2021 PHAP (CDC's Public Health Associate Program)

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
BlueMegoon said:
Have you checked your junk folder? The email can maybe blend in with others
Click to expand...

Yeah I’ve been checking for the past couple days.
Members don't see this ad.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
LPublicHealth said:
Hi all! I am currently a 2020 PHAP. Congrats to everyone who has received the personal statement invite. Do not get discouraged if you have not received one just yet.. they do come in waves!
Click to expand...
hi! are you enjoying your experience in PHAP so far?
 
LPublicHealth said:
Hi all! I am currently a 2020 PHAP. Congrats to everyone who has received the personal statement invite. Do not get discouraged if you have not received one just yet.. they do come in waves!
Click to expand...
Do the PHAP's enter at G5 or G9? Thanks
 
LPublicHealth said:
Hi all! I am currently a 2020 PHAP. Congrats to everyone who has received the personal statement invite. Do not get discouraged if you have not received one just yet.. they do come in waves!
Click to expand...
For the interview portion are selected candidates notified on the EFMS site first or via e-mail? Also, best advice on how to prepare?
 
BlueMegoon said:
hi! are you enjoying your experience in PHAP so far?
Click to expand...
Hi! Yes I am personally enjoying my experience so far. I have had the opportunity to do a lot of hands on projects that will be beneficial for my public health career. I will say that your experience is definitely at the hands of your host site!
 
GradCurious411 said:
For the interview portion are selected candidates notified on the EFMS site first or via e-mail? Also, best advice on how to prepare?
Click to expand...
You're notified via e-mail first. Practice your interview skills by using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). The interview questions are real basic "why should we pick you".. "name a time when" etc.
 
Hi how long did they give you all to send over your materials for the 2nd round? I got an email today that I made it though but I only have until Monday, is that normal?
 
Cap1147 said:
Hi how long did they give you all to send over your materials for the 2nd round? I got an email today that I made it though but I only have until Monday, is that normal?
Click to expand...
interesting, i received a reminder email today that was pretty much the same as the first email. i got my first email last friday the 19th and have until monday the 29th
 
Cap1147 said:
Hi how long did they give you all to send over your materials for the 2nd round? I got an email today that I made it though but I only have until Monday, is that normal?
Click to expand...
I think they just sent the email again because an update was made to one of the sections where it asks for your demographics.
 
Does this initial email come as an update from USAJOBS or is it a notification from some other email?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Does anyone know the difference between "current" and "incomplete" in the education portion? I am a graduating undergraduate, so I do not have a degree yet, but I will graduate in May.

Edit: I selected "current" but I'm wondering if anyone agrees or disagrees with that choice.
 
rma0218 said:
Does anyone know the difference between "current" and "incomplete" in the education portion? I am a graduating undergraduate, so I do not have a degree yet, but I will graduate in May.

Edit: I selected "current" but I'm wondering if anyone agrees or disagrees with that choice.
Click to expand...
I'm also graduating in May and said current!
 
For those that have already submitted their personal statements, etc.: did you all use the word limit? I think I'm overthinking this a little bit too much, but I do not want to give them any fluff and get straight to the point, but I haven't hit the word limit on any of the responses.
 
mjex18 said:
For those that have already submitted their personal statements, etc.: did you all use the word limit? I think I'm overthinking this a little bit too much, but I do not want to give them any fluff and get straight to the point, but I haven't hit the word limit on any of the responses.
Click to expand...
I did not necessarily use the entire word limit for my responses. I told myself not to overthink that either. As long as you answer the question and are comfortable with your responses that's all you can do!
 
GradCurious411 said:
I did not necessarily use the entire word limit for my responses. I told myself not to overthink that either. As long as you answer the question and are comfortable with your responses that's all you can do!
Click to expand...
So true actually! That's good to know I'm not the only one who didn't use the entire limit on my responses! I'm almost finished and about to turn it in 🙂
 
mjex18 said:
For those that have already submitted their personal statements, etc.: did you all use the word limit? I think I'm overthinking this a little bit too much, but I do not want to give them any fluff and get straight to the point, but I haven't hit the word limit on any of the responses.
Click to expand...
I only hit the word limit for one, i think most of mine were about 250 words!
 
Hi everyone,

Hope all is well - thank you for this wonderful resource!

I wanted to reach out to ask if anyone has any advice on the interview process for the PHAP program. Thank you!
 
Chacko32 said:
Hey everyone! I just received an email from [email protected] saying I am eligible and I have been referred to hiring manager. Did anyone else get that email?
Click to expand...
Yes, I received the same email this morning! So I'll be on the lookout for another email to schedule our Zoom interviews, but I don't know for sure what exactly happens next. I didn't make it this far last year so I'm too excited right now!

Congrats to you!
 
I also received the same e-mails as those above. I'm not sure if it pertains to the interview round or not? My PHAP portal still says application under review and USAjobs still says reviewing applications.
 
I got the same emails too! Given how weird and glitchy USAJobs is, I think they're just playing catch up for the personal statement round. I don't think it has anything to do with the interviews, but that's just me not wanting to get hopes up!
 
