2020 PHAP (CDC's Public Health Associate Program)

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phap_knowles

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First post.
Is anyone else on planning to apply for the 2020 PHAP cycle? If anyone has gone through the application process, any advice is welcomed.
 
phap_knowles said:
First post.
Is anyone else on planning to apply for the 2020 PHAP cycle? If anyone has gone through the application process, any advice is welcomed.
Click to expand...

Thanks for making this thread! I just submitted my application for the 2020 PHAP cycle. This will be my second time applying to the program. I made it to the interview round in 2017 but ultimately did not get the position. I will be graduating with my MPH in spring 2020.
 
Hello,

I applied last year and did not hear anything until the last minute that I did not get in. I just submitted my application again, lets see if I get in this time?
 
Hey everyone. Do we have to fax and upload the school verification form?
 
Hi, everyone. I applied yesterday and this is my first time applying as I just got my degree a couple of weeks ago. And USAjobs did not post until afternoon and I called CDC twice to inquire LOL. Good luck to all who are applying!
 
Daydreamer2020 said:
Hey everyone. Do we have to fax and upload the school verification form?
Click to expand...

I believe the school verification form is only if you are currently in school and will be graduating by July 2020!
 
Hi all, thank you for creating this form. For previous applicants, do you recommend using the resume builder or attaching your personal resume? For those applying as graduating seniors, what is the Vacancy ID # that is required for the school verification form? I have found one attached to previous year's forums, but cannot find it on USAJOBs or CDC PHAP website.

Thank you!
 
tsorhgse6 said:
Hi all, thank you for creating this form. For previous applicants, do you recommend using the resume builder or attaching your personal resume? For those applying as graduating seniors, what is the Vacancy ID # that is required for the school verification form? I have found one attached to previous year's forums, but cannot find it on USAJOBs or CDC PHAP website.

Thank you!
Click to expand...
I put the announcement number located on the right hand side of the posting as the Vacancy ID #
 
Does anyone know if it's recommended to include a cover letter? I haven't read anywhere about that. thanks!!
 
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birb112233 said:
Does anyone know if it's recommended to include a cover letter? I haven't read anywhere about that. thanks!!
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I haven’t heard if it’s recommended either! But if they’re doing a personal statement round I feel that it’s not necessary.
 
Hello, I'm currently in the process of applying. Does anyone know how to submit the assessment questionnaire? There's a link in the job posting but it's view only. Is the questionnaire the online application that comes after submitting the application to USAJobs or is it a separate document that we need to attach? Thanks!
 
allisonch said:
Hello, I'm currently in the process of applying. Does anyone know how to submit the assessment questionnaire? There's a link in the job posting but it's view only. Is the questionnaire the online application that comes after submitting the application to USAJobs or is it a separate document that we need to attach? Thanks!
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The questionnaire is the second part of the application. So once you've submitted your documents on USAJobs it'll take you to the questionnaire portion.
 
I'm currently on the agency website in the documents section. It also asks for the school enrollment form, which I've already faxed to the CDC directly. Do I still have to upload a copy of this document online on top of faxing it?
 
Hello Everyone,

I have applied as well. Good Luck to you all.
 
Hi everyone! I just submitted my application. I read from previous years' threads about being able to select certain region(s)/state(s) as preferred locations, but I didn't see that option in the application. Am I mistaken or will that preference be offered later in the application process?
 
MC2MD said:
Hi everyone! I just submitted my application. I read from previous years' threads about being able to select certain region(s)/state(s) as preferred locations, but I didn't see that option in the application. Am I mistaken or will that preference be offered later in the application process?
Click to expand...

You WILL get the opportunity to state your preferred locations, if chosen. If I remember correctly, it will be part of the second round of the application cycle, where you will also be asked to submit a personal statement.

That being said, you should also be aware that not everyone gets sent to one of the states that they chose as their preferred locations. In the end, the CDC will match associates to organizations that applied for a PHAP associate primarily based on the needs of those organizations. They will take associate preference for location into account as best they can, but ultimately it has to, by necessity, be a secondary concern for them.

So that means that if you want to be part of this program, you have to be flexible. You should certainly hope that you get into the location of your choice, but you need to be prepared for the event that you might be sent somewhere you were not anticipating.

But you should also consider that being sent somewhere you might not have otherwise wanted to live can also be an opportunity for a wonderful and unique public health experience you otherwise would never have had. Again, being flexible, and open to new opportunities, is key to surviving in this program.
 
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Hi everyone! Prospective 2020 CDC PHAP here. Just submitted my application and found this forum for some support during this long process. Hoping we can all go through this together!
 
ronathan said:
Hey guys!

