Graduate Student Internship Program

For Agencies: Internships completed in 2007

Agencies: Host a Summer 2009 Internship - Forms Due by 11-21-08

To get an idea of what type of internship you could offer, this sampling of completed internships in 2007 shows Data Analysis and Monitoring, Needs Assessment, and Program Evaluation.

Data Analysis and Monitoring (9 completed in 2007)

The Arkansas Department of Health intern used Pregnancy Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) to understand the relationship between unintended pregnancies and poor birth outcomes such as low birth weight and preterm delivery. The intern used both descriptive and multivariate analysis. Her research did not find an association between unintended pregnancy and low birth weight. The intern disseminated materials through a news journal article and a newsletter.

The Columbus Public Health Department intern performed a community health assessment of women, infants, and children by looking at insurance and wait time to receive prenatal care appointments for pregnant women, infant mortality, and analyzing data obtained from focus groups and surveys on barriers to care. Wait-time, Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR), and barriers to care survey analyses were conducted.

Mothers Offering Resources and Education (MORE) program uses a lay health worker model, pairing trained Resource Mothers with pregnant women who are at risk for poor health outcomes. The DeKalb County Board of Health intern used the CDC Evaluation Framework to conduct the first formal evaluation of the program. The program evaluation found lower than expected contacts and continuity of care but found it to be successful at targeting and addressing the emotional needs of program participants.

County death certificate records were used by the Duval County Health Department intern to report on leading causes of adolescent deaths in the county from 1996 to 2006. The trend analysis revealed that unintentional injuries—75 percent of which were caused by vehicular crashes—were the leading cause of death among adolescents.

This year, two interns were housed in different departments in Oregon. The first GSIP intern the Oregon Public Health Division, Office of Family Health used PRAMS to look at physical activity in post partum women. Survey data analysis found that self-reported postpartum depression was significantly associated with insufficient physical activity. The aim of the second project had the intern evaluate the relationship between physical activity levels and mental health status among 8th and 11th grade adolescents in Oregon using data from the 2006 Oregon Healthy Teen Survey from 2006. BMI and self-perception of weight were variables evaluated as modifiers of the PA-mental health relationship. Grade and sex were thought to be possible confounders.

The Department of Health in Pennsylvania began a pilot phase on a Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Program in the last several years. The GSIP intern conducted analyses and monitoring of the project looking at referral rates and loss to follow-up rates. Through her analysis, she was able to identify the hospitals that are not correctly identifying the Primary Care Physician.

The Texas Department of State Health Services; Birth Defects Epidemiology & Surveillance/Texas Center for Birth Defects Research & Prevention intern provided analytic support for a study on major birth defects and parental nativity. The intern planned and designed an analytic approach, completed statistical analysis, producing summary tables, and manuscript writing.

There are six divisions in Virginia’s Office of Family Health Services including Women and Infants Health, Child and Adolescent health, Oral Health, Chronic Disease prevention and Control, Injury and Violence prevention and WIC. A centralized “data mart” was created in 2005. For this project, the Virginia Department of Health; Office of Family Health Services intern explored the uses of the new OFHS data mart by performing quality assurance of datasets, examining trends in cesarean birth, extracting Virginia-specific data from a national dataset, and identifying research topics. Specifically, the intern looked at birth outcomes for singleton births of WIC participants and non-WIC Medicaid participants in the state. The student found that pregnant WIC participants experience lower risks for poor birth outcomes than do Medicaid participants not enrolled in WIC

Needs Assessment (4 completed in 2007)

The Iowa Department of Public Health; Maternal and Child Health intern conducted needs assessment of maternal and child health data capacity building. The intern used the MCH Questionnaire to look at quantitative variables such as database linkage, data use and dissemination, and qualitative variables such as the benefits of data linkage, potential dataProgram uses, and the strengths and weaknesses of various data sources. The needs assessment revealed that respondents use data for a number of purposes, including program planning and evaluation, grant writing, needs assessment and policy development. The intern presented her findings at an AMCHP round table discussion.

The main goal of the Kentucky Department for Public Health internship was to promote knowledge and experience of state public health agency activities and participate in the development, planning, and research to implement a PRAMS pilot project. Activities included the development of a questionnaire and supplemental materials, development of a sampling program, and proposal writing.

Ohio was one of nine states without a birth defects surveillance program just a few years ago. A pilot statewide birth defects information system has been in development since 2003. The Ohio Department of Health intern evaluated the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the system.

In Oklahoma, the physician obstetrician survey was on hold for two years due to lack of staff to move the project forward. The GSIP developed of the questionnaire, administered it and collected data. The intern and State continued to work together after the completion of the internship to analyze the data.

Evaluation (3 completed in 2007)

The GSIP Los Angeles County Department of Public Health intern in Los Angeles participated in research, program planning, and program evaluation in the following projects/ programs: Soul Food for your Baby, Family Health Outcomes, LA Adolescent Health Collaborative, PPOR, and the Los Angeles Mommy and Baby project. Activities included developing focus group discussion guides and questionnaires, completing prevalence tables of birth outcomes and trend data, and leading a PPOR analysis of fetal and infant mortality data from linked birth and death files.

The San Francisco Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health intern performed data analyses, attended data consortium meetings, and worked on MCH projects. She worked on a research initiative that was set up to assess a group prenatal care, called “Centering Pregnancy.” Centering is a type of group prenatal care that groups women according their due dates. Women meet together weekly to discuss various topics about their pregnancies and to get their prenatal check-ups. This cohort study was designed to assess if and how Centering affected birth outcomes, specifically preterm births and low birth weight compared to outcomes under standard prenatal care. In particular, this study was designed to analyze birth outcomes among racial and ethnic minorities.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services intern worked with the Maine’s WIC agency on the first evaluation of its Breastfeeding Peer Counseling program. She completed an evaluation project that will be highlighted at a future WIC conference, and this may lead to further funding of the program.

Go to the Forms page to download the entire summary report from 2007.

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