The Residency Program in Epidemiology, Mexico’s Field Epidemiology Training Program, has been operating since 1994, and is currently only admitting medical doctors. It has a duration of three years with a theoretical-practical approach of the epidemiological work in the country, and it also includes courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, management, administration of health services, hospital epidemiology, and event-based surveillance.  

During this time, trainees participate in field activities in different areas, such as disaster intervention, outbreak response, epidemiological surveillance of massive events, and supervision of the various epidemiological surveillance systems, amongst others. As part of the training, it is required to participate and collaborate in various activities of the national surveillance system where they get to know the operation of each surveillance system and subsystem. The residents also collaborate and work with the different states and jurisdictions as well as working at the local level. As part of their rotations in national institutions, they rotate in general and high specialty hospitals and in the Epidemic Intelligence Unit, which is a national and international focal point. During their training, they are also required to participate in meetings and congresses of epidemiological and public health interest.