2017 PHAP (Public Health Associate Program)

[alh601]

If anyone here knows someone who is stationed in New Orleans please let me know because I found potential housing and we might can split it down the middle for like $525 a month with the utilities. I saw in the last 2 years there have been 3-4 placed there.

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[cherrero]

I just got an email today offering me a position in Flagstaff, AZ. If anyone knows anything about the area or also has an offer there, please let me know.

 

[smac526]

Hi All, first time poster. Received my call a couple hours ago, placed in Richmond, VA. This was my first choice. Currently living in Massachusetts but went to school in Virginia. Good luck to everyone!

@katbm17 I'm a 2016 PHAP in RVA. Feel free to send me a message if you want to chat!

 

[smac526]

Just received my phone call. I am from Jackson, MS and being placed in New Orleans, LA!! Im super excited so now I can breathe! If anyone else is placed in New Orleans, let's connect!

I'm not placed in New Orleans, but I'm originally from there and my parents still live in the city. Feel free to message if you want to hear a native's perspective on neighborhoods, etc. I've also seen some friends posting they are looking for new roommates, if you're interested in living in the city and not the suburbs (which would be my preference, although I know several current PHAPs there who live outside the city and commute in).

 

[Braves411]

It seems like calls have slowed or almost stopped this week...However I noticed some applicants have received emails and no call. Does anyone know if the program had any budget cuts and cant fill all the normal number of positions?

BTW, I live in Atlanta so if anyone has any questions about locations, price, things to do....let me know!

Maybe next week those of us who have not received an offer yet will finally get one. Sending out positive vibes to all

 

[Cricket1616]

It seems like calls have slowed or almost stopped this week...However I noticed some applicants have received emails and no call. Does anyone know if the program had any budget cuts and cant fill all the normal number of positions?

BTW, I live in Atlanta so if anyone has any questions about locations, price, things to do....let me know!

Maybe next week those of us who have not received an offer yet will finally get one. Sending out positive vibes to all

I believe the program did have some budget cuts because last year's class had 200+ PHAPers and this years class was told we would have 180 positions available while we were in the interview phase. And now we've been hearing that they're only accepting 150 applicants this year.. Which sucks but.

 

[prf2017]

The CDC PHAP website says "Associates begin their host site assignments in early October and attend the 2017 PHAP Orientation in October at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia" so it shouldn't overlap with the November conference. However I'm not sure how time off works for PHAP or if you would even be able to attend the conference. This might depend on your host site and the projects you are working on for them.

I am a current 2016 PHAP. The training for your cohort will take place the week of October 16. You will leave from your host site that Sunday and return that Friday

 

[prf2017]

Are we paid biweekly or monthly?

Biweekly

 

[prf2017]

Hello Everyone!

I got my call today at 11:06 EST

I am currently living in Atlanta, GA and put the south east as my first preference.

I am placed in Nashville, TN!! I am super excited!

I love Atlanta and plan to return here after the two years. But outside of the ATL Nashville, TN and Asheville, NC are my two favorite cities in the region! SO it is going to be a fun two years!!

Alsooooo, if you are currently in Nashville or get placed there lets connect!

There is a 2016 PHAP in my group located in Nashville. Make sure you are on the 2017 PHAP Cohort Facebook group and I will connect you two through fbook

 

[prf2017]

Hey I have a question for current PHAPs about the october orientation. What is the dress code at these conferences?
I've only had jobs/internships where the dress codes were business casual or casual, so trying to plan ahead if I'll need to go shopping for nicer clothes.

Its business casual. No jeans or gym shoes during the conference but you will want to bring those items for the evenings. They will send a email about it once you start

 

[Phosphene]

I haven't received a call yet, but I'm still hoping an offer will come through for me. I wonder if the calls/emails/offers come in waves and, if so, how many people in the first wave have turned down their offers for other positions.

 

[doctor_student]

Hi! I'm from DC and I was also placed in Los Angeles! Have you started to look into housing???

