FETP Country Programs

We aim to enhance the scope and capacity of FETPs in the areas of communicable and non-communicable diseases, public health in emergencies, health security, disease surveillance, and use of data for decision-making, and more
Egypt Field Epidemiology Training Program (E-FETP) Iraq Field Epidemiology Training Program (I-FETP) Jordan Field Epidemiology Training Program (J-FETP) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) Morocco Field Epidemiology Training Program – Epidémiologie en Santé Publique (FETP/ESP) Pakistan Field Epidemiology Laboratory Training Program (P-FELTP) Yemen Field Epidemiology Training Program (Y-FETP)

About Country Programs

The Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) is a two year training program in applied epidemiology, modeled after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program, Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) in the United States. The purpose of the FETP is to increase the epidemiologic capacity of a country’s public health workforce in order to detect and respond to health threats and develop internal expertise in area of field epidemiology. FETPs’ curricula aim to improve public health systems and develop professional skills to ensure the country meets the surveillance and response requirements.  The programs are established within Ministries of Health and may access technical assistance from the CDC.

The model of the FETP is “learning by doing” through which a selected group of public health professionals, titled “residents”, participate in a combination of classroom instruction and field work. FETP curricula can be individualized to fit the needs of the country, but the common goal of each program is to improve surveillance systems, outbreak investigations, disease response, and data reporting. Upon graduation of the program, the residents are skilled in applied epidemiology and highly qualified for government level public health positions. There are more than 400 FETP graduates in the region, most of who work as government officials and many have obtained leadership positions within their national health systems.

There are currently 8 FETP country programs in the EMR. EMPHNET has helped to launch and establish several of the existing programs, and provides ongoing technical and programmatic assistance.  We assist in the planning and implementation of FETP training activities, and engage FETP residents and graduates in national and regional trainings. In an effort to enhance the capacity of FETPs, EMPHNET conducts targeted trainings such as rapid response trainings or scientific writing workshops for program residents and graduates. Additionally, EMPHNET supports the travel and participation of residents and graduates in regional and international workshops and conferences, promotes mentorship among graduates and residents, supports FETPs in conducting national studies and developing protocols, and facilitates knowledge and information sharing among all programs.

We employ our technical expertise and regional experience to enhance the capacity of FETPs, and engage in partnership and support from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide effective and sustainable support to our FETPs.