Current PHAP Associate from the 2019 class here. If you guys have any questions about the application process, or the program itself, let me know and I'll try to answer as best as I can.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Hello! Thank you for offering to answer our questions. Could you share a little bit about how you alleviated the stress and anxiety through this process? I just submitted my application and I'm already feeling overwhelmed due to the long wait in between now and the decision to move onto the next round.
 
PublicHealthGuru said:
Hello! Thank you for offering to answer our questions. Could you share a little bit about how you alleviated the stress and anxiety through this process? I just submitted my application and I'm already feeling overwhelmed due to the long wait in between now and the decision to move onto the next round.
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Believe me, I know exactly how you feel. If it helps to alleviate your stress at all, one thing you can do is try and prepare for the next round. You can write a first draft of your personal statement (I can't tell you specifically what the question(s) will be, but it will probably be something along the lines of "why are you interested in PHAP/public health, why do you think you'd make a good associate, and why do you want to work for the CDC?"). You can also save time for yourself by starting to collect your documents that you'll need. If you make it all the way through the application process, you will eventually need a copy of all of your transcripts sent (so get in touch with your school(s) registrar offices NOW), and photo copies of your driver's license, passport, and SS card. Better to get those things now than to scramble at the last minute trying to collect them. Remember that if you do make it to the next round, there will only be a short window of time for you to submit the paperwork/documents that they ask for in order to progress to the next round after that.

Other than that, the best I can suggest is to just keep going on with your life. Do what you do on a daily basis, and don't worry about this application stuff until you hear back from them. There really is nothing you can do to make the process go any faster, and once you submit your application, there is nothing you can do to change the outcome. So there is no point in worrying about it. Whatever will happen will happen. I'm sorry if that sounds pedantic, but it really is true. So take a breath, do what you like to do to relax in your free time, and hopefully good news will come when you finally do hear back from them!
 
Hello everyone, first time posting and thank you all for starting this post.
Second time applying. Last year, I made it all the way to the interview round and never heard anything back.

Please, question to anyone who will be graduating with their Masters degree or already obtain one. Do we have to submit any verification form?
Last year when I applied, I had to because and I'm thinking maybe it's because I was in undergrad but I'm now in my first year of grad school thinking I don't have to. I will also try to call them to see if I can get the answer from them.

UPDATE:
So when I called, I was told since I won't graduate till May 2021 with my MPH, I will have to use my Bachelor's Degree to apply and I also have to make sure that I write my school name and the year I graduated with my BS

For those asking about the ID/Vacancy ID, on the Verification Form the person I spoke to stated to use the last four of the job posting number which will be "10697906". In case anyone still need the Verification Form, here's the link - https://www.cdc.gov/jobs/pdfs/Pathways-Program-School-Verification-Form.pdf

Good luck everyone!
 
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ericanouve1 said:
Hello everyone, first time posting and thank you all for starting this post.
Second time applying. Last year, I made it all the way to the interview round and never heard anything back.

Please, question to anyone who will be graduating with their Masters degree or already obtain one. Do we have to submit any verification form?
Last year when I applied, I had to because and I'm thinking maybe it's because I was in undergrad but I'm now in my first year of grad school thinking I don't have to. I will also try to call them to see if I can get the answer from them.
Click to expand...

Hi Erica,

I completed my Master's degree in 2018. As part of the application requirements, I provided transcripts (unofficial/official) to support conferred status.
 
ronathan said:
Believe me, I know exactly how you feel. If it helps to alleviate your stress at all, one thing you can do is try and prepare for the next round. You can write a first draft of your personal statement (I can't tell you specifically what the question(s) will be, but it will probably be something along the lines of "why are you interested in PHAP/public health, why do you think you'd make a good associate, and why do you want to work for the CDC?"). You can also save time for yourself by starting to collect your documents that you'll need. If you make it all the way through the application process, you will eventually need a copy of all of your transcripts sent (so get in touch with your school(s) registrar offices NOW), and photo copies of your driver's license, passport, and SS card. Better to get those things now than to scramble at the last minute trying to collect them. Remember that if you do make it to the next round, there will only be a short window of time for you to submit the paperwork/documents that they ask for in order to progress to the next round after that.

Other than that, the best I can suggest is to just keep going on with your life. Do what you do on a daily basis, and don't worry about this application stuff until you hear back from them. There really is nothing you can do to make the process go any faster, and once you submit your application, there is nothing you can do to change the outcome. So there is no point in worrying about it. Whatever will happen will happen. I'm sorry if that sounds pedantic, but it really is true. So take a breath, do what you like to do to relax in your free time, and hopefully good news will come when you finally do hear back from them!
Click to expand...
Thank you! That really helps. Question though, do we need a passport? I don't currently have one, but I have a driver's license and SS
 
PublicHealthGuru said:
Thank you! That really helps. Question though, do we need a passport? I don't currently have one, but I have a driver's license and SS
Click to expand...

