This past summer I was lucky enough to participate in Public Health Advanced Summer Education (PHASE), one of two summer public health intern programs at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. As one of eighteen students selected for this nationally competitive program, I was able to work as a research assistant to medical school faculty member Dr. Mary Politi. Dr. Politi’s research focuses on ways to enhance shared and informed decision-making for patients within clinical encounters.
The main project I assisted with was an effort to design an online tool for Missourians enrolling in health insurance on the Marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act. A large portion of these individuals have never had health insurance before, and Dr. Politi’s research has shown that many are not familiar with basic health insurance terms. These terms can be incredibly confusing; I certainly didn’t understand the majority of them before I started on the project. People who do not understand the terminology can quickly become overwhelmed and may make choices that don’t align well with their needs and values. Lack of knowledge may even prevent some from enrolling altogether. The evidence-based tool Dr. Politi is working on will include educational modules, as well as questions where participants rank their preferences to determine what matters most to them in choosing insurance. The tool is just being finished up now, and will be tested in a large randomized control trial this fall.
I was able to perform a wide variety of tasks so that I could really get a feel for the different types of work involved in public health research. I designed handouts for study participants, researched survey instruments, contributed to the development and layout of survey questions for the trial, and participated in all meetings related to the main project. I also assisted with several other projects Dr. Politi has been working on. I learned to code qualitative data with a software called NVivo. I also performed background research for a new project Dr. Politi was just getting off the ground, and helped to write an IRB proposal. I even helped to write and edit a piece that appeared on the news website The Conversation, and a paper that the team is now submitting to journals, so I’m getting published as a co-author!
While all of this was amazing, the best part of my PHASE experience was without a doubt the people I was able to meet and get to know. The other PHASE fellows are students at different levels (undergrad, masters, and medical) from all around the world. We had citizens from Nigeria, Gambia, Ethiopia, Columbia, Syria, Lebanon, China, and more participating. As a global health student, it was incredible to be surrounded by talented people from all over the world who are committed to advancing public health and health equity. Additionally, as part of our program we had lectures and seminars lead by incredible researchers. I learned about topics I’ve never even heard of (like the human virome, look it up, its cool) from pioneers in their fields. I learned about the process of submitting manuscripts for publication from a researcher who has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine and other renowned journals. And I learned about public health policy from a doctor who has spearheaded initiatives with the Gates Foundation and previously served as the minister of health of Columbia. Furthermore, the guidance Dr. Politi gave me about my career and goals was invaluable.
Additionally, all of the PHASE fellows were required to complete independent research projects. I chose to research how the incorporation of narrative stories into decision support tools for patients may affect decision-making. More specifically, I looked at how key stakeholders had responded to narratives about individuals buying health insurance (created by the research team) during an earlier qualitative study led by Dr. Politi. I’m hoping to present my research as a poster at a conference this Spring.
I am incredibly thankful to have had this opportunity, and I hope other Allegheny students will consider applying themselves. If anyone is interested in learning more about what I did over the summer, myself and other interns blogged about our experiences here.
