The American Public Health Association has announced the call for applications for the 2019 APHA Public Health Fellowship in Government. This is the 10th year APHA is offering this fellowship, which previous fellows have described as an “amazing,” “phenomenal” and “life altering” experience. The fellowship provides a unique learning opportunity and demonstrates the value and need for basing policy on sound science.

Candidates must have strong public health credentials and be able to spend one year in Washington, D.C. The fellow will have the option of working in the House or Senate on legislative and policy issues such as creating healthy communities, improving health equity, addressing environmental health concerns, population health or the social determinants of health.

Training for the fellowship will begin in January 2019 so you must be able to move to the Washington, D.C., area in January. Throughout the year, the fellow will gain a practical knowledge of government and how the public policy process works. Fellowship candidates must:

1. be an APHA member;
2. have a graduate degree in public health or a related discipline;
3. have at least five years’ experience as a public health professional beyond graduate or medical training (internships, graduate assistantships and residencies do not count);
4. be a citizen of the U.S. or its territories or have permanent residence status in the U.S.; and
5. not be a federal employee.

Candidates who do not meet all of the above criteria will not be considered.

Additional information, including the application form and brief articles from the previous fellows, is available on APHA’s website. The completed application, CV and three letters of recommendation are due no later than 6:00pm ET on September 4, 2018.