice eye contact, etc. I have been preparing bullet points on strengthens and weaknesses and thinking about examples or experiences that I can succinctly describe as well. Researching the different offices in more detail, is next on my list. I have been reading a lot (finishing up Inside the Outbreaks) and articulating how I see myself contributing to the program. I was told to be 'clear on what you'll gain from the program and how you'll use it when you're done, even if you're not yet exactly sure what that means yet' ... also to 'be as relaxed as possible and to just be yourself.' I think meeting with a professional that knows you well to discuss your biggest concerns can be helpful - and boost your confidence a little (should you be nervous).
Do we know how many people interview per day? Also, do we know how many different 30 min interview sessions we have? Getting close...
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2016
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 2
Thank you so much. That is essentially how a I am preparing also. Succinct is not my strength so that is where I struggle. I knew nothing about Inside the Outbreaks but I just put my order in! I am not sure how many people interview per day and I believe I was told to expect 3-5 interviews. I thought we would have found out already who we were going to be interviewing with but I guess we won't until we have orientation. My interview is on Friday, when is yours?
Had my interview on Monday! It's an all day process but our group only had 4 interviews, so it just depends on the order if you have breaks or not. I imagine that's the process for all the interview days. There are EIS officers to chat with while you wait. It's a bit anticlimactic for me... all that prep, and you still don't know where you stand! But overall it was a positive experience. Best of luck to those preparing!
Also, I stayed with a friend outside of the city for a few days and rented a car so as not to be dependent on their family. I did stay for one night, just before the interview, at the listed Holiday Inn Select on the interview invite, so that I was close and didn't have to battle traffic. That worked out well for me!
Also, I stayed with a friend outside of the city for a few days and rented a car so as not to be dependent on their family. I did stay for one night, just before the interview, at the listed Holiday Inn Select on the interview invite, so that I was close and didn't have to battle traffic. That worked out well for me!
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2016
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 2
Sad to hear it was anticlimactic for you...that is likely because you were well prepared! Did you only meet with those you offices/centers you chose on your application or did they give any interviews that were outside of your choice center? I am curios how many other applicants were interviewing that day?
I chose to stay at the Marriott just across the street which makes me feel good about the 0730 start time. No worries about traffic as I could walk if I choose to.
I interview tomorrow so I will be sure to report how it goes. Thank you for sharing your experience and best of luck.
Also, thank you again for the tip on the book, it is great to hear some of the experiences the pioneers of field epidemiology have had.
I certainly have seen and heard the dates Oct 13th - 24th for interviews, so I assume there is one more today.
And, yes, I was surprised to hear about "early" November for accept, wait list, or reject. We were told at least 15 pre match options - 11 state level, 4 CDC headquarters.
I am seriously considering Commissioned Corps - any one have advice or input on this opportunity? (If accepted that is)
Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences with the application process.
I can add some information about the Corps. I don't know much about the civil service side of things so there may be advantages to that as well.
Tax advantage: much of the pay for Corps members is housing allowance which is non-taxable and reduces your Federal tax burden by a lot. Depending on your state of legal residence your income may be exempt from state income tax (as "military" income or as a "military" member who is living in another state but able to maintain residence in a state with no income tax). So your income may be higher after taxes than non-corps pay that might be higher before taxes. You can use this to calculate a potential pay advantage: http://militarypay.defense.gov/Calculators/RMC-Calculator/
Insurance: with Tricare prime there are no premiums, copays, or cost shares for the active duty member or family. Tricare Standard involves some copays/premium but is closer to a PPO option if you prefer that over an HMO model. Dental is $40/month or so. Tricare is really confusing and can be frustrating to deal with at times but considering a Federal BCBS PPO premium of hundreds of dollars a month + deductible + copays it is a worthy hassle. Tricare website: http://www.tricare.mil
Leave: you get 30 days per year (but leave includes weekends and holidays) and unlimited sick leave (as long as it's authorized/documented). Some nonofficial leave information: https://www.thebalance.com/military-leaves-passes-and-liberty-3331984
Retirement: Currently 50% of pay at 20 years and more for each year after and you can invest as much as you want in TSP (no match), health insurance for life. They are implementing a new retirement system that will involve government match of TSP contributions and an option to cash out retirement before 20 years but decreasing percentage of pay at retirement. Lots of info out there on the new system if you google it. I think it will be at your option in 2017 and in 2018 all new incoming members will automatically be assigned the new system.
Military discounts/benefits: the Corps is a uniformed service, not military, but you get many of the same benefits- USAA membership, discount Disney tickets, free admission to some parks/attractions, government rate on travel, hotels, etc (sometimes cheaper). Access to commissary/BX which is occasionally a good deal, access to Armed Forces Vacation Club, MWR resorts (like the Hale Koa in Hawaii) and Space A travel (hard to use but awesome when you do)
Editing this to add: GI Bill. It is now transferrable to family members so you can pass it to a spouse or child/ren if you don't use it.
Uniforms: Just kidding, they are awful
I understand getting and transferring jobs is much easier for corps members than civil service- the process is a lot quicker and less involved.
Generally speaking you can look at Navy information to find out regulatory things about the Corps. The Corps website is currently down (due to a security issue) but normally if you google "CCMIS" you can find a lot of regulations and other information about the Corps requirements.
