California Public Health Corps (CA-PHC) Training and Pathways Program

About the California Public Health Corps (CA-PHC) Training and Pathways Program

The COVID-19 pandemic clearly illustrated the need for a well-trained and versatile public health workforce across California. The California Public Health Corps (CA-PHC) Training and Pathways Program builds capacity to respond to public health emergencies, such as COVID-19, by training and providing a workforce pathway for early-career public health professionals from all areas and communities across the state. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH)—in partnership with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)—are dedicated to supporting the next generation of public health professionals through the CA-PHC Program.

The mission of the California Public Health Corps (CA-PHC) Training and Pathways Program is to:

• Create a workforce pathway for early-career public health professionals from diverse backgrounds and disproportionately affected communities to conduct communicable disease prevention and control, community engagement and emergency response activities at LHJ Host Sites; and

• Ensure a well-trained public health workforce across California that can effectively and efficiently respond to public health issues to ensure the health and safety of the population

CA-PHC Fellows are entry-level public health professionals who conduct communicable disease prevention and control, community engagement, and emergency response activities at the individual and community level. After an initial three-week intensive training from the California Virtual Training Academy (VTA), CA-PHC members will be placed in Local Health Jurisdiction (LHJ) Host Sites for two years. Throughout their assignment, Fellows will receive ongoing mentoring and support from CDPH, the VTA, and their LHJ Host Sites to ensure they are successful in their role.

Fellow Application and Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria (must meet at least ONE of the following)

• High school diploma AND at least four years of any work experience
• Associate's Degree AND at least two years of any work experience
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalence

Preferred Qualifications

• At least six months of full-time work experience in a public or private agency providing communicable disease control (e.g., case investigation/contact tracing for COVID-19, TB, STD or other diseases); OR
• At least one year of full-time work experience in a public or private organization providing health and human service activities (e.g., community or global health, maternal and child health, health education, clinical support, environmental health, health policy, social and behavioral health, or another related program).
• Fluency in Spanish and/or another language besides English

Fellow Projects

The CA-PHC inaugural cohort launched in August of 2021 with 45 Fellows. To learn more about the accomplishments of the Pathways fellows check out our May 2022 Monthly Update here. 

Current Openings

There are no current openings for the California Public Health Corps Program.

California Public Health Corps (CA-PHC) Partners

California Department of Public Health

UCLA Fielding School of Public Health

UCSF Pandemic Initiative for Equity and Action

Contact Information

LHJ Host Sites, please contact Pathways@cdph.ca.gov

Fellow applicants, please contact Caphcpathways@ph.ucla.edu