Recorded presentation

Pia DM MacDonald, PhD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology/NC Center for Public Health Preparedness, UNC School of Public Health, CB 8165, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8165 and Jennifer Horney, MPH, North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, CB #8165 - 400 Roberson, Chape HIll, NC 27599, 919-843-5566, jen.horney@unc.edu.

Background: In January 2003, the North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness (NCCPHP) initiated an outbreak response team in the University of North Carolina School of Public Health (UNC-SPH) called Team Epi-Aid. Students volunteer to assist the North Carolina Division of Public Health and local health departments with outbreak investigations and other short-term projects. This provides state and local health departments with workforce surge capacity and students with an opportunity to gain practical public health experience.

Methods: Students are recruited by mass emails and flyers posted throughout UNC-SPH. Orientations are held at the beginning of each semester. Training is offered via online training modules and prior to specific assignments. The response is organized and supervised by staff at the NCCPHP.

Results: 103 students from every department at UNC-SPH have joined Team Epi-Aid and 73 students have contributed 1,600 hours of service. Examples of response that students have participated in include smallpox vaccination adverse events surveillance, investigation of an HIV cluster among college students in North Carolina, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) investigation and response, public health response to Hurricane Isabel, and an investigation of a multi-state outbreak of restaurant associated Hepatitis A infections. Moreover, this initiative has expanded to include medical students interested in infectious diseases and public health as well as School of Pharmacy students.

Conclusions: Team Epi-Aid provides students with integrated learning opportunities and service learning experiences and can pique their interest in pursuing a career in applied public health at the state and local level.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant (learner) will be able to

• discuss the characteristics of the Team Epi-Aid academic-pratice partnership,
• plan how to start a Team, and
• articulate the benefits of this joint partnership to the academic and practice communities.

Keywords: Public Health Education, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation