The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is a volunteer epidemiology agency overseen by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). EIS officers respond to requests for assistance from foreign governments and work on emerging epidemics in the United States. The agency was founded in 1951 and operates internationally, with officers from various healthcare professions. EIS officers participate in training and are committed to two years of service. They work on data collection and analysis in the laboratory and as on-call medical professionals who can be dispatched to a site of concern within hours. EIS officers are often among the corps of people identifying new diseases and developing new methods to deal with the emergence of large epidemics.
The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is an epidemiology agency overseen by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a division within the Department of Health and Human Services. EIS members, known as Officers, travel around the world responding to requests for assistance from foreign governments, and also work on emerging epidemics in the United States. Epidemic Intelligence Service officers are among the most elite members of the epidemiology community and have participated in a variety of activities, from public health initiatives to identifying major outbreaks.
This government agency was founded in 1951. It was originally established in response to concerns about biological warfare potential during the Cold War. Over time, the scope of the organization has expanded, and the modern Epidemic Intelligence Service operates internationally, assisting both friends and foes of the United States upon request. The Officers’ deep experience can make them very useful at the scene of an outbreak, and the agency also has access to highly advanced laboratories and equipment that may be beyond the reach of smaller nations.
The EIS is a volunteer agency. Approximately 300 applications are received each year for 80 positions. Officers come from a range of sectors in the healthcare profession, with vets, doctors, nurses and epidemiologists all working in the EIS. Once accepted, officers participate in training and are committed to two years of service. A stint in the EIS is a significant thing to have on a resume and EIS officers tend to go on to very excellent careers.
Some EIS officials work on data collection and analysis in the laboratory, publishing information on specific public health problems and epidemics. Others work as on-call medical professionals who can be dispatched to a site of concern within hours. Members of the Epidemic Intelligence Service can use military transports to get to the sites of natural disasters and emerging epidemics quickly, carrying a wide variety of equipment, from portable laboratories to information brochures.
“Disease investigators,” as officers of the epidemic intelligence service are sometimes called, participate in the forefront of epidemiological research. They observe outbreaks in the field as they emerge, gathering data and statistics as they determine the origins of the outbreak and how best to treat it. EIS officers are often among the corps of people identifying new diseases and developing new methods to deal with the emergence of large epidemics.
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