Conveners4 Denise Koo, MD, MPH: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Matthew Boulton, MD, MPH: University of Michigan School of Public Health

Chairs Guthrie Birkhead, MD, MPH: New York State Department of Health Kathleen Miner, PhD, MPH, CHES: Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University Competencies for Applied Epidemiologists in Governmental Public Health Agencies: Consultant and Editor Jac Davies, MS, MPH: CSTE Consultant and Editor Applied Epidemiology Competencies

(AECs) Expert Panel Kaye Bender, RN, PhD, FAAN: University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing An introduction to the new standards of practice Roger H. Bernier, PhD, MPH: Centers for Disease Control and for epidemiologists working Prevention Mike Crutcher, MD, MPH: Oklahoma State Department of within the U.S. public health system. Health Richard Dicker, MD, MSc: Centers for Disease Control and AEC Development Prevention In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and James Gale,5 MD, MS: University of Washington Kristine Gebbie,5 DrPH, RN: Columbia University School of Prevention (CDC) and the Council of State and Nursing Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) convened an Gail Hansen, DVM, MPH: Kansas Department of Health and expert panel1 to define the competencies of Environment applied epidemiologists in governmental public Richard S. Hopkins, MD, MSPH: Centers for Disease Control health agencies. and Prevention Sara L. Huston, PhD: North Carolina Divison of Public Health The panel comprised leaders in epidemiology Maureen Lichtveld,5 MD, MPH: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who work in local, state, and federal public Miriam Link-Mullison, MS, RD: Jackson County (IL) Health health agencies and accomplished individuals Department from academia and industry. For more information, visit Kristine Moore,5 MD, MPH: University of Minnesota Hal Morgenstern, PhD: University of Michigan School of Public Goal Health www.cdc.gov/AppliedEpiCompetencies To improve the practice of epidemiology in public www.cste.org/competencies.asp Lloyd Novick, MD, MPH: Onondaga (NY) County Health Department health agencies. Len Paulozzi, MD, MPH: Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention Objectives 5 Arthur Reingold, MD: University of California at Berkeley The panel set forth objectives to create a To receive a printed copy of the toolkit, William M. Sappenfield, MD, MPH: Centers for Disease contact CSTE at Control and Prevention comprehensive list of competencies that Gregory Steele, DrPH, MPH: Indiana University School of • Define the discipline of applied epidemiology Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Medicine and 2872 Woodcock Boulevard, Suite 303 Lou Turner, DrPH, MPH: State Laboratory of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30341-4015 North Carolina • Describe what skills four different levels of Mark E. White, MD: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Phone: 770-458-3811 practicing epidemiologists working in governmental public health agencies should Fax: 770-458-8516 4 Panelist with organizational affiliation at start of process. www.cste.org have to accomplish required tasks. 5 Review panelist.

1 The expert panel members are listed on the back of this brochure. Competency Defined Competency Construct Intended Uses of the AECs Competencies are action-oriented statements that The AECs were built on the competency set Epidemiology Practitioners can use the delineate the essential knowledge, skills, and developed by the Council on Linkages between competencies to assess their current skill level abilities in the performance of work responsibilities.2 Academia and Public Health, with modifications to and define focus areas for additional training. Competencies are describable and observable. reflect the particular needs of epidemiologic Striving to achieve higher competency levels can practice. be used as a career-development plan. Epidemiology and Epidemiologist Defined The AECs are organized into the eight skill domains Employers can use the competencies to create Epidemiology, one of the core sciences of public defined by the Council on Linkages, as follows: career ladders for their epidemiology positions health, is “the study of the distribution and • Assessment and Analysis on an objective basis. Job descriptions can be determinants of health-related states and events • Basic Public Health Sciences aligned with the competencies to objectively in specific populations, and the application of this • Communication evaluate a candidate’s merits in the field. study to control of health problems.”3 • Community Dimensions of Practice Additionally, organizations can use the • Cultural Competency competencies to assess their overall epidemiologic An epidemiologist is a person who investigates the • Financial Planning and Management capacity. occurrence of disease, injury, or other health- • Leadership and Systems Thinking Educators can use the competencies to design related conditions or events in populations to • Policy Development describe the distribution of disease, or risk factors education programs that meet public health for disease, for population-based prevention and Each skill domain comprises one to nine high-level agencies’ needs by mapping the competencies to control. competencies specifically related to applied epidemiology curricula. In addition, critical epidemiology. Subcompetencies and sub- elements of epidemiology practice defined within Public heath epidemiologists who work in local, subcompetencies define each competency to make the competencies can be incorporated into state, and federal health agencies are critical for the expectations of each component clear to the existing coursework. Consequently, epidemiology detecting, controlling, and preventing major user. graduates will possess many of the skills outlined health problems. Epidemiologists elucidate and in the AECs, which will help them quickly Additionally, competencies are organized into four communicate risks and recommend actions to transition into productive members of the public skill levels, called tiers, with language specific to prevent and control an array of serious threats to health workforce. level of experience, knowledge, and job the public’s health. responsibilities expected within each tier. Tiers are National Organizations can use the AECs to The expert panel developed comprehensive organized as follows: further develop the epidemiology workforce. For epidemiology competencies spanning four levels • Tier 1—Entry level or basic example, both the Epidemic Intelligence Service of practitioners’ responsibility, experience, and • Tier 2—Mid-level (EIS) and the CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology skill. An extensive validation process allowed all • Tier 3a—Supervisory Fellowship curricula are being aligned to the levels of epidemiologists and stakeholders to • Tier 3b—Senior scientist AECs, and the Association of Schools of Public provide quantitative and qualitative feedback. Health has developed guidelines for mapping the Thus, the competencies not only reflect an AEC Resources AECs to curricula. evidence-based approach to defining competence Full text of the competency document, additional but also support those whose performance will be background information about the AEC development AEC “Toolkit” Components ascertained and ultimately improved. process, and summaries of competencies by tier are • Competency Skill Assessments available on the websites below. In addition, a • Informational PowerPoint® Presentations “toolkit” is available with resources to help • Sample Position Descriptions 2 Nelson JC, Essien JDK, Loudermilk R, Cohen D. The Public Health Competency Handbook: Optimizing Individual & individuals and organizations incorporate the AECs • Informational Brochure Organization Performance for the Public’s Health. Atlanta, into their practice. • Summary of Training Resources GA: Center for Public Health Practice of the Rollins School • Interactive Introduction to the Competencies

of Public Health; 2002. For more information, visit Lessons learned from implementation of the AECs 3 www.cdc.gov/AppliedEpiCompetencies Last JM. A Dictionary of Epidemiology. 4th ed. New York: will strengthen, and result in future revisions of, the Oxford University Press; 2001:62. www.cste.org/competencies.asp competencies and toolkit.