For Immediate Release

September 22, 2021

The PIHOA Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program is Now Accepting Applicants

Application Deadline: October 8, 2021 Quick Links: Application Informational Sheet PPHFP Website

The Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program (PPHFP) is a two-year educational program that provides promising career-minded individuals with robust and practical hands-on learning and training in a variety of public health career pathways. The program offers a wide array of opportunities to learn from and work directly with highly experienced and seasoned frontline public health professionals in a health department/ministry/agency setting and aims to provide meaningful experiences and development of skills and competencies that will ensure a successful future career in public health. The program is specifically designed to prepare new college graduates and early career professionals to meet emerging and future public health challenges in the Pacific, and to expose individuals to innovations in public health practice and health advocacy, leadership, and policy.

The PPHFP is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands’ (USAPIs) departments/ministries of health, the Pacific Island Health Officers’ Association (PIHOA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The USAPIs include the U.S. Pacific Island Territories of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), and American Samoa; and the U.S. Freely-Associated States (FAS) of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau.

Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program Testimonials Real-World Experience for Emerging Pacific Island Public Health Leaders

“The opportunity to work on the front line alongside very knowledgeable staff and supervisors has solidified my interest in public health and disease prevention.” Ms. LaDonna Engichy 2020 Pacific Public Health Fellow Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services STD/HIV/Viral Hepatitis Program “This fellowship has helped me understand the local healthcare system and network with others to create long-term solutions on behalf of the entire CNMI community.” Ms. Gizelle Kwon  2020 Pacific Public Health Fellow CNMI Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation - Tinian Health Center Non-Communicable Disease Bureau

Why Become a Fellow? Successful Pacific Public Health Fellows will: Apply foundational knowledge acquired in the classroom to communities in need. Witness the critical work being done in multiple disciplines by public health professionals. Acquire skills and knowledge to enhance public health careers. Network with experienced public health experts in the field. Gain exposure to internationally renowned global health leadership and agencies such as the U.S. CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), the Pacific Community (SPC), and others. Receive support for further professional training. Enhance professional credentials with proven experience.

APPLY TODAY

Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program Host Site Supervisor Testimonials

“We have benefited tremendously from the fellowship program, both in terms of building the region’s cadre of public health professionals and increasing our capacity to fill gaps in areas of need.” Mr. Vince Aquon  Host Site Supervisor - Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services “As a supervisor, I have been delighted with the experience that both we and the Fellow have gained. Gathering and analyzing data that will be used to develop evidence-based policy, systems, and interventions for the island of Tinian is a considerable achievement.” Ms. Amber Lynn Mendiola Host Site Supervisor - Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program CNMI Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation

### About the Pacific Islands Health Officers Association The Pacific Islands Health Officers’ Association (PIHOA) is a non-profit organization that is led by and represents the collective interests of the Ministers, Secretaries, and Directors of Health of the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs). The organization’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of USAPI communities by providing, through consensus, a unified credible voice on health issues of regional significance.  Media Contacts Ms. Billie Hiraishi PIHOA Communications Officer billieh@pihoa.org Dr. Kristine Qureshi PIHOA Regional Human Resources for Health Coordinator krisq@pihoa.org Ms. Bernie Schumann PIHOA Pacific Public Health Fellowship Development Specialist bernies@pihoa.org