238407 Can Team Epi-Aid lead students to careers in Applied Public Health?

Monday, October 31, 2011: 12:47 PM

Jennifer A. Horney, PhD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Meredith K. Davis, MPH , North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Kristen Ricchetti-Masterson , Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel HIll, NC
Pia D.M. MacDonald, PhD, MPH , North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
     
Introduction: In January 2003, the University of North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness (UNC CPHP) at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health (UNC SPH) established Team Epi-Aid, an initiative that matches graduate students with state and local health departments to assist with outbreak investigations and other applied public health projects. A study was designed to assess whether Team Epi-Aid participation impacted post-graduation job choices, particularly by influencing students to work in governmental public health.

Methods: In September 2010, 223 alumni of the program were contacted for a brief online survey and 10 participated in follow-up telephone interviews.

Results: Eighty-three Team Epi-Aid alumni answered the survey (response rate = 37%). Forty-one (49%) reported participating in at least one Team Epi-Aid activity, with 12 / 41 (29%) indicating that participation in Team Epi-Aid influenced their job choice following graduation. In the 6 months prior to enrolling at UNC SPH, 30 (36%) reported employment in public health, with 16 / 30 (53%) employed at a local, state or federal public health agency. In the 6 months following graduation, 34 (41%) reported employment in public health, with 27 (80%) employed in a local, state or federal public health agency.

Conclusions: In 2004, almost 7000 students graduated from accredited schools of public health; most sought jobs outside governmental public health. Experience in applied public health through a group such as Team Epi-Aid may influence job choice for public health graduates.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Explain quantitative and qualitative findings from surveys of Team Epi-Aid alumni. Discuss whether Team Epi-Aid participation impacted post-graduation job choices. Discuss importance of findings in relation to expected worker shortages in governmental public health.

Keywords: Workforce, Public Health Careers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I manage Team Epi Aid and have been a leader of the program for more than 8 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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