CDC Gilstrap Fellowship OB-GYN

The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC’s critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has raised over $1.9 billion and launched more than 1,300 programs impacting a variety of health threats from chronic disease conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancer, to infectious diseases like rotavirus and HIV, to emergency responses, including COVID-19 and Ebola. The CDC Foundation managed hundreds of programs in the United States and in more than 90 countries last year. Visit www.cdcfoundation.org for more information. 

The CDC Foundation, in collaboration with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is offering one or two-year fellowships in honor of Dr. Larry Gilstrap, an international leader in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine. 

•    The Gilstrap OBGYN Fellowship for recent obstetrics/gynecology residency graduates is a full-time position beginning in August for a one-year opportunity with the possibility of an extension for an additional year, pending on performance and interest.  The fellowship will provide training focused on public health surveillance research, clinical guideline development, and building subject matter expertise in emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, sexually transmitted infections, and infections during pregnancy.

•    The fellow will be hired by the CDC Foundation and assigned to the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. The fellow will be hosted by one of three participating divisions: the Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) (https://www.cdc.gov/std/dstdp/), the Division of Reproductive Health (DRH) (https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/index.html), and the Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders (DBDID) (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/aboutus/saving-babies/index.html). Opportunities for cross-collaboration are available. 

•    The CDC Foundation offers a competitive salary commensurate with post-graduate training and experience and an attractive benefits package. The Gilstrap OBGYN Fellowship does not involve clinical duties; however, fellows are eligible and encouraged to participate in clinical activities with external clinical organizations outside their fellowship work hours if desired. 

The Gilstrap OBGYN Fellowship is an outstanding opportunity to bridge obstetrics and gynecology clinical practice with public health action through hands-on training at the CDC.  Gilstrap fellows have published their work in high-impact journals (including Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and the Journal of Women’s Health) and have delivered presentations to clinical and public health audiences during scientific conferences and meetings, including those hosted by the American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists, the Federation of International Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Infectious Disease Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society of Family Planning, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the American College of Nurse-Midwives, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, and CDC.

After the fellowship, graduates have successfully continued their work in public health positions (including at CDC) and clinical practices in obstetrics and gynecology.

The primary goal of this fellowship is to provide a unique public health training experience for physicians clinically trained in obstetrics and gynecology who seek to further their training and expertise in public health surveillance, research, programmatic planning, and clinical guideline development. Upon completion, fellows will have critical skills for future positions in academic obstetrics and gynecology, public health departments, and federal, state, territorial, or local public health agencies focusing on maternal and child health (MCH), STI/HIV prevention, and infectious diseases.  

The scope and nature of the fellow’s projects during their tenure will be determined in consultation with CDC and CDC Foundation colleagues. At least one of the primary projects will involve evaluating data, identifying gaps, and developing recommendations for preventing syphilis in females and congenital syphilis. Other potential projects include: 

•    Secondary analyses of national data sets to assess prevalence and risk factors for STIs among pregnant and postpartum people and females of reproductive age;

•    Analyses of national databases on patterns of hospitalizations for various conditions or health service claims for females of reproductive age and pregnant and postpartum people; and

•    Surveillance, research, and programmatic activities related to the effects of emerging and reemerging infections during pregnancy (e.g., COVID-19, Zika, CMV, malaria). 

The fellow’s work is anticipated to result in at least one presentation at a national conference and one publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

•    Applicants must have an M.D. or D. O. degree, must have completed an obstetrics and gynecology residency within the last five years, and must be Board-eligible or Board-certified through ABOG at the time of employment. 

•    Preference will be shown to applicants with experience in clinical, epidemiologic, behavioral, or health services research, scientific writing, and/or public health.

The Gilstrap Fellowship is anticipated to start annually in August. Applicants are encouraged to apply up to a year and a half before their anticipated cohort start. The final application deadline for each fellowship cohort is March 15th of the same year; however, the application will remain open to accommodate applicants for future years.  When applying, please indicate your anticipated cohort (e.g., August 2023). Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.  Contingent on the funding award to the CDC Foundation for this program, initial fellowship decisions may be available in early spring, and any unfilled positions will continue to be considered on a rolling basis.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law.

We comply with all applicable laws, including E.O. 11246 and the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 governing employment practices, and do not discriminate based on any unlawful criteria in accordance with 41 C.F.R. §§ 60-300.5(a)(12) and 60-741.5(a)(7). As federal government contractors, we take affirmative action on behalf of protected veterans.

The CDC Foundation is a smoke-free environment.

Relocation expenses are not included. 

 About the CDC Foundation

The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between the CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations, and individuals to protect America’s health, safety, and security the world. The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC’s critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has raised over $1 billion and launched more than 1,000 programs impacting a variety of health threats, from chronic disease conditions, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, to infectious diseases like rotavirus and HIV, to emergency responses, including COVID-19 and Ebola. The CDC Foundation managed hundreds of CDC-led programs in the United States and in more than 140 countries last year. Learn more at www.cdcfoundation.org.

The CDC Foundation requires all employees to be fully vaccinated* for COVID-19 as a condition of employment, effective November 22, 2021. All offers of employment after that date are contingent upon proof of full-vaccination status as a part of the pre-employment process.

*Fully vaccinated is defined as follows: At least two weeks have passed since receipt of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine or the second dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech two-dose vaccines.