I'm sorry to tell you, the answer is most likely "yes". You're actually going to need a passport at several different times.

For the initial application process, you will need a form of government-issued identification (with photo), that not only verifies your ID but also the fact that you're a US citizen. There is a list of items that they'll accept which satisfy those requirements, and the passport is the easiest one to obtain out of all of those (although, off the top of my head, I think they also accept US military ID if you happen to be currently enlisted or a vet).

Plus, if you get accepted to the program, you're going to need to bring out the passport AGAIN when you go through the background check to get fingerprinted.

Finally, if you do get into PHAP, there is always the possibility that you could get deployed overseas (if you choose to volunteer for that) due to a special circumstance or emergency. They are currently sending some second years in the program to various airports for screening of the Wuhan coronavirus. Of course, you'll need a passport to take advantage of those opportunities, if they arise.

So, yeah, I know it's a drag (not to mention expensive), but you are going to need one.
 
Kaiser_1 said:
Hi Guys!
Current 2019 PHAP here. I work in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology.

Let me know if you have any questions and best of luck!
Click to expand...
What does your day to day work day look like? And where are you located, and was it your top choice? Thanks!
 
ronathan said:
I'm sorry to tell you, the answer is most likely "yes". You're actually going to need a passport at several different times.

For the initial application process, you will need a form of government-issued identification (with photo), that not only verifies your ID but also the fact that you're a US citizen. There is a list of items that they'll accept which satisfy those requirements, and the passport is the easiest one to obtain out of all of those (although, off the top of my head, I think they also accept US military ID if you happen to be currently enlisted or a vet).

Plus, if you get accepted to the program, you're going to need to bring out the passport AGAIN when you go through the background check to get fingerprinted.

Finally, if you do get into PHAP, there is always the possibility that you could get deployed overseas (if you choose to volunteer for that) due to a special circumstance or emergency. They are currently sending some second years in the program to various airports for screening of the Wuhan coronavirus. Of course, you'll need a passport to take advantage of those opportunities, if they arise.

So, yeah, I know it's a drag (not to mention expensive), but you are going to need one.
Click to expand...
Thank you! That's very helpful and this gives me (and possibly others) enough time to get a passport before April, if we're selected.
 
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Good luck to everyone who applied and thank you to all of those who gave advice! Also I just noticed they extended the deadline to 1/31...Did they maybe not reach a certain amount of applicants this year? Either way, time to sit back and let the application process do its thing.
 
I also submitted my application. Good luck to you all! FYI: The deadline is now Friday the 31st.
 
Davon1028 said:
Hi Erica,

I completed my Master's degree in 2018. As part of the application requirements, I provided transcripts (unofficial/official) to support conferred status.
Click to expand...
Hi Devon,
Oh OK, awesome, thank you!
 
Kaiser_1 said:
Hi Guys!
Current 2019 PHAP here. I work in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology.

Let me know if you have any questions and best of luck!
Click to expand...
ronathan said:
I'm sorry to tell you, the answer is most likely "yes". You're actually going to need a passport at several different times.

For the initial application process, you will need a form of government-issued identification (with photo), that not only verifies your ID but also the fact that you're a US citizen. There is a list of items that they'll accept which satisfy those requirements, and the passport is the easiest one to obtain out of all of those (although, off the top of my head, I think they also accept US military ID if you happen to be currently enlisted or a vet).

Plus, if you get accepted to the program, you're going to need to bring out the passport AGAIN when you go through the background check to get fingerprinted.

Finally, if you do get into PHAP, there is always the possibility that you could get deployed overseas (if you choose to volunteer for that) due to a special circumstance or emergency. They are currently sending some second years in the program to various airports for screening of the Wuhan coronavirus. Of course, you'll need a passport to take advantage of those opportunities, if they arise.

So, yeah, I know it's a drag (not to mention expensive), but you are going to need one.
Click to expand...

That's awesome that second year associates get this lifetime opportunity to work on the front lines of this outbreak.
 
Hello everyone!

I just submitted my application as well. Now waiting for the next steps....
 
Not to discourage anyone but based on last year's process, the next step was sent out to those who qualify for the next round around March/April which is the writing portion of the application and we were given 4 days to write and submit it by midnight if I remember correctly. Remember to double check the time since some people maybe CT. 🙂

As we all wait on this process, let's not forget to pay attention to our junk email as well and as we get closer to October/November, we have to be attentive to both phone calls and emails (based on last year's and the year before that forum).