Great, Congratulations! I have started looking but not sure which location I will be placed, Los Angeles CDC Quarantine or one of several Los Angeles County Public Health Department, so kinda hard to lock down housing. Have you joined the fbook? or started the in processing?

 

[123PHP123]

Any calls and/or emails today??

 

[alh601]

I haven't received a call yet, but I'm still hoping an offer will come through for me. I wonder if the calls/emails/offers come in waves and, if so, how many people in the first wave have turned down their offers for other positions.

Im honestly not sure how the process goes. For everyone who has received a call so far, transcripts and other forms are due August 15th so maybe the next wave will be after that

 

[AtlantaNative]

I am a current 2016 PHAP. The training for your cohort will take place the week of October 16. You will leave from your host site that Sunday and return that Friday

When is the actual start date of our placement? After the orientation or before on Oct 1?

 

[environmentalhopeful]

When is the actual start date of our placement? After the orientation or before on Oct 1?

October 2nd

 

[alh601]

Does anyone know how long the e-QIP process is?

 

[doctor_whom]

Sure has been a while without any new calls or emails... Has anybody contacted PHAP to see if they are finished with assigning placements for this year?

 

[123PHP123]

I called today and the woman who picked up said that they're still accepting people/making calls! She also said that PHAP will let people know if they're not accepted to the program, which I'm not sure is true...

 

[mph777]

I called today and the woman who picked up said that they're still accepting people/making calls! She also said that PHAP will let people know if they're not accepted to the program, which I'm not sure is true...

I have a feeling if that were the case they would have told us we didn't get in already. . .

 

[TDR26]

I called today and the woman who picked up said that they're still accepting people/making calls! She also said that PHAP will let people know if they're not accepted to the program, which I'm not sure is true...

I was told the same thing when I called last week. I also asked if they had a date when they expected the offers to be complete and she said "at this time, no". Previous classes have said there was no notification if you didn't get in, hopefully this is a change that they are making this year!

For those who have received an offer, did your status change on the PHAP application tracking page?

 

[Braves411]

From my understanding, those who received an offer have until Tuesday August 15th to complete and turn in their paperwork. Those who did not accept their offer or did not turn in their paperwork by then will be removed from the list. Then the next phase (remaining spots) will be accumulated and offers will go out accordingly. Also probably easier to send out batches of offers, complete the paper work, then move onto the next batch.

In regards to them letting us know if we did not get in, that will probably happen at the END of the month (since offers go out until end of August). This might be because they do not know how many people will accept the next batch of offers. If there are still spots open, they will move down the list to fill all the positions. Once completely full, those who wont get an offer will know.

This is all my guess from reading this forum EVERY DAY and hoping for an offer. :/

Best of luck to all!!!

 

[SunFlower72]

Hello! I was offered a position and already accepted but I may have to decline due personal reasons. Does anyone know if this will bar me from being accepted if I apply again next year? Or if it will make it less likely? Thank you for any insight!!

 

[TDR26]

Hello! I was offered a position and already accepted but I may have to decline due personal reasons. Does anyone know if this will bar me from being accepted if I apply again next year? Or if it will make it less likely? Thank you for any insight!!

Congratulations on your offer! I hope everything works out for you.

I have read in the threads from previous years that a couple of the associates declined the offer and were still accepted in the next application cycle. This is based solely off observation of previous posts, but it seems that the application process sticks to an unbiased ranking system and past applications would have no bearing when they are selecting associates.

 

[123PHP123]

Any updates??

 

[PHAP2017]

Any updates??

I haven't received any word yet...and it's driving me crazy. I wonder why it takes them so long to get the responses out?

 

[LadyT22]

Any updates??

I just recieved my welcome letter today with details of site placement, trainings, and orientation information. I'll be stationed in Austin, Tx. Anyone else get assigned to that area feel free to reach out! I will be leaving from Nashville, TN. I plan to visit Austin in the very near future.

