Olivia Turcio - Weeks 5 to 7 at Connecticut's Department of Public Health

This marks the halfway point of my NEVBD-TEC internship. I definitely feel more confident using DPH’s resources. I’ve also connected with most of the infectious disease epidemiologists. Everyone is really friendly and they always say hi when I’m in the office. I would say that some of the major shifts during these next couple of weeks are my focus on research and interviews. Both are extremely important and this focus will build my confidence in conducting them. Additionally, in terms of research, this will let me get used to data that has already been extracted. Historically, most of my data has been through surveys that were open for 3-4 weeks. It will definitely be a nice change of pace to have data that already exists. With interviews, I have done a few, but never on the phone. I would like to see how it’s different from in-person and Zoom.  

Week 5: This week I continued working on cases in Connecticut Electronic Disease Surveillance System (CTEDSS). It’s always interesting to see how each lab’s data is inputted into CTEDSS. Some labs say positive, while others say detected. There are even some labs that include a number, which then requires me to check the reference range. I wonder why this is the case, especially when they mostly use the same test. I also was able to review some electronic case reports (eCRs) on CTEDSS. This is where I will be getting my data for my mini research project. I will be comparing those results with the paper case report forms (pCRFs). If all goes to plan, data collection will officially start next week, and I’ll be able to collect data for 3 weeks.

Week 6: This week I continued working on Vector-Borne disease surveillance, but I also received some more training on interviews. I spoke with epidemiologists in both the Vector-borne Disease (VBD) and Food-borne disease departments. It is always extremely interesting to hear the differences between both sections. Depending on the disease, some VBDs have more questions regarding the symptoms. This is compared to Food-borne diseases which have less questions on symptoms, but more on potential exposures. Next week, I will be able to listen in on some interviews. I also might be able to see some trends in interviewees. In terms of eCR research, as of now, it has been postponed. 

Week 7: This week I did the usual VBD surveillance, but I also was able to listen in on some interviews. I learned that each interview is different. Some interviewees are very detailed and give descriptions that add to the case. Some interviewees are very detailed, but they can go into tangents. While some of their descriptions are not the most beneficial, it is always interesting to hear their story. Some interviewees answer the questions but give no details. While more detail is preferred, it is more important that they at least answer the most pertinent questions. Both the interviewees’ and interviewers' personality shine through these calls. I enjoyed listening through all of them. Additionally, there was a slight switch with my research project. I will now be starting a mini research project on different labs and how their results may differ with the Department of Public Health’s laboratory. I definitely look forward to starting this project! 

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