About AHCJ: General News

AHCJ and CDC launch national health journalism fellowships Date: 11/10/08

Apply by Dec. 29

COLUMBIA, Mo. – AHCJ and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have unveiled a new national fellowship program for journalists. Ten fellows will be chosen to spend a week studying a variety of public health issues at two CDC campuses in Atlanta in early 2009.

The AHCJ-CDC Health Journalism Fellowships will expose the selected journalists to sessions on epidemiology, global disease prevention efforts, pandemic flu preparedness, climate change, vaccine safety, obesity, autism and more. Fellows will tour the CDC director's National Emergency Operations Center, meet new sources on policy and research and learn how to tap the agency's abundant resources to produce better stories.

The competitive fellowships are supported by the CDC Foundation and are open to professional journalists working in the United States. The fellowships include travel, lodging and meals.

"This fellowship will give a small group of working journalists access to some of the nation's top public health officials and scientists," AHCJ Executive Director Len Bruzzese said. "We're happy we were able to work with CDC staff and the CDC Foundation to offer another first-class training opportunity to journalists covering health issues."

The training will take place Feb. 8-13, 2009 at CDC's Atlanta and Chamblee campuses. Fellowship applications can be completed at healthjournalism.org/cdcfellowship and are being accepted until Dec. 29. Earlier applications are encouraged.

The CDC is charged with protecting public health and safety by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries; enhancing health decisions by providing credible information on critical health issues; and promoting healthy living through strong partnerships with local, national and international organizations.

The CDC Foundation is a public charity foundation aimed at improving the health and well being of all people by enhancing the impact of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

AHCJ is a nonprofit membership organization of more than 1,100 journalists interested in health and health care. It conducts training and creates other educational materials through its Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. AHCJ, housed at the Missouri School of Journalism, is celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year.