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ES Development Program
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What Is the ES Development Program?
MAKE A CAREER IN PUBLIC HEALTH
About Us
- What Is the ES Development Program?
- What Successful Candidates Do
- Opportunities after ESDP
- Why Choose ESDP?
What Is the ES Development Program?
Since 2006, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has offered the ES Development Program (ESDP) to recruit and train epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and policy analysts. The purpose of the program is to build PHAC's workforce in these specialized areas. The ESDP is a competency-based training program which permits career advancement for participants and prepares them for public health service at PHAC. With baby boomer employees retiring en masse in the next few years, the need for skilled and competent employees in the above streams is expected to continue to grow at PHAC.
What Successful Candidates Do
Participants in ESDP receive on-the-job training at the PHAC. The nature of the participant’s work varies by stream.
For example, epidemiologist stream participants will gain experience in analyzing complex datasets and implementing and evaluating health surveillance systems. Participants in the policy analyst stream may take part in evaluating data to guide public health program priority setting. Participants in each of the streams will gain experience in preparing and providing public health information to a variety of audiences.
Opportunities after ESDP
Successful ESDP graduates will generally be employed by their ESDP placement at PHAC. However, graduates of the program will have the skills and competencies to work in programs and divisions throughout PHAC, at Health Canada, and in provincial, territorial and even local health departments.
Why Choose ESDP?
New graduates and experienced public health practitioners can benefit by joining ESDP at the Public Health Agency of Canada.
At PHAC, ESDP participants will be part of a team tasked with addressing such complex public health issues as, pandemic influenza preparedness, tracking and controlling antimicrobial resistance, and current obesity trends and their implications for population health.
ESDP promotes interaction with a diverse and dynamic workforce.Participants have the opportunity to work alongside Canada’s leaders in public health, both at the Agency and across the country. Public health practitioners at PHAC come from varying educational backgrounds, including epidemiology, biostatistics, policy analysis, medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, demography, laboratory science, and law. Each of these disciplines work to protect the health of Canadians.
ESDP provides learning through serviceESDP participants can gain satisfaction in knowing that through their on-the-job training at PHAC, they are working to improve and protect the health of the Canadian population.
ESDP permits personal developmentThrough ESDP, participants have opportunities for career growth and personal development. After graduation, participants will be prepared for public health practice at PHAC and in provincial, territorial and local health departments.
For more information, contact phtrain@phac-aspc.gc.ca 
or call toll free: 1-877-430-9995.