As someone mentioned, it's best you go about your day/life and in fact, if you want to continue to apply for other jobs, feel free because the process is super long, stressful and in case you don't get in, you will wish that you focused on other things. 🙂
 
birb112233 said:
What does your day to day work day look like? And where are you located, and was it your top choice? Thanks!
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I am located in CT and I work on various projects from vaping, creating databases (as well as data entry/collection) to and for various types of investigations. My day to day work really depends on the day and what the priority is for the team. Currently, I'm working on the coronavirus outbreak (e.g taking calls and providing information/guidelines to practitioners and answering any questions from the general public, etc).

Also, yes. Infectious Disease and Epi was my first choice (I was very fortunate to get it)!
 
The deadline was extended to the 31st at midnight (as mentioned before) ! I asked a public health career advisor if using their resume builder was the better option given the extension, and she said this is the preference for any federal agency. I updated mine as I originally had my own resume, so I'm hoping everyone can see this to do the same before tomorrow at midnight!
 
Hi, I'm another 2019 PHAP currently stationed in Oregon working on community health within a Tribal community. Let me know if you have any questions!

To answer a few things from earlier in this thread:
- I both faxed and uploaded my school verification form because I never did find out if you needed to do both or just one
- Using their resume builder tool is something I definitely recommend over using your own resume
- You aren't required to have a passport, but it will certainly make your life easier as you go through the application process (and hopefully your time in the PHAP program)
- You don't need a cover letter because if you make it to the next round you'll submit a personal statement through eFMS
- You'll also get the opportunity to pick preferred places you hope to work in the eFMS portal and they'll ask during your interview which area of public health you'd like to work in based off of a list and if you would want to work in rural areas or with Tribal communities (There is no guarantee you'll get your preferences. I was matched perfectly with mine, but some other people weren't)

This is going to be a very long, very frustrating process. It'll be months between application rounds and then you'll have a very short period of time to submit whatever they need from you for that round and the wait will start all over again. Sometimes people in HR will answer your questions and sometimes they won't. When they call you with your offer if you get accepted you'll pretty much need to answer right then and there if you're going to take the position offered. Then there will be a lot more headaches trying to go through the orientation process and preparing for your move before you ever get to your first day of work.

If this is really what you want it will be worth it. I'm getting exactly the experiences I was hoping to have in this program and feel that the work I'm doing is setting me up really well for the career I want, but if you aren't sure if this is right for you or that you'll have the patience for the lengthy process I highly recommend also applying for other fellowships and jobs. Last year, a few people who either didn't get into the PHAP program or decided at the last minute that it wasn't right for them found other positions that were a much better fit for them because they kept applying to things.

Best of luck to all of you!
 
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Hi everyone! I have some questions about the fellowship, but the CDC's page isn't exactly super detailed.. So I guess this would be for past PHAP'ers! Do you know when the typical start date is? Also, is the fellowship a full 2 years to the date, or is it slightly more / slightly less? Or can this vary at all? Thanks in advance very much!! 🙂
 
parkiepark said:
Hi everyone! I have some questions about the fellowship, but the CDC's page isn't exactly super detailed.. So I guess this would be for past PHAP'ers! Do you know when the typical start date is? Also, is the fellowship a full 2 years to the date, or is it slightly more / slightly less? Or can this vary at all? Thanks in advance very much!! 🙂
Click to expand...

The typical start date for the program is in early to mid-October. For the 2019 cohort, our start date was October 15.

The answer to your second question is a little bit more complicated. Yes, the program is officially two years from the start date. BUT. . . that really only matters for those who finish the program and decide that they want to continue working for CDC (or another federal agency), and (more importantly) have applied and been accepted for a position (which is not guaranteed). Those individuals would then officially convert to their new, full-time position as of the two-year date that they began PHAP.

But there are plenty of people who finish PHAP and go on to do other things. For example, many PHAPers finish the program and decide to go back to graduate or medical school. Others get hired for full-time positions outside of the CDC. You will have successfully completed the PHAP program once you 1) finish your project, meaning you've accomplished all the goals set out in the project proposal, 2) have attended all the required meetings in Atlanta, and 3) met all the PHAP training requirements (don't worry about these, you'll find out more about what these are if you get accepted). Anyone who meets these requirements will have "graduated" from PHAP, and the fact is you'll probably finish all 3 by the spring/early summer before your 2-year anniversary.

