2024 China CDC Field Epidemiology Training Program Conference and National Instructor Training Workshop

On June 12-13, 2024, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) hosted the 2024 Field Epidemiology Training Program Conference and National Faculty Development Workshop in Urumqi. The event gathered approximately 280 participants, including Liu Qing, Deputy Director of the Disease Control and Prevention Division at the National Center for Disease Control; Li Rui, Second Inspector and Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Health and Health Commission, as well as a member of the CDC Party Group; leadership from CDCs across all provinces, autonomous regions, direct-controlled municipalities, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; department heads, mentor representatives, national faculty representatives, teachers from the China Field Epidemiology Training Program (CFETP), and local instructors from Xinjiang and the Corps. The opening ceremony was presided over by Ma Huilai, Vice Director of the Epidemiology Office of China CDC and Director of CFETP.

During his keynote, Deputy Director Liu Qing emphasized the need to enhance comprehensive management, faculty development, and capability building within the field epidemiology training programs. Vice Director Ma Huilai provided an update on the progress of the national field epidemiology training initiatives. Liu Huihui and Zhang Lijie, both Deputy Directors of CFETP, presented the findings from a baseline survey of the current field epidemiology workforce and shared an analysis of the national field epidemiology skills competition finals.

 

The session also included presentations from the CDCs of Xinjiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Hebei, sharing insights and experiences from their regional field epidemiology training programs. Additionally, there was a collaborative discussion among all provinces on the progress, challenges, and recommendations regarding the implementation of field epidemiology training programs since 2021, including a focused session to review and suggest amendments to the training standards for frontline field epidemiology personnel.

The training workshop adopted an integrated teaching model that emphasized both the systematic impartation of theoretical knowledge and the enhancement of participants' interactivity and practical skills through case studies. This approach tightly integrated theory with practice, addressing outbreak investigations, analysis of monitoring data, data quality assurance, as well as the development and on-site presentation of investigation reports, summaries, and slides. The sessions highlighted teaching principles, key procedures, and essential points of attention, culminating in group discussions and summary presentations.

 

In his closing remarks, Vice Director Ma Huilai highlighted the China Field Epidemiology Training Program (CFETP) as a crucial initiative for developing professional talent in field epidemiology and boosting public health emergency response capabilities. He reiterated the commitment to the directives and requirements set forth by the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the China CDC regarding field epidemiology training. Consistently providing provincial support with faculty resources and technical guidance, he affirmed the program's strong contribution to the high-quality development of the disease control efforts.