InBrightestJay said:
I got the same emails too! Given how weird and glitchy USAJobs is, I think they're just playing catch up for the personal statement round. I don't think it has anything to do with the interviews, but that's just me not wanting to get hopes up!
Click to expand...
Same! I got the emails this morning, and I'm sort of thinking about calling the PHAP and seeing what they say about it? I like to keep my expectations low lol
 
GradCurious411 said:
I also received the same e-mails as those above. I'm not sure if it pertains to the interview round or not? My PHAP portal still says application under review and USAjobs still says reviewing applications.
Click to expand...
I also got the same two emails this morning. Hopng this means that we're moving forward to the interview phase!
 
Alright everyone- just got off the phone with them! So, unfortunately, it looks like this is not the actual interview email. It sounds like usajobs is just catching up and glitching, but the lovely rep. on the phone mentioned that we should be getting something within the next 2 weeks if we go on to the next round because they are still currently reviewing applications and have not sent out any official emails about the interviews. So- false alarm 🙁
We continue to wait this out together
 
qtfighter said:
Alright everyone- just got off the phone with them! So, unfortunately, it looks like this is not the actual interview email. It sounds like usajobs is just catching up and glitching, but the lovely rep. on the phone mentioned that we should be getting something within the next 2 weeks if we go on to the next round because they are still currently reviewing applications and have not sent out any official emails about the interviews. So- false alarm 🙁
We continue to wait this out together
Click to expand...
Ah! Thanks for calling, I had my hopes up a little but I am happy hear that we be hearing something within the next weeks. A rough time frame is better than none.
 
qtfighter said:
Alright everyone- just got off the phone with them! So, unfortunately, it looks like this is not the actual interview email. It sounds like usajobs is just catching up and glitching, but the lovely rep. on the phone mentioned that we should be getting something within the next 2 weeks if we go on to the next round because they are still currently reviewing applications and have not sent out any official emails about the interviews. So- false alarm 🙁
We continue to wait this out together
Click to expand...
I had assumed it was a bit too early to already be getting info about interviews! But based on last year everyone should keep an eye out on the PHAP portal where everyone submitted the personal statements and everything else, because the status of "Application Under Review" changes so everyone keep an eye on that as well!
 
qtfighter said:
Alright everyone- just got off the phone with them! So, unfortunately, it looks like this is not the actual interview email. It sounds like usajobs is just catching up and glitching, but the lovely rep. on the phone mentioned that we should be getting something within the next 2 weeks if we go on to the next round because they are still currently reviewing applications and have not sent out any official emails about the interviews. So- false alarm 🙁
We continue to wait this out together
Click to expand...
Thank you for calling!
 
qtfighter said:
Alright everyone- just got off the phone with them! So, unfortunately, it looks like this is not the actual interview email. It sounds like usajobs is just catching up and glitching, but the lovely rep. on the phone mentioned that we should be getting something within the next 2 weeks if we go on to the next round because they are still currently reviewing applications and have not sent out any official emails about the interviews. So- false alarm 🙁
We continue to wait this out together
Click to expand...
Thank you for calling - this is really helpful!
 
qtfighter said:
Alright everyone- just got off the phone with them! So, unfortunately, it looks like this is not the actual interview email. It sounds like usajobs is just catching up and glitching, but the lovely rep. on the phone mentioned that we should be getting something within the next 2 weeks if we go on to the next round because they are still currently reviewing applications and have not sent out any official emails about the interviews. So- false alarm 🙁
We continue to wait this out together
Click to expand...
Thanks for calling and updating us all!
 
th
qtfighter said:
Alright everyone- just got off the phone with them! So, unfortunately, it looks like this is not the actual interview email. It sounds like usajobs is just catching up and glitching, but the lovely rep. on the phone mentioned that we should be getting something within the next 2 weeks if we go on to the next round because they are still currently reviewing applications and have not sent out any official emails about the interviews. So- false alarm 🙁
We continue to wait this out together
Click to expand...
thank you for calling! I got that email too. Hopefully we all get some good news in a couple weeks!
 
Hi everyone,

Wanted to run a quick question by you all. The e-mail provided us with more information on our potential GS scale. The PHAP website says that we will all be hired as a as GS-5, Step 1, entry-level, term-limited CDC employees.

But did anyone else also get a different GS number position?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
mchalexx said:
Hi everyone,

Wanted to run a quick question by you all. The e-mail provided us with more information on our potential GS scale. The PHAP website says that we will all be hired as a as GS-5, Step 1, entry-level, term-limited CDC employees.

But did anyone else also get a different GS number position?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Hello, 2020 PHAP here. If you’re transferring from one federal agency to CDC as a PHAP and are at a higher GS level than PHAP, then you’ll start in the same GS level but a higher step, so they’ll match your pay. Everyone else starts at the entry level GS5 level 1 and the pay depends on location regardless of your degree, eg for those who have a MPH already or will be receiving it prior to starting PHAP.
 
godiva12 said:
Hello, 2020 PHAP here. If you’re transferring from one federal agency to CDC as a PHAP and are at a higher GS level than PHAP, then you’ll start in the same GS level but a higher step, so they’ll match your pay. Everyone else starts at the entry level GS5 level 1 and the pay depends on location regardless of your degree, eg for those who have a MPH already or will be receiving it prior to starting PHAP.
Click to expand...
I think everyone starts at g5, regardless of the academic preparation. I did think the application on USAJOBS said permanent.... What are the chances of staying permanent?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top