Nadia Saif, MD, MPH
University of Maryland Baltimore | Preventive Medicine Residency Program

I chose to pursue Preventive Medicine training after completing my Family Medicine residency because of my desire to supplement my clinical training with public health skills. I love data and hoped to gain the skills to appropriately use data and numbers to contribute to population health impact in my future career.

I chose to complete a residency rotation at AHRQ to gain a greater understanding of critical appraisal of evidence and how evidence informs the clinical preventive services recommendations that we use in primary care. During my rotation, I had an in-depth look at how the USPSTF formulates clinical preventive services recommendations, from choosing topics to review and creating research plans through dissemination of final recommendations. I learned about the role of AHRQ in coordinating the USPSTF, and AHRQ's collaborations with various partners. I participated in several projects and initiatives during my rotation, including: performed a fact check for consistency and accuracy for a draft recommendation; created presentation slides that review a final recommendation for use by USPSTF members at an upcoming partner meeting; critically appraised a recently published article relevant to a clinical prevention topic and presented this to AHRQ medical officers.

My experience at AHRQ also provided an in-depth look at the workings of a federal agency and reinforced my interest in governmental public health as a future career path due to ability to do work that affects public health policy.

Learn more about the APTR-AHRQ Preventive Medicine Residency Program