Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s International Experience and Technical Assistance (IETA) Program: An innovative approach to enhancing workforce capacity in global health

Providing ongoing opportunities for continuing education and skills development remains the cornerstone for a well trained and qualified public health workforce. The International Experience and Technical Assistance (IETA) program at CDC offers qualified Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) public health professionals an innovative opportunity to apply their scientific, technical and program management skills in an international public health setting while learning what it takes to work successfully in an international assignment. Anecdotal evidence suggests that IETA has been successful in preparing professionals to work in overseas positions. Since its inception in 1996, the program has built a cadre of over 200 public health professionals qualified to work overseas. All HHS employees with their supervisor's approval are eligible to apply to this program; 20% of the placements are reserved for non-CDC HHS employees to ensure a well represented workforce from across the full agency. This poster will describe the evolution, structure and content of IETA while highlighting factors contributing to its success. A 2009 program participant's experiences in working overseas with the CDC Thailand Global AIDS Program will be presented to demonstrate how the program helped build her own capacity and that of the host nation to address health priorities. Similarities and differences between domestic duties and overseas experience will be discussed along with lessons learned, skills gained and future plans for working internationally. The IETA program model has potential application in other public health settings where there is a need to build internal workforce capacity in global health.