Eastern Washington University’s Master of Public Health program has partnered with the Washington State Department of Health and Spokane Regional Health District to present a series of presentations highlighting salient public health issues in the state of Washington. These presentations are held on the last Friday of every month from 4-5 p.m. and are held in the Nursing Building Room 105 on the Spokane campus. The presentations are also broadcasted for those who cannot join in person.

The eighth in the series was presented on March 29, 2019, and addressed prevention of firearm injuries and deaths. Therese Hansen, from the Washington State Department of Health’s Section of Injury and Violence Prevention, was one of two speaker’s at the presentation. Therese shared US and Washington specific data on violence and firearm deaths. She also discussed firearm-related suicide rates and prevention strategies. Sergeant Jordan Ferguson from the Spokane Police Department’s Major Crimes Domestic Violence Unit was the second speaker. He presented on laws surrounding gun control and gun safety. Additionally, he spoke on the connection between firearm injury and behavior. A variety of resources were provided on suicide, domestic violence, and firearm safety by both speakers. All resources are displayed in the presentation which can be accessed via youtube, as well as listed below.

Students, faculty, health professionals, and the community at large are the audience for the Public Health Grand Rounds, but all are invited to participate. With each monthly presentation, the hope is to feature the important work that is being done to protect and inform people and improve the quality of life for the community. Attendees will learn more about major public health issues, key challenges, evidence-based practice, potential solutions, and the context that influences our health every day. Join us Friday, April 26 to learn more about Medicaid transformation at our last Public Health Grand Rounds of the semester!

Links:

• Video: EWU MPH Public Health Grand Rounds Preventing Firearm Injuries and Deaths

Firearm Resources:

• Suicide & Safe Storage of Firearms
• LOCK-IT-UP: Promoting the Safe Storage of Firearms – King County
• Safer Homes Coalition 
• Seattle Children’s Hospital – Gun Safety Program

Suicide Resources:

• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• WSDOH Suicide Prevention Plan
• WSDOH Firearm Fatality & Suicide Prevention
• Pacific Northwest Suicide Prevention Resource Center
• Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Training – Free
• Means Matter

Additional Resources:

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
• EWU Students: Let’s Talk, Free Consultation Service 
• WSU Spokane Students: Counseling Services

The EWU College of Health Science and Public Health held a research day on Friday, March 22, 2019 on the Spokane campus. Master of Public Health students Tasha Yip, Yesenia Torres, and Jessica Pal presented their individual research posters.

Tasha Yip is an online student from Vancouver, British Columbia. The focus of her research was access to breast milk for infants in foster care. Her poster presentation highlighted the under utilization and lack of education surrounding the availability of breast milk through government milk banks in Canada.

Yesenia Torres explored perceptions of Bilingual Staff and Certified Interpreters that provide interpretation to Spanish speaking patients. Interpreting services improve health outcomes for patients, yet not all interpreters are certified. Yesenia used individual surveys to collect background information along with a self-evaluation of reading, writing, and speaking abilities to help gage perceptions.

Jessica Pal, an online student from the Seattle area presented her research which looked at the use of cradleboards in American Indian/Alaska Native tradition to reduce sudden infant death syndrome. She surveyed individuals on their use, knowledge, and attitude towards cradleboards – past and present.

Overall, this was a great showcase of the research being done throughout the EWU College of Health Science and Public Health. We are very proud of the work our students presented!

Good Job Tasha, Yesenia, and Jessica!

Eastern Washington University’s Master of Public Health program has partnered with the Washington State Department of Health and Spokane Regional Health District to present a series of presentations highlighting salient public health issues in the state of Washington. These presentations are held on the last Friday of every month from 4-5 p.m. and are held in the Nursing Building Room 105 on the Spokane campus. The presentations are also broadcasted for those who cannot join in person. December’s presentation was canceled due to EWU’s winter break, so January played host to two grand rounds presentations!

The fifth in the series was presented on January 11, 2019 and addressed healthcare workforce shortages. Renee Fullerton, workforce programs manager for the Washington State Department of Regional Health, was the speaker at the presentation. Renee discussed issues faced by rural communities, who experience the highest healthcare and social assistance workforce shortages in the state of Washington. She then answered audience questions about how these workforce shortages are currently being addressed within the state of Washington through community health centers, loan repayment programs for healthcare professionals, and increased residency opportunities in rural communities.