Potential down sides: Yearly physical fitness tests (I consider this a plus, helps me stay in shape), weight limits, health requirements and lots of health paperwork, additional personnel requirements (evaluations, separate personnel system from CDC, etc), deployment (I consider this a plus), possible lower future earning potential than civil service
In my opinion it is a good choice, especially for someone considering staying with the federal government for a career. You do have to understand that for all of those benefits you are on the hook for deployment, potential assignments you don't want (rare), potential extra work with no overtime pay o compensation, and other things that make it a uniformed service and not just a job.
Last edited:
Thank you EIShope for the info! That is really helpful.
Can you tell me more about deployment? What types of activities are Commissioned Corp EIS officers call for? I have a veterinary license and am nearly finished with my molecular virology degree. The idea of deployment to use my skills in disease outbreaks or at refugee camps, etc. makes sense. I have two young children (4 and 7), and worry about being away for long periods of time. Are there time limits on deployment? Thanks again for the info!
Can you tell me more about deployment? What types of activities are Commissioned Corp EIS officers call for? I have a veterinary license and am nearly finished with my molecular virology degree. The idea of deployment to use my skills in disease outbreaks or at refugee camps, etc. makes sense. I have two young children (4 and 7), and worry about being away for long periods of time. Are there time limits on deployment? Thanks again for the info!
The deployments for commissioned corps are typically very short- like 1-2 weeks. During the Ebola response there were some longer ones, as much as 60 days. I don't think the Corps calls EIS officers for anything in particular (I have heard that EIS officers actually won't get general commissioned corps deployments during the EIS time but I don't know if that's true) but in general the Corps responds to natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, public health problems like the unaccompanied minor situation a couple of years ago, and outbreaks of disease. There are also situations where Corps health teams are present at events where a health response might be needed (the inauguration for instance). You could be called for deployment based on your skill set (a serious outbreak of viral illness in farm animals causing illness in humans? I don't know if that's possible, that's your job
) or based on category requirements (lots of pet issues after Katrina so vets were needed or I know in the military vets do a lot of food safety type inspections) or more general things like if lots of personnel were needed to canvass an area or set up a response center where specific skills didn't matter. Deployments are not optional but typically it seems like the member has the option of volunteering and people are not generally forced on deployment. It is also up to your supervisor to clear you to leave your usual job. Of course being in EIS means you are willing to participate in responses as well so you have to be open to it either way but I am not sure as far as length. I have heard that you have a lot of control over which responses you participate in for EIS.Thank you EIShope
I was actually in vet school in Baton Rouge when Katrina hit New Orleans - and volunteered at a disaster shelter for evacuees' pets. That experience, being able to serve in a time of need, has been influential in my career path trajectory!
I was actually in vet school in Baton Rouge when Katrina hit New Orleans - and volunteered at a disaster shelter for evacuees' pets. That experience, being able to serve in a time of need, has been influential in my career path trajectory!
Thank you EIShope
I was actually in vet school in Baton Rouge when Katrina hit New Orleans - and volunteered at a disaster shelter for evacuees' pets. That experience, being able to serve in a time of need, has been influential in my career path trajectory!
I'm obviously not a vet but from what I have read and been told Katrina was a major turning point in how pets are handled in disaster response because they strongly influence whether or not people will leave and how they will act. Sounds like a really wonderful change and good that came from Katrina, and you are a part of it
That's fantastic! Congratulations!
I think I'm going to throw up
Off to sit by my phone!- Joined
- Sep 28, 2016
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 5
Ahh I regret seeing this. Now I'm going to ramp up my stress lol. Did they mention the timeline for all notifications? Hoping there's more next week :/
srm227 said they just met Wednesday and in past years it seems to have taken a few days to finish the calls. Given that yesterday was a paid holiday, I am sure the rest of the calls will be made early this week. I too am stressed, its just bad timing with the holiday/weekend. Hang in there, we will all find out next week I am sure. Best of luck to all!
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2016
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 5
No phone call or rejection letter. Just a stress ulcer.
Received an e-mail as well. Best of luck to everyone else!
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2016
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 5
Just got a waitlist e-mail...
Just got a waitlist email as well, best of luck to everyone else! Here's hoping we get in off the waitlist!
Lurker coming out of shadows here
also on wait list, didn't get a confirmation back when I sent form in eitherLurker coming out of shadows here
Ok, cool. Makes me feel better, I get paranoid that emails don't go through with important things like this.
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2016
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 5
Same, no response to mine either. Wondering if anyone has insight on total # of people waitlisted? Or if that is known from previous years. The e-mail made it seem pretty gloomy but I'd love to know our realistic odds.
No clue how many they wait list. Given that they usually admit ~80 officers, they probably wouldn't have a huge wait list, I can't image that many people turn them down. But then again who knows, just have to keep our fingers crossed and be patient. Best of luck to the both of you!
I was also waitlisted. I heard that somewhere around 65 applicants were admitted. I have no idea how many were waitlisted or if the lower numbers bode well for those on the waitlist.
Well, if they take ~80 people then maybe ~15 people will still get off the waitlist, which is better than I thought. Of course, this is all wild speculation but it still feels good to chat about!
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2016
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 5
Wondering for anyone that was accepted, what was the date you had to indicate pre match responses by? Thanks!
Nothing yet. If you look at the threads from past years it seems that people hear from the waitlist in January.
Hi everyone! I've found this forum really helpful during the application and interview process but have never contributed until now. I think the individuals not on the waitlist had until yesterday, December 13, 2016 to decide if they were going to pre-match. I was previously on the waitlist and received a call offering me a place in the class last night! There is still a chance for all of you waiting (patiently) - good luck to you and happy holidays!!
Wow congrats! Thank you for sharing the update with us -- fingers crossed for all!