 

[123PHP123]

I haven't received any word yet...and it's driving me crazy. I wonder why it takes them so long to get the responses out?

Ugh it's driving me crazy too. I wish they were giving us more information.

 

[123PHP123]

I just recieved my welcome letter today with details of site placement, trainings, and orientation information. I'll be stationed in Austin, Tx. Anyone else get assigned to that area feel free to reach out! I will be leaving from Nashville, TN. I plan to visit Austin in the very near future.

Congratulations!!! Happy to hear that they're making calls/sending emails again...it had been a while!

 

[Eisbarchen]

I was told the same thing when I called last week. I also asked if they had a date when they expected the offers to be complete and she said "at this time, no". Previous classes have said there was no notification if you didn't get in, hopefully this is a change that they are making this year!

For those who have received an offer, did your status change on the PHAP application tracking page?

I received an offer and but my status on the PHAP application never changed from "congratulations you've get an interview"

 

[TDR26]

I received an offer and but my status on the PHAP application never changed from "congratulations you've get an interview"

Congratulations on your offer and thanks for the info!

 

[Sjf279]

Still hoping I get a call. My sister said I should call my interviewer and thank them for the opportunity. It was a good experience, I learned a lot about the process and was introduced to this great network. Thank you all

 

[Phosphene]

Any news so far this week? It's still early and I shouldn't jump the gun, but I'm wondering if offers may go out past the end of August if the next wave doesn't start this week. I'm still hoping, and if nothing else this is an excellent exercise in patience.

 

[Sjf279]

No news today, happy sky watching to all of you in the USA- I hope no one is too busy that they miss the awesome chance to see the eclipse.

I am in Tbilisi, George. Last month I went to the CDC office to check on any vacancies. I wanted to know if they were expecting or applying for a PHAP candidate. The people at the office were super friendly. I ended up going to the wrong department, the national CDC, they showed me to the right place after telling me that they would like to see me again. When I got to the correct branch, I found out that the main director was currently in the USA Atlanta office trying to renew their budget -I realize that this situation that we are all in is big. The Tbilisi CDC, at the moment I was there, had no local USA representative, office staff, or researchers. The last USA representative to serve in the Tbilisi CDC was over 18 months ago (Bolkvadze, Tamar CDC admin assistant +995 329 994 4660)

If there are any 2017PHAP applicants that are also interested in working in this office that have additional information, please add.

 

[Phosphene]

I called today and the woman who picked up said that they're still accepting people/making calls! She also said that PHAP will let people know if they're not accepted to the program, which I'm not sure is true...

I called today and the representative said that host sites are still in the process of making selections. She said to keep checking my email, and when I asked her if offers were going to go out past the end of August, I didn't get a clear answer. She did say we would be informed whether or not we got in via email, but I'm not sure PHAP knows when this process is going to be complete.

Maybe the second wave of offers will begin in earnest next week? I'm not sure if "end of August" is the end of the process now, since they started so late.

 

[rae93]

Hi all!

2016 PHAP here - from what I understand, they are not finished making offers. I spoke with my CDC supervisor today, who said she is expecting to get at least 10 more associates assigned to her. Don't lose hope, there are still spots to fill.

 

[123PHP123]

Thanks for the info!! Where is your supervisor located?

Hi all!

2016 PHAP here - from what I understand, they are not finished making offers. I spoke with my CDC supervisor today, who said she is expecting to get at least 10 more associates assigned to her. Don't lose hope, there are still spots to fill.

Tha

Hi all!

2016 PHAP here - from what I understand, they are not finished making offers. I spoke with my CDC supervisor today, who said she is expecting to get at least 10 more associates assigned to her. Don't lose hope, there are still spots to fill.

