SUPPORTING STATEMENT B Revision #0920-0765

SUPPORTING STATEMENT B

Fellowship Management System (FMS)

OMB Control No. 0920-0765

May 16, 2022

Project Officer:

Dr. Marion W. Carter

Associate Director of Science

Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development (DSEPD)

Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS)

Deputy Director for Public Health Scientific Services (DDPHSS)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

1600 Clifton Road Northeast, Mailstop V24-5

Atlanta, GA 30333

Phone: 404-639-8035

Email: acq0@cdc.gov

Table of Contents

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods

2. Procedures for the Collection of Information

3. Methods to Maximize Response Rates and Deal with Non-response

4. Tests of Procedures or Methods to be Undertaken

5. Individuals Consulted on Statistical Aspects and Individuals Collecting and/or Analyzing Data

List of Attachments

Attachment 1 – Authorizing Legislation Public Health Service Act

Attachment 2 – Published 60-Day Federal Register Notice (FRN)

Attachment 3 – FMS Fellowship Application Information Collection Instrument Tables

Attachment 4 – FMS Host Site Application Information Collection Instrument Tables

Attachment 5 – FMS Activity Tracking Information Collection Instrument Tables

Attachment 6 – FMS Alumni Tracking Information Collection Instrument Tables

Attachment 7 – Research Determination Memorandum

Attachment 8 – Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

The collection of information does not employ statistical methods. The information collected is used for program management.

1. Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods

The Fellowship Management System (FMS) is used to collect information from applicants that is needed to match them with appropriate fellowship opportunities (e.g., skills, interests, and qualifications), as well as information needed for application selection and program administration. Currently, eleven programs use FMS:

1. Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS)

2. Epidemiology Elective Program (EEP)

3. CDC Steven M. Teutsch Prevention Effectiveness (PE) Fellowship

4. Public Health Associate Program (PHAP)

5. Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP)

6. Science Ambassador Fellowship (SAF)

7. Preventive Medicine Residency and Fellowship (PMR/F)

8. Population Health Training in Place Program (PH-TIPP)

9. CDC E-learning Institute (ELI),

10. Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS), and

11. Future Leaders in Infectious and Global health Threats (FLIGHT)

The respondent universe consists of professionals in public health, epidemiology, medicine, economics, information science, veterinary medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public policy, and related professions, and medical, veterinary, and graduate students who apply to these CDC fellowship programs; individuals who provide references for fellowship applicants (e.g., former professors, supervisors, mentors, and deans of academic institutions where the applicant attended school); alumni of the fellowship programs; and employees of public health agencies who will submit host site assignment proposals to and serve as supervisors in the fellowship programs. No sampling methods will be used.

2. Procedures for the Collection of Information

In the currently approved Fellowship Management System (FMS) information collection, applicants (Attachment 3, FMS Application Module) enter all information required to complete an application for a fellowship or training program into the FMS. Once in the FMS, they have the ability to update information if they apply to other fellowships or the same fellowship in subsequent years. Fellowship program staff collect the applications and monitor receipt of applications during each fellowship program’s application cycle; all fellowship cycles occur once per calendar year except for Epidemiology Elective Program, which has a fall and a spring rotation. Applicant references are asked to provide standardized data collection and submit letters of recommendation that speak to the applicants’ academic performance, skills, expertise, and work experience as part of the application module (Attachment 3, FMS Application Module).

In the currently approved FMS information collection, employees of public health agencies (Attachment 4, FMS Host Site Module), enter into FMS all information required to complete a host site assignment proposal to host a fellow only once. They may update their data if they submit assignment proposals to other fellowship programs, or to the same fellowship, in subsequent years. The fellowship programs solicit potential host sites to submit their proposal through the “call for assignment proposals” link published on the CDC fellowship websites. The fellowship programmatic staff collects the assignment proposals and monitors receipt of proposals or descriptions, annually, prior to the beginning of an application cycle for each fellowship program.

The FMS Activity Tracking Module (Attachment 5) gives field supervisors the ability to input fellows’ learning assessments directly into FMS (up to twice yearly). This allows fellowship staff to review and monitor fellows’ learning outcomes and ensure that fellows are achieving program competencies and are on track for fellowship completion and graduation.

In the Alumni Directory (Attachment 6) fellowship alumni are encouraged to update their information any time they wish, which occurs on average every three years. Fellowship alumni associations and fellowship newsletters encourage alumni to participate by sending announcements and reminders that include a link to the alumni directory.

3. Methods to Maximize Response Rates and Deal with Non-response

Response rates for applications are dependent upon interest in applying for a CDC fellowship. Candidates must submit a complete application to be considered for any fellowship program. CDC conducts recruitment activities for all fellowships to encourage applications from a large pool of diverse, suitable candidates.

Response rates for the Host Site Application Module from public health agencies are dependent upon interest in hosting and training a fellow. Respondents representing public health agencies requesting a fellow must submit a complete assignment proposal for the requesting agency to be considered by any fellowship program as a host assignment.

Response rates for the Activity Tracking module are dependent on each fellowship program deciding whether and how to use this module and what expectations they ask of host site supervisors to track fellows’ progress towards completion. A participating fellowship program will remind and encourage host site supervisors to complete the tracking through emails or group meetings.

Participation in the Alumni Directory is voluntary. Fellowship alumni association communications and fellowship newsletters remind and encourage alumni to participate and to keep their information current in the directory. DSEPD programmatic staff monitor the directory several times each year to determine the rate of completion.

4. Tests of Procedures or Methods to be Undertaken

Time burden estimates are based on pilot testing conducted for the previous revision request and subsequent updates from Non-Substantive Change Requests. No new content is added through this revision request. Accordingly, all module content included in this revision request has already been pilot tested.

However, the change in software platform necessitates considerable testing, which is currently underway starting with parts of FMS that are non-PRA applicable (such as fellowship programs exclusively offered to federal staff). Testing of the software platform is undertaken in alignment with best practices for agile software development. Piloting of functionalities across all user groups and purposes will continue alongside system buildout for the next several months.

5. Individuals Consulted on Statistical Aspects and Individuals Collecting and/or Analyzing Data

Staff from each fellowship program collects the information and compiles it for inclusion in program reports documenting fellowship progress and performance; only aggregate data will be reported. Programmatic data from FMS that CDC uses include information on the number and types of applicants and host sites, number of selected and matched candidates and assignments, and characteristics of all respondents. No statistical analysis will be conducted. Any person requesting access to FMS data is required to sign an annual Data Use Agreement. The following list of CDC staff and contractors will be most involved in collecting or analyzing the data from FMS. The list of people who use results from FMS is lengthy and not represented below.

• Gerald Fitch | qtv0@cdc.gov | 404-498-4404

• Ray Buckner | bpk2@cdc.gov | 770-488-1137

• Tonji Durant | tdd4@cdc.gov | 404-533-7381

• Meagan Davis | yly5@cdc.gov | 404-498-6311

• Karen DeVane | oev3@cdc.gov | 404-498-5510

• Doris Harris | htw6@cdc.gov | 404-498-6162

• Torri Johnson | tdn1@cdc.gov | 404-498-0402

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