Following closely after on January 25, 2019 was the sixth presentation in the grand rounds series entitled, “The Value of Water: Systems and Workforce to Ensure the Future of our Water Supply.” Nathan Ikehara, from the Washington Department of Health Office of Drinking Water’s Engineering and Technical Services Section and Chris McCord, Deputy Director of Central Services for the Office of Drinking Water at the Washington State Department of Health were the speakers at the presentation. The speakers discussed the history of drinking water innovation and its connection to the availability, safety, and reliability of water. They also touched on ways we can address the water sector workforce gap. Ikehara and McCord then answered audience questions about the steps individuals and communities can take to help conserve and protect water quality.

Students, faculty, health professionals, and the community at large are the audience for the Public Health Grand Rounds, but all are invited to participate. With each monthly presentation, the hope is to feature the important work that is being done to protect and inform people and improve the quality of life for the community. Attendees will learn more about major public health issues, key challenges, evidence-based practice, potential solutions, and the context that influences our health every day. Future topics include aging in rural areas, firearm injury and violence, and Medicaid transformation. Join us again on Friday, February 22 for the next Public Health Grand Rounds on aging in rural areas!

Links: 

EWU MPH Public Health Grand Rounds: Healthcare Workforce Shortages Presentation (With Audio)

EWU MPH Public Health Grand Rounds: The Value of Water Presentation (With Audio) 

MPH student Johnny Aldan spent his summer interning in Saipan at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (CHCC), Division of Public Health, Non-Communicable Disease Bureau. His work at the CHCC was featured in Micronesia’s leading newspaper called Marianas Variety. The article focuses on Johnny’s ambition to inspire peers to pursue healthcare careers. “Our island is in such need of locals who are trained and educated in healthcare,” he said. He hopes to inspire younger generations and help them realize the impact that pursuing a healthcare career can have on public health.

Eastern Washington University’s Master of Public Health program has partnered with the Washington State Department of Health and Spokane Regional Health District to present a series of presentations highlighting salient public health issues in the state of Washington. These presentations are held on the last Friday of every month from 4-5 p.m. and are now held in the Nursing Building Room 105 at the Spokane campus. The presentations will also be broadcast for those who cannot join in person.

The fourth in the series was presented on November 30, 2018 and addressed maternal mortality. Alexis Bates, the Department of Health’s maternal mortality review coordinator, was the speaker at the presentation. Alexis discussed how 700 women die each year in the United States as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications and how the data is garnering more attention as it is becoming clear that there are populations at higher risk than others for maternal deaths. She then answered audience questions about the history behind the 2016 law that formalized a maternal mortality review panel in Washington and questions about specific clinical and social factors that contribute to pregnancy-related deaths.

Students, faculty, health professionals, and the community at large are the audience for the Public Health Grand Rounds, but all are invited to participate. With each monthly presentation, the hope is to feature the important work that is being done to protect and inform people and improve the quality of life for the community. Attendees will learn about major public health issues, key challenges, evidence-based practice, potential solutions, and the context that influences our health every day. Future topics include clinical workforce shortages, drinking water innovation, aging in rural areas, firearm injury and violence, and Medicaid transformation. The December Public Health Grand Rounds has been rescheduled. See you on January 25, 2018 for the next Public Health Grand Rounds!

The MPH program’s student organization, the Master of Public Health Association (MPHA), has begun an Alumni Connection series as part of their member meetings. MPH alumni are invited to the MPHA meetings to discuss their experience in the MPH program and how they utilize their MPH in their profession. The Alumni Connection series is a great opportunity for MPHA members to speak to recent graduates and learn about their experience in the job market post-graduation. It is also a great opportunity to get advice on navigating through the MPH program and setting themselves up for success. Thus far, the Alumni Connection series has included Guillermo Mendez, Ryan Douse, Jared O’Connor, and Zach Evans.

In addition, MPH alumni are sometimes invited to speak to classes about their current job and experience working in public health. During last week’s Risk Management class, MPH alumni Summer Rose spoke to the class about how risk management ties into her job as a Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Planner at Spokane Regional Health District.

Staying connected with MPH alumni has been essential in helping MPH students get involved in the community, obtain internships, and join the public health workforce.

The Master of Public Health program’s series titled “Where Are They Now?” dives into each individual’s time as a student and how those experiences shaped their current professions. If you are interested in taking part in the series, please contact mph@ewu.edu. Catch up with Summer Rose here!

Name: Summer Rose

Graduation Year: May 2018

Job Title: Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (PHEPR) Planner

Organization: Spokane Regional Health District

Describe your career path. Why public health?