 

[PHAP2017]

Well, it's awesome to hear we shouldn't be totally discouraged at this point. I can't speak on behalf of everyone here, but I feel it's a little unfair how long this process is taking to get selected or denied (especially considering we're a month out and they're asking some of us to completely move across the country). I've wanted this SO badly, but at this point, it's stressing me out and making me feel like job opportunities in the city I already love are looking pretty good -- which is crazy because as a PH graduate this is an ideal next step.

Currently, I'm interviewing for new jobs and having to take temporary housing because I'm afraid to lock into a lease until I know...it feels like I'm putting my life on hold for a "what if". Just a little bit of venting from my perspective, I'm not sure if anyone else has been put in a weird position waiting for this potential opportunity.

Here's to hoping we all find out this week!

 

[TDR26]

Well, it's awesome to hear we shouldn't be totally discouraged at this point. I can't speak on behalf of everyone here, but I feel it's a little unfair how long this process is taking to get selected or denied (especially considering we're a month out and they're asking some of us to completely move across the country). I've wanted this SO badly, but at this point, it's stressing me out and making me feel like job opportunities in the city I already love are looking pretty good -- which is crazy because as a PH graduate this is an ideal next step.

Currently, I'm interviewing for new jobs and having to take temporary housing because I'm afraid to lock into a lease until I know...it feels like I'm putting my life on hold for a "what if". Just a little bit of venting from my perspective, I'm not sure if anyone else has been put in a weird position waiting for this potential opportunity.

Here's to hoping we all find out this week!

Yes!! I'm in the same boat. My furniture has been in storage for months and I am itching to sign a lease and get back into my own space. I was definitely expecting to have more information at this point. You are not alone!

 

[TDR26]

Hi all!

2016 PHAP here - from what I understand, they are not finished making offers. I spoke with my CDC supervisor today, who said she is expecting to get at least 10 more associates assigned to her. Don't lose hope, there are still spots to fill.

Thank you so much for keeping us in the loop. I really appreciate it!

 

[Phosphene]

Hi all!

2016 PHAP here - from what I understand, they are not finished making offers. I spoke with my CDC supervisor today, who said she is expecting to get at least 10 more associates assigned to her. Don't lose hope, there are still spots to fill.

Thank you for the update!

Does anyone know if the second wave of offers has started in earnest? I haven't heard of new offers going out after August 15 on this forum.

In any case, I really hope we all end up with something we want. This process has been so, so frustrating, and I'm wondering what other options and avenues people involved in this process have looked into.

 

[rae93]

Glad I can help keep everyone updated! I know how frustrating the process is - just a year ago I was in the same boat as many of you. It gets so stressful to put your life on hold and wait for a call that you're not sure is coming. But I can assure you that, if you do get a later offer, it is worth the effort of accepting it (if feasible - because I know a potentially big move can be expensive). This program has been truly an amazing experience so far. But definitely worth noting: PHAP experience is what you make of it! Also worth noting: not all applicants are aware of or use this forum, so it's quite possible that people have received offers in the last couple of weeks.

Thanks for the info!! Where is your supervisor located?

All CDC supervisors for PHAPs are located in Atlanta and work at CDC HQ. Sometimes, each supervisor has associates that are grouped in similar locations in the US, but it isn't a guarantee. For example, this past year my supervisor mostly had associates in Richmond, VA and Colorado, with one associate in NY. This year, she is getting associates that are much more spread out - she told us she has some people in California that have been added, and another new state which I can't remember off the top of my head. So there's no real way of guessing where the rest of her assigned associates will be stationed.

 

[Phosphene]

Glad I can help keep everyone updated! I know how frustrating the process is - just a year ago I was in the same boat as many of you. It gets so stressful to put your life on hold and wait for a call that you're not sure is coming. But I can assure you that, if you do get a later offer, it is worth the effort of accepting it (if feasible - because I know a potentially big move can be expensive). This program has been truly an amazing experience so far. But definitely worth noting: PHAP experience is what you make of it! Also worth noting: not all applicants are aware of or use this forum, so it's quite possible that people have received offers in the last couple of weeks.

