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Current Fellowship Mentors

Resources and information to support mentors currently hosting a fellow though the Public Health Laboratory Science Fellowship Programs: An APHL-CDC Initiative.

Questions?

Contact the Fellowship team:  [email protected]

What You Need to Know

Your Fellowship Journey

Welcome, Mentor

Thank you for your commitment to the Career Pathways in Laboratory Science Fellowship Program! We appreciate your dedication to APHL and to the Fellows. Your contribution defines the program and contributes to their leadership and professional development in more ways than one. In the dropdowns below, you can find resources that may be beneficial​ during your time as a mentor. As always, the fellowship team is here to provide assistance when you need it. 

New Mentors

Information and resources for new mentors.

Mentor Orientation

Here is the link to the Mentor Orientation. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions. 

Fellowship Program Handbook

Fellows are given access to a Fellowship Program Handbook at the start of their Fellowship. Please refer to the current version for questions related to program procedures and policies. If you cannot find an answer to your question, please contact us. 

Download Handbook

Reports and Forms

Plan of Action

Upon arrival at the Host Laboratory, you and your fellow will work to develop a Plan of Action.​ The purpose of the Plan of Action is to provide a written understanding between you and your fellow. APHL expects it to serve as a guideline and agreement about the expectations and opportunities of the fellowship experience. The Plan of Action is also a tool for you, the mentor, and APHL to monitor progress during the fellowship. You will use the template provided (found in APHL Submission Portal, in the resources box to the right) and upload a copy signed by you and your fellow. Due Date: 30 Days from your Fellow's Start Date

Quarterly Report

The quarterly report will be used to review the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship journey. These reports help the fellow, mentor, APHL and CDC identify opportunities that fellows have during each quarter of the fellowship, as well as objectives that fellows have been able to achieve and are still working towards. Completion of quarterly reports is required by both the fellow and mentor. Links are emailed directly fellows and mentors, respectively.  Due Date: Every 90 days based on the fellows' individual fellowship timeline

Procedures

As part of the fellowship, fellows are assigned a required APHL Fellowship Training Plan that they must complete prior to the end of their fellowship year. Throughout the didactic learning of the Training Plan, fellows are encouraged to extend and deepen their understanding by meeting with their mentors to have conversation and share questions. A demo version of the Fellowship Training Plan-Year 1 is available for mentors to review so mentors have access to all required and optional learning activities that fellows are assigned.

With the goal of the fellowship being to prepare professionals for a career in public health laboratory science, the foundation of the APHL Fellowship Training Plan is a competency-based core curriculum. Completion of the APHL Training Plan is expected of each fellow (regardless of level of experience or fellowship track) to ensure a strong foundation in relevant competencies and to ensure consistency across fellowship experiences.

The Year 1 Training Plan features diverse training resources intended to help fellows develop well-rounded knowledge of public health, laboratory safety and other topics. This APHL Fellowship Training Plan will provide fellows with a foundation in public health laboratory science and practice using the Competency Guidelines for Public Health Laboratory Professionals as an organizing principle. Fellows will track their progress and completion of required and optional training.

Mentors should support the fellow's participation in the APHL Fellowship Training Plan during established working hours and should be available to discuss training plan topics and learning activities. 

The APHL Fellowship Training Plan is in addition to the specific training that mentors will provide as it relates to the fellowship project, host site training requirements, and on-the-job developmental activities.

Mentors can access the demo version of the Fellowship Training Plan-Year 1 via these steps: 

  1. Navigate to the APHL Learning Center 
  2. Click the “Sign In to APHL Learning Center”
  3. Mentors will be directed to the MC Trade single sign-on page where mentors will enter their APHL account login credentials
  4. Once logged in, the demo Fellowship Training Plan will appear under the “My Courses and Learning Plans” section
  • Mentors will be able to view all required and optional learning activities that fellows are assigned 

Host laboratories (mentors) can apply to receive a reimbursement per fellow each fellowship term (first year and extension) for supplies and other consumables related to the hosted fellow’s project work. ​

As of October 28, 2025, project supply funds are currently limited to a maximum of $10,000 per fellow, per term. However, project supply funds are contingent upon funding sources and availability, which may differ and fluctuate per fellow.

If an extension is granted, and the extension is for less than one year, the amount of reimbursable​ funds will be prorated depending on the extension length. Please contact [email protected] for prorated amounts.


Please keep in mind, the reimbursable funds are meant to defray the cost of supplies and consumables associated with the hosted fellow’s project work, and may not necessarily cover the entire cost of all supplies and consumables. ​


The Fellowship Project Supply Funding process consists of​ two parts: a request and a reimbursement. 

Please read the information below about the request and reimbursement process before proceeding with a request submission.

Steps of the Fellowship Project Supply Funding process:

  1. Mentor submits a request form to provide a total estimate of cost and list of supplies intended to be purchased.
  2. APHL reviews the request form and notifies submitting mentor of approval or denial.
  3. If approved, the mentor will proceed with purchasing the supplies listed in the request form.
  4. Once ALL listed supplies have been purchased by the mentor (using their own funds), the mentor will submit a final submission form for a one-time reimbursement for that fellowship term.
    • ​One final submission form per fellow each fellowship term
  5. APHL reviews the final submission form and generates an expense report to issue the laboratory the reimbursement.
  6. Mentor reviews the expense report and signs off if all information is correct.
  7. APHL uses the signed expense report to issue the reimbursement to the account/laboratory listed on the expense report. 

