About Gilstrap Fellowship

The CDC Foundation, in collaboration with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is offering a one to two year fellowship in honor of Dr. Larry Gilstrap, an international leader in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine. The Gilstrap OBGYN Fellowship is an outstanding opportunity to bridge the clinical practice of obstetrics and gynecology with public health by working with various groups at CDC.  During their time in the fellowship, prior fellows published in an array of journals, including Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, PLOS ONE, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and the Journal of Women’s Health. They also presented their work at conferences and meetings, such as those hosted by the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists, CDC, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, the Federation of International Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Infectious Disease Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, the Society of Family Planning, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, as well as by many state health departments. Fellows have gone on to continue work at CDC and in clinical obstetrics and gynecology.

The Gilstrap OBGYN Fellowship for recent obstetrics/gynecology resident graduates is a full-time position beginning in July 2022 for one year with the possibility to extend to two years depending on the availability of funds. The fellowship will provide training focused on public health surveillance research, clinical guideline development, emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, sexually transmitted infections, and other reproductive health issues with special emphasis on infections during pregnancy. The fellow will be hired by the CDC Foundation and assigned to the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. The fellow will be assigned to the Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) (https://www.cdc.gov/std/dstdp/) and will participate in collaborations with 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). The CDC Foundation offers a competitive salary commensurate with post-graduate training and experience as well as an attractive benefits package. The Gilstrap OBGYN Fellowship does not involve clinical duties; however, fellows can continue to practice clinically outside of their five-day work week fellowship hours.

Responsibilities

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 with a focus 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 related to the prevention of 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) 

It is anticipated that the fellow’s work will result in at least one presentation at a national conference and one publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Qualifications

• Applicants must have a 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.

Application deadline ends June 1, 2022