Do you know if there's a potential for offers to go out after the end of August? When I called the PHAP office, the woman gave me an unclear answer and then said she didn't know. I wonder what the timeframe for the second wave of offers looks like.

 

[Braves411]

I recently spoke with someone at the CDC and they mentioned that the process is still going on and no matter what, we will get an email or phone call saying if we were or were not selected. Im guessing a phone call if you are selected and an email saying you were not selected. As to the date when we would find out I am not sure. They said "Late August" shown here CDC - Application Process - Become an Associate - PHAP so hopefully by this Friday or next Monday we will all know!

 

[brucew88]

Do PHAPs have to take a drug screening? Wondering because I am currently on some medication for pain that may come up on a screening.

 

[JadeGreen]

2015 PHAP here! Congratulations to all who have been accepted. For those who have not, there are other opportunities similar to PHAP that you can apply for. I skipped to the last page and haven't read the others, so has anyone been offered a position in San Antonio, TX, if so, I'm here to help? Also if any of you have any questions please feel free to ask and perhaps I can help.

 

[Phosphene]

2015 PHAP here! Congratulations to all who have been accepted. For those who have not, there are other opportunities similar to PHAP that you can apply for. I skipped to the last page and haven't read the others, so has anyone been offered a position in San Antonio, TX, if so, I'm here to help? Also if any of you have any questions please feel free to ask and perhaps I can help.

Which similar opportunities to PHAP are you referring to? The closest matches in terms of program type that I've found are the NIH IRTA, maybe the ORISE fellowships, and I'm interested in learning about more.

 

[JadeGreen]

Which similar opportunities to PHAP are you referring to? The closest matches in terms of program type that I've found are the NIH IRTA, maybe the ORISE fellowships, and I'm interested in learning about more.

Hey well first I want to stress something to you all that I'm sure others have by now: PHAP does not guarantee a job with the CDC. The classes have gotten smaller with about 150 being accepted this year. My cohort was over 200 and by December the class had dropped below 200 and that continued because you have to take into consideration that you are going to probably be placed in a city or town you don't want to be in, working in an area of public health you didn't choose or may not even know anything about, and you are making about 30,000 a year. I would not recommend it for anyone who cannot handles those things, has children or married, or dead set on the CDC. This program's biggest cheerleader was former Director Dr Friedan, he is gone now. Our cohort was able to interview and convert to about 25-30 jobs in a resume book that were with the CDC (if you don't know how to network with people from afar you won't even land an interview!). I love PHAP and it worked out well for me, but many don't feel that way. Now that I've taken up alot of space here are some other opportunities to consider: with ORISE offering tax free money and more than PHAP I like it the most:
ORISE

ORAU

APHL Laboratory Fellowship

PHIFP

Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP)|CDC



Masters Degree or Above

Master's Degree Full-Time Fellowship Opportunities | Public Health Fellowships | CDC



Public Health Service Corps

MHA, MPH, DrPH, and other clinical degrees



APHA Public Health Fellowship

Global Health Corps

 

[Billiken16]

I just called the PHAP phone line this morning, and there still aren't any updates. I was told that selections are still being made and that I should continue to check my email and my USA Jobs account. They said that I am still being considered. They also did not give me a deadline when selections will be completed. I am trying to be patient, but I am growing increasingly frustrated with this process that has lasted 8+ months now. I really wish we could get some answers, especially with the program start date just one month away.

 

[mph777]

I just called the PHAP phone line this morning, and there still aren't any updates. I was told that selections are still being made and that I should continue to check my email and my USA Jobs account. They said that I am still being considered. They also did not give me a deadline when selections will be completed. I am trying to be patient, but I am growing increasingly frustrated with this process that has lasted 8+ months now. I really wish we could get some answers, especially with the program start date just one month away.

I got the same response when i called. They did say they are making final selections at this point, and we will get an email response whether we got in or not.