Overview of the PMF Program


President Carter established the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program in 1977 by Executive Order to attract to the Federal Service outstanding individuals from a wide variety of graduate and academic disciplines who are interested in and committed to a career in federal government. PMFs receive an initial two-year full time excepted service appointment, after which they are eligible for conversion to a permanent Federal government position.

Additional information on the program including details on eligibility and the selection process are available on Office of Personnel Management’s website, http://www.pmf.opm.gov/.

PMFs at CDC

Beginning in 1988, the PMF Program has played an integral part in Agency staffing.To date, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have been successful in recruiting and hiring over 145 very talented individuals who have brought diverse backgrounds to our ranks. PMFs hold many positions throughout CDC and ATSDR in differing program areas such as Reproductive Health, Bioterrorism, Adolescent and School Health, Smoking and Health, Environmental Health, Infectious Diseases, Injury Prevention, Occupational Safety and Health, Global Health, and other interesting and challenging areas. PMFs are also found in many of the staff offices including Financial Management; Human Resources Management; Program, Policy and Evaluation; and the Office of Communication. While the majority of PMFs at CDC are located in Atlanta, we do have current and former PMFs in other locations around the country including Maryland, Connecticut, West Virginia, Washington, DC, and Colorado and around the world including Kenya. The CDC encourages career development for PMFs and many PMFs have already achieved management positions within the CDC and the Federal government.

CDC PMF Activities

There are a variety of both formal and informal opportunities in which CDC PMFs can participate. CDC PMFs are encouraged to take advantage of the training opportunities afforded through the auspices of the PMF program, CDC Corporate University, as well as professional conferences. PMFs meet monthly to share resources, experiences, and plan future events and are voluntarily active through three committees:

  • The Professional Development Committee focuses on creating opportunities for PMFs to develop leadership skills and build their careers. A typical activity planned by the Professional Development Committee is a monthly brown bag lunch with an invited guest speaker.
  • The Social Committee organizes events outside the office to promote networking and social support opportunities. For example, PMIs frequently meet up for lunch and at after-work get-togethers to share their experiences with fellow PMFs.
  • The Improving PMF Committee helps new PMFs find their way at CDC during their initial months at CDC by organizing an agency-specific Orientation and continually work to improve the overall program and its stature within CDC.

    In addition to participating in general PMF events, each class of PMIs has their own Career Development Group, which typically includes CDC PMFs and PMFs from other executive agency field locations throughout the southeastern United States. The importance of both structured and informal interactions is recognized as an integral component of the PMF experience, and CDC is continuing to develop and enhance such opportunities.