Practicum Student Communicable Disease

Practicum Student - Communicable Disease

Location: Toronto-661 University

Department: Communicable Disease

This posting is to fill a current vacancy.

The successful candidate for our 2026 summer student practicum will provide surveillance and epidemiologic support working with a diverse team of public health professionals. PHO has been monitoring elevated invasive group A streptococcal disease activity in Ontario since 2022. All age groups were affected although the increases in pediatric iGAS cases were notable along with a concerning increase in fatal pediatric iGAS cases. This placement will be hosted by the Communicable Diseases (CD) Unit within the Communicable Disease Control department and the successful candidate will conduct descriptive as well as exploratory analyses of invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) disease among pediatric cases. The student will also have the opportunity to work with CD staff as they conduct routine surveillance and reporting as well as respond to requests from public health practitioners and decision-makers from all levels of government.
The successful candidate for our 2026 summer student practicum will be involved in the following activities:
Analyzing data from the provincial integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) using statistical methods to describe and analyze trends among pediatric iGAS cases in a manuscript.
Working as part of a multidisciplinary project team with the opportunity to learn more about the scope of public health activities related to the surveillance of communicable diseases at the provincial level.

Suggested placement start and end date: May to August 2026

Please note:
This position is only open to students who are currently enrolled in an academic program where the completion of a practicum placement is required.
This position is only open to students currently residing in Ontario and attending a Canadian academic institution. Preference will be given to students enrolled in Ontario-based academic institutions.
This is a paid placement.

Educational objectives:

To gain experience working in a provincial public health agency and learn about communicable disease programs in Ontario specifically iGAS.

Develop proficiency analyzing infectious diseases data using SAS/R and interpreting these data

Develop skills in communicating scientific information through abstract and report/manuscript writing presentations and working in collaboration with key stakeholders.

Proposed deliverables at the end of the placement:

Written manuscript of findings for publication to peer-reviewed journal.

Abstract submission to The Ontario Public Health Convention (TOPHC).

Presentation to team describing methods and findings and public health relevance.

SAS/R code for data cleaning and analysis.

Required education and experience:

Currently enrolled in a Masters degree program with a focus on epidemiology.

Strong written and verbal communication and collaboration skills.

Experience managing and analyzing datasets in R or similar statistical package is an asset.

Duration: Student (Fixed Term) 3 month(s)

Hours of Work: Full time 36.25 hours per week

Compensation Group: Individual Contributor

Compensation Range: $700.00 - $725.00

Posting Date:

Closing Date:

Please note: applications will be received no later than 11:59pm on the date preceding the closing date as indicated on the Job Requisition.

Note: Internal candidates will be considered first.

While we thank all applicants for their interest only those selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be contacted. Any information obtained during the course of recruitment will be used for employment recruitment purposes only and not for any other purpose.

PHO is committed to ensuring equity in employment. Our goal is to create a diverse inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to ensure our services and communications are accessible to all individuals. Any candidate who requires a job posting in an alternative format may email a request to Once an applicant has been selected for an interview they can inform PHO about any accommodations they may require at any stage of the interview process.