Training the next generation of emergency response leaders

CSTE LEAD: Leading Epidemiologists, Advancing Data

Today’s epidemiologists must be able to assert themselves in time of disasters, cutting through deterrents and using their science background to provide reliable information to the public through the media, medical care providers and political leaders.

CSTE will develop a platform to train and epidemiologists with leadership potential to provide them opportunities for an intensive training experience, additional mentorship, exposure to advocacy and public policy, and partnership across states, disciplines, and outside organizations.

Our objective is to provide training for high-functioning epidemiologists in areas they are not usually exposed to — major, fast-moving situations such a new strain influenza pandemics, responses to newly introduced emerging diseases such as COVID-19, West Nile Virus, Hantavirus, Ebola, wildfires, flooding or hurricanes in Haiti and Puerto Rico where large numbers of epidemiologists are needed to protect the population. While business schools train for crisis management, epidemiologists do not typically have this background. Epidemiology leaders need to develop these skills so they can effectively work with the public, news media, community health care providers, medical equipment and supplies vendors, laboratory scientists and political leaders.