When submitting a request form:

  • Mentors may only submit one request form per fellow each fellowship term (first year and extension).
  • If a mentor has more than one fellow, a request form must be submitted for each fellow.
  • A new request form must be submitted for each fellow, each fellowship term (first year and extension).
  • A request form must be submitted prior to the purchase of any supplies.
  • If the request is approved, mentors must save the approval email as the email contains a link to the final submission form needed to initiate reimbursement.​​​​
  • If the mentor’s laboratory is not established in APHL's accounting system, the mentor will need to submit a Preferred Payment Method form with the request form.
    • For convenience, the Preferred Payment Method form, and a guide to completing the form, are embedded in the request form​​​​​
  • If a change to the original approved request form is needed, the mentor will resubmit a request form and will select "No, I would like to submit a revised request to modify a previous request” for the question, “Is this a new application?” 

**Please note the following: 

  • No single item may cost more than $4,999.
  • Equipment purchases will not be approved.
    • ​Examples of equipment include large, long-term items that usually require a service contract and annual inspections, such as biosafety cabinets, freezers/refrigerators, PCR instruments, and industrial centrifuges. If you are unsure whether an item qualifies as “Equipment,” contact [email protected].​
  • Requests need to be submitted within the first six months of a fellow's term (first year and extension).
  • A new request form, and associated final submission form, must be submitted for each fellow, each fellowship term (first year and extension).
  • An approved request, and its associated final submission form, must be submitted in the same fellowship term​.
    • If this is not adhered to, then the reimbursement will be applied to the term in which the fellow is currently active
  • The fellow must be active in the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program before a request form can be submitted. ​
  • Final submission forms need to be submitted while the fellow is still active in the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program.
  • An itemized list of the purchased items and their prices must be included in the final submission form. 
  • Mentors will be required to complete and sign an attestation form when submitting the final submission form to confirm the items were used for the fellow's project. The attestation form will b​e provided.​
  • APHL cannot assist in procuring any supplies. The Fellowship Project Supply Funding is strictly a​ reimbursement process. 
  • If the mentor’s laboratory has special circumstances or restrictions with processing reimbursements (e.g., purchase order) please contact [email protected].
  • Receipts or invoices may be included in the final submission form but are not mandatory. 
  • Federal government laboratories (e.g., CDC laboratories) are not eligible for the Fellowship Project Supply Funding.​

Communications and Communities

Connect

  • ColLABorate
    APHL's ColLABorate Communities provide an opportunity to connect with other working the same field or with similar areas of interest.
  • ColLABorate - Mentors-APHL Fellowship
    This forum is a space to share relevant mentoring support resources, mentor training opportunities, to ask questions, share best practices, contact additional mentors, and create an engaging community for all current APHL mentors to collaborate and network.

Social Media

We would love to know if any of you or your fellows would like to share some successes of your fellowship or be featured on social media. You can make a big impact! 

You can also use #APHLFellowship and feel free to include the location of your lab, program, track, future plans and projects.
 

Share Your Social Media Info

  • Share about and highlight your fellow(s) by filling out this form.
  • Call for Photos: We are eager for photos and video representing your Career Pathways experience! We are asking for photos and/or videos of Public Health Laboratory Fellowship and Internship participants as well as mentors on the job. That could be in the laboratory working hard or outside enjoying the company of your colleagues. APHL will use some of the pictures for promotional materials and social media. Any photos that represent your experience are welcome! Upload the files directly using this Dropbox link. You can find some photo guidelines and tips and the authorization form here.
  •  Drop your links here! 

 

Follow APHL on social to connect with the wider public health lab community:

Other Resources

Here are some helpful resources to help guide and support you as a mentor:

​​The Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program proudly hosts a webinar series that is open to current public health laboratory fellows and interns, prospective participants and anyone with an interest in careers in public health laboratory science. 

These webinars feature presentations from a panel of current fellows and interns, alumni fellows and interns and public health industry professionals. The webinar series is divided into the following topics:

  • Project Presentation: current public health laboratory fellows and interns share information about their projects and experiences within their designated program area of focus.​
  • Alumni Presentation: alumni public health laboratory fellows and interns highlight how the program has guided them in shaping their career paths and preparing for their current roles.
  • Career Development: public health industry professionals offer insight and strategies for developing essential skills for future careers. 
  • Application Overview: public health industry professionals provide information on materials needed to successfully submit an application to the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program.

To view previously recorded webinars, follow these steps:

  1. In order to access the APHL Learning Center (ALC), you will need to create a free APHL account ​(if you do not already have one) in order to access the webinars and view the recording. Viewers who already have access to the ALC can proceed to the next step.
  2. Click on a provided link below to view the recording of that specific webinar. 
  3. ‘Sign In’ with your APHL login credentials using the ‘Sign In’ button in the top right of the screen.
  4. Click ‘Enroll’ and then click ‘Start Learning Now.’

Disclaimer: the recorded webinars will only be available in the APHL Learning Center (ALC) for one year after the live webinar date.

Questions or Concerns

  • Anonymous Feedback
    Feel free to share any feedback you might have regarding the fellowship program using the anonymous form​. We appreciate you taking this time to share with us!