I always knew I would go into some sort of healthcare career. My mom was in healthcare and I spent a lot of time at her clinic. I didn’t go to college right after graduating high school. I worked in the restaurant industry and in corporate sales. When it was time to go back to school, I initially thought I would be a dental hygienist, but when I applied to school I was told I would probably make a better dentist than a dental hygienist. I am a bit more of a leader than a follower, so they probably had a point.  Instead, I got my undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Then, I thought that I would love to go into hand therapy as an Occupational Therapist, so I got a job as a therapy technician. I began applying to the Occupational Therapy program, but despite my good grades, I didn’t get accepted. After that, I was pretty crestfallen. I went to Professor Repovich, the director of the Exercise Science program at Eastern Washington University. We had a long talk about what I loved about healthcare, and she suggested I meet with Professor Houghton, the director of the Master of Public Health program at the time, and the rest is history. I have such a passion for so many areas of public health. I feel like the field is the perfect outlet for someone like me – someone who is curious, enthusiastic, and opinionated. It is perfect for someone who cares about promoting health, protecting health, and building health equity.

What are you responsible for in your current position?

As a Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (PHEPR) Planner, I work on updating and modifying the plans used to respond to threats to the public’s health. I work with partners in the community and with the Washington State Department of Health to plan and exercise the plans. Our plans are never “done” – we constantly review and adapt them to fill in gaps and meet any new requirements, then provide more support and resources to populations that may need them. I also am working on refining and retraining our Incident Management Team (IMT) program. It may not sound like it, but it is a lot of fun.

What is your favorite part about your job?

I love my team here, so they are really my favorite part, but I also love the work. I have always been the type of person who works through the worst-case scenario in my mind and figures out how to best deal with it. I never realized that that’s actually a job! My plans are generally about outbreaks, medical countermeasures, and training/exercises. I get to look at the things we have done in the past and the results that we got, which gives me a fantastic base to start with so I can compare that to things others have done and are currently doing. I get to talk with community partners about things we may need to work into our plans and look at changing requirements at the state and federal levels to make that all fit together like a puzzle. Then, that can be made into a plan or checklist or graphic that someone can pick up, review, and act upon. After that, we test it, find the gaps, and we do it all over again.

How did the MPH program prepare you for your current position?

I am constantly realizing how much my MPH degree helps me to understand the bigger picture. I have had jobs where I knew I was doing good work at the small thing I did. I find that instead of being good at this one little thing that I do, I have a better understanding of how every element works together. This allows me to do some more creative thinking about the kinds of resources we have and how to use them.

What was most memorable to you about your experiences in the MPH program?

I have had so many memorable experiences but the most memorable was probably getting my research through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process when everyone was telling me that it wouldn’t get approved. I went to Professor Tresidder to discuss my research project and she assured me that we would get my research through the IRB process. Although there were so many more voices saying I couldn’t do it, I believed her and my IRB was approved. It was without a doubt one of the most nerve-wracking days of my life. That accomplishment is one I worked really hard for, so I am very proud of it.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering pursuing an MPH?

Public health is not what people usually think of as being the rock star of healthcare. Most people think of heart surgeons or doctors curing kids of cancer. While that is completely amazing, and I am not comparing us to them at all, I think of the elderly folks who won’t have a fall this year, the single mother who won’t miss work this flu season because her family got vaccinated, or the addict who gets up and goes to work every morning because they’ve finally gotten some control over their addiction. Public health is up-stream thinking. It is holistic. It is preventative. I wish more of healthcare was proactive, instead of reactive. I think of the illnesses that are prevented, and I think of the ones that will happen and the plans that are in place to contain them. To me, that is a smart career. I think we are rock stars.

Eastern Washington University’s Master of Public Health program has partnered with the Washington State Department of Health and Spokane Regional Health District to present a series of presentations highlighting salient public health issues in the state of Washington. These presentations are held on the last Friday of every month from 4-5 p.m. and are held in the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Science Building Room 101 (Walgreens Auditorium) at the Spokane campus. The presentations will also be broadcasted for those who cannot join in person.

The third in the series was presented on October 26, 2018 and addressed suicide prevention. Stacey Chay, Program Director for the EWU Spokane-based MSW Hybrid program, was the speaker at the presentation. Stacy discussed how suicide is the leading cause of death for individuals 10-24 years of age and the eighth leading cause of death for all individuals in Washington state and Spokane County. She then answered audience questions about strategies needed to promote broader awareness of suicide and the role that an interprofessional approach can play in identifying factors that reduce the risk of suicide and promote programs that protect people from engaging in suicidal behavior.