Also note that some people choose to leave the PHAP program before even finishing it. Some people decide it's not really for them, others get into school early or get a job offer while in the program. The point is that if you do get in and accept the position, no one is forcing you to stay in PHAP for a full 2 years if a different or better opportunity comes along for you in the meantime.
 
ronathan said:
The typical start date for the program is in early to mid-October. For the 2019 cohort, our start date was October 15.

The answer to your second question is a little bit more complicated. Yes, the program is officially two years from the start date. BUT. . . that really only matters for those who finish the program and decide that they want to continue working for CDC (or another federal agency), and (more importantly) have applied and been accepted for a position (which is not guaranteed). Those individuals would then officially convert to their new, full-time position as of the two-year date that they began PHAP.

But there are plenty of people who finish PHAP and go on to do other things. For example, many PHAPers finish the program and decide to go back to graduate or medical school. Others get hired for full-time positions outside of the CDC. You will have successfully completed the PHAP program once you 1) finish your project, meaning you've accomplished all the goals set out in the project proposal, 2) have attended all the required meetings in Atlanta, and 3) met all the PHAP training requirements (don't worry about these, you'll find out more about what these are if you get accepted). Anyone who meets these requirements will have "graduated" from PHAP, and the fact is you'll probably finish all 3 by the spring/early summer before your 2-year anniversary.

Also note that some people choose to leave the PHAP program before even finishing it. Some people decide it's not really for them, others get into school early or get a job offer while in the program. The point is that if you do get in and accept the position, no one is forcing you to stay in PHAP for a full 2 years if a different or better opportunity comes along for you in the meantime.
Click to expand...


Thank you so much, this is super helpful!!! Exactly what I needed to know. Thank you! 🙂
 
Hi all! 2019 PHAP here as well. I know how stressful the application process can be. Happy to help answer any questions I can!
 
I know the application process for the PHAP program is quite long, and you don't find out until mid-june through august. As a senior graduating in May, I don't want to bank anything on the hopes that I will for sure make it into the program and am currently job hunting.

However, I was wondering for a few of the people who are currently PHAP associates, I were to receive a job offer and then later find out that I had made it into the PHAP program, how worth it do you think it would be to decline that initial job offer to do PHAP? In your experience, do many people move from PHAP to working for the CDC or other federal agency in a more permanent capacity? How difficult is it?
 
phap2020applicant said:
I know the application process for the PHAP program is quite long, and you don't find out until mid-june through august. As a senior graduating in May, I don't want to bank anything on the hopes that I will for sure make it into the program and am currently job hunting.

However, I was wondering for a few of the people who are currently PHAP associates, I were to receive a job offer and then later find out that I had made it into the PHAP program, how worth it do you think it would be to decline that initial job offer to do PHAP? In your experience, do many people move from PHAP to working for the CDC or other federal agency in a more permanent capacity? How difficult is it?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that is really a question that any of us can truthfully answer for you. It's something you would have to decide for yourself. I'm guessing that it would depend on the particulars of the job that you'd accept, like salary, benefits, promotion potential, how much it excites you, etc.

What I can tell you is that even though no one in PHAP is guaranteed a position in the CDC (or any other agency) after completion, we are all at least given the opportunity to apply towards the middle to end of the second year (it's a long process). We were told during orientation that, although it varies between class years, something like 50% of PHAP graduates take a job either with CDC, or some other federal agency, or some state or local public health agency. You can find the breakdown here:

Life After PHAP | CDC

Learn where associates take their careers after PHAP.
www.cdc.gov www.cdc.gov
 
Hi all, question for those who have applied (or know past applicants who've been selected). Did any of you apply and your graduation date was just beyond the 2 year requirement? I graduated in December 2017 and applied for PHAP in January -- so almost 2 years and 1 month. Not sure this will automatically disqualify me. I emailed PHAP and their reply didn't really help clarify, but totally understand if the 2 year requirement is a hard and fast rule.
 
Hi all! I just received two emails regarding PHAP. One saying I am "tentatively eligible for this series/grade combination based on your self-rating of your qualifications." Another saying I "have not been referred to the hiring manager for position." Has anyone else gotten these also? Does this mean I am not moving on to the next round? Thank you!
 
MC2MD said:
Hi all! I just received two emails regarding PHAP. One saying I am "tentatively eligible for this series/grade combination based on your self-rating of your qualifications." Another saying I "have not been referred to the hiring manager for position." Has anyone else gotten these also? Does this mean I am not moving on to the next round? Thank you!
Click to expand...
I received that as well. I called and was told that first a computer system determines if you’re eligible then a person determines that. Therefore you have not been moved to the next round.
 
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