Caitlin Newhouse, MD, MPH

UCLA

I worked on projects/presentations related to communication of USPSTF work with other federal agencies, a dissemination/education project and provided technical assistance to the development of a final recommendation statement. I chose AHRQ as a rotation in my Preventive Medicine Training because I wanted experience working in governmental public health at the federal level. I had the opportunity to learn a bit about how AHRQ interacts with some of the other federal agencies (especially NIH) and learned technical skills in evidence review and analysis. I learned how to formulate detailed plans for reviewing evidence around clinical topics and the importance of scope in topic selection and prioritization.

Jacob VanHouten, MD, PhD, MPH, MS

Griffin Hospital

I collected resources related to a primary focus of the USPSTF and associated methodologies. This included work to prepare my journal club presentation, which explained some of these methodologies in detail. I also shared the collection of resources I gathered, as it is anticipated to be a continued interest and may be taken up by a later resident. I completed three fact checks of draft recommendations, ensuring the legitimacy of the data from which conclusion were drawn for guideline development. I helped prepare an early evidence draft for a report to congress, helping to describe the anticipated trajectory of the USPSTF over the coming year. I prepared a draft presentation to be presented at an upcoming conference, where representatives of the USPSTF will highlight some of the most important recent and upcoming recommendations. I developed a PPIP manuscript, which provides clinical context for the recommendations made by the task force. I was also fortunate enough to interact with other areas of AHRQ related to my own research interests, and to attend some meetings to learn more about what AHRQ is doing in that space.

How has this rotation met your expectations?
It was a fantastic rotation. Overall, the best possible situation I could imagine. I've wanted to do this rotation for over 10 years, and completing it (even remotely) was a fantastic experience.

Emilie Biodokin, MD

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

During my time at AHRQ, I learned a lot about the USPSTF process and the importance of each recommendation. As a primary care provider and preventive medicine resident, this has helped me understand how to communicate and apply their recommendations in a clinical setting. I worked on many projects that involved fact-checking their recommendation statements on various topics. The fact-checking process helped me understand the evidence and the nuances around these topics. Furthermore, I gained a profound respect for the process, the thoroughness, and the details needed to develop a recommendation statement. I was also able to help draft a response to public comment.

I will cherish these experiences as I move into my subsequent rotations and my career, and I am thankful I got the chance to be part of such a dedicated and amazing team.

How has your experience at AHRQ Impacted your career path and goals?
I plan to resume clinical practice after my preventive medicine residency, thus this rotation was helpful in highlighting the importance of how to communicate the USPSTF recommendations, which is a great skill to have in a primary care practice.

What are the initiatives you are tackling in your role at ORR?
As a member of the ORR Administrative Board, I work with residents and fellows from across the country to work across disciplines and bring the trainee perspective to various stakeholders at the AAMC involved in graduate medical education. Most recently during the spring conference of the AAMC Group on Medical Affairs, comprised of national Designated Institutional Officers and heads of Graduate Medical Education Committees, ORR members were key panelists and moderators at breakout sessions. What first attracted you to the specialty of Preventive Medicine? Preventive Medicine allows me to pursue my dual interests in primary care for the underserved and health equity advocacy. I have sought opportunities to improve the health of populations, in particular immigrant and underserved communities. At the individual level, I have been trained to treat patients’ medical and social needs in a primary care setting with a focus on screening and prevention. On the population level, I am learning skills to effect changes through patient safety and quality improvement and research on cultural tailoring of health education.

What has been the most rewarding part of your work?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was able to apply my academic research on cultural tailoring of public health messaging to real-world resources for immigrant communities. Filipino Americans, like many communities of color, have been deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite comprising only 4% of the nursing workforce in the US, Filipinos are 32% of the nurse deaths due to COVID-19 according to National Nurses United. In response to this need, I was part of a national team to design and implement TayoHelp.com, a culturally-tailored COVID-19 resource for Filipino Americans available in English and Tagalog. Without my training in preventive medicine, I would not have had the skills or the network to help lead this initiative.

How has the training/education in Preventive Medicine positioned you for your current role and function?
At the Cook County Health/Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine Program in Preventive Medicine, my mentors Dr. Pamela Ganschow and Dr. Juleigh Nowinski-Konchak have created opportunities for me to gain experience and exposure to the complex management of health systems like Cook County Health, an organization that serves as one of the largest healthcare and public health systems for the underserved in the country. Coupled with the excellence in academic scholarship on South Asian health at Northwestern University, with Dr. Namratha Kandula, I have learned valuable skills to utilize data for both research advocacy on behalf of immigrant communities.

What advice would you offer to young professionals who are beginning their journey in Preventive Medicine?
Preventive Medicine is a very diverse field, and your opportunities are only as limited as your passions. Every preventive medicine physician has a unique path, and public health grants additional opportunities to collaborate with non-clinicians who deeply contribute to population health. As physicians, we have entered a profession rooted in service to alleviate suffering, and I hope we may all apply our population-based skills to advocate for community health.

As you reflect on your career, what is the best advice you received that made a difference in the opportunities you explored or the risks that propelled your career?
Interviewing in preventive medicine programs across the country, it was simultaneously inspiring and intimidating to meet accomplished applicants, residents, and faculty with similar interests. Although we all have aspirational career goals, you don’t have to do them all now or all at once. It’s a natural cycle to have different chapters in our careers, whether it be more clinical- or public health-focused. Being open to opportunity, and simultaneously sharing opportunities with others, is both a practice and a skill.

What is the key benefit that a professional association such as APTR can offer an institution or individual?
I highly recommend considering applying for the APTR rotation with AHRQ. During my remote AHRQ rotation during the pandemic, I had the privilege to be exposed to the rigorous methodology used by the USPSTF to develop evidence-based guidelines and how to balance the competing interests of stakeholders ranging from federal agencies, medical specialty societies, and the public. I also encourage others to take advantage of opportunities to attend the national APTR conferences. There you will not only learn from inspiring speakers, but also meet your future colleagues and potential collaborators. Public health is a collective effort, where organizations like APTR serve as our mutual bond.