Students, faculty, health professionals, and the community at large are the audience for the Public Health Grand Rounds, but all are invited to participate. With each monthly presentation, the hope is to feature the important work that is being done to protect and inform people and improve the quality of life for the community. Attendees will learn about major public health issues, key challenges, evidence-based practice, potential solutions, and the context that influences our health every day. Future topics include maternal mortality, clinical workforce shortages, drinking water innovation, aging in rural areas, firearm injury and violence, and Medicaid transformation. See you on November 30 for the next Public Health Grand Rounds!

Links:

EWU MPH Public Health Grand Rounds on Suicide Prevention Presentation (With Audio)

The Master of Public Health program’s series titled “Where Are They Now?” dives into each individual’s time as a student and how those experiences shaped their current professions. If you are interested in taking part in the series, please contact mph@ewu.edu. Catch up with Cassandra Herdrick here!

Name: Cassandra Herdrick

Graduation Year: May 2016

Job Title: Contract Manager/Public Health Educator

Organization: Grant County Health District

Describe your career path. Why public health?

When starting my undergraduate degree at Eastern Washington University, I was set on going into psychology, but had always possessed a lifelong interest in health and nutrition. I then set my focus on exercise science, and shortly after discovered the community health program. My passion for helping improve health in people and communities was met in the community health program. I graduated in 2013, but I always knew I eventually wanted to back to school for a master’s degree. Once I saw that Eastern Washington University was offering an MPH program, I knew it was the right time to take my education to the next level. Earning my MPH was one of the best decisions I have made for my professional goals and personal career development.

What are you responsible for in your current position?

Working for a rural local health jurisdiction, I hold many different roles. I am currently the contract manager and educator for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) grant as well as the North Central Washington Youth Tobacco and Vapor Prevention grant. I also work in the communications division, maintaining the district’s website and social media sites as well as assisting in writing healthcare provider alerts and media releases. On any given day I can be pulled into our nursing or environmental health division to assist with an event that is taking place or an outbreak investigation, for example. Every single day’s work is different.

What is your favorite part about your job?

My favorite part about my job is that it is different every day! One day I will be doing food demonstrations at the local farmers market and the next day I will be in the field collecting data on local vape and marijuana retailers. With all the different roles that come with the job, I really enjoy that I am able to become highly knowledgeable in a vast range of topics.

How did the MPH program prepare you for your current position?

In my job, I am consistently working with stakeholders and different pockets of communities in planning, implementing and evaluating policy; systems; and environmental change approaches and programs. The MPH program focused heavily on getting out in the field and working with diverse communities and populations while using the skills and knowledge we were currently developing in that specific course. Being able to put the skill set to use in an active community project was extremely beneficial.

Also, group projects prepared me for my current position. Most of the MPH program was working in groups and that is how public health is in the working world. My work in Grant County and North Central Washington would not be accomplished without a team effort.

What was most memorable to you about your experiences in the MPH program?

I really enjoyed the capstone research project at the end of the MPH program. I was able to put all the knowledge I had acquired into action, and showcasing the hard work that went into the project was a notable and gratifying experience.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering pursuing an MPH?

Go for it! The knowledge and skills you learn throughout the program fit into just about any career path you may choose.

MPH students, staff, and faculty attended the Washington State Public Health Association Conference in Wenatchee this week. The conference included a mix of workshops, breakout sessions, and social events that brought together professionals from across the state to learn, connect, and celebrate the dedication of our community to improving the public’s health. Many of the MPH students received scholarships from the Washington State Public Health Association to attend the conference, and the conference was a great opportunity to connect with students who attend the program online. Four students who attended the conference also presented their research during the conference poster session. Students said they made valuable contacts and attended diverse presentations that will be essential to their professional growth.

• Britney Van Winkle – Health Curriculum and Health-Risk Behaviors: Assessing Relationships and Trends
• April Gunderson – Intersections of Urban Planning and Public Health: Examining Spatial Correlations of Food Access, Social Capital, and Quality of Life in Spokane County Neighborhoods
• Dilli Gautam – A Preliminary Data Collection and Assessment of Depression Among Immigrant High School Students in Spokane Public Schools
• Rebecca Nalunkuuma – State of Water Safety for the City of Tacoma