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The Outbreak rotation lasts approximately two weeks. During this time, you will have two days to work on enrichment activities (approximately one day per week). Enrichment is designed to be flexible. The activities should focus on topics that relate to this rotation, but you should choose or design projects that you find interesting.
Early in the rotation review the list of possible projects and decide where you would like to start. You can get an idea of all the activities you want to work on in the rotation, but remember enrichment is flexible. As your work in the main story line progresses, you may come across a topic that interests you. Feel free to pursue new ideas and projects, just be sure to work with your mentor and manage your time. As the rotation progresses, meet with your mentor periodically to review your progress on enrichment.
Remember enrichment is your opportunity to investigate topics that interest you. It’s also a chance to be creative! You have a chance to break away from paper writing for a while. Though you can still write papers if you want to, you could also write songs, shoot videos, build websites, create posters and flyers – anything you can think of! So take some time to get out of your classroom, learn about things going on in the world around you and have fun!
Plan your Enrichment Activities
- Review the list of enrichment activities. Make a list of the activities that you might like to work on independently during this rotation.
- Come up with your own ideas. If you have other ideas for activities you would like to pursue that relate to the topic of epidemiology, add them to the list.
- Prioritize and narrow your choices. You have a total of three days to complete your enrichment activities. Think about which topics or activities are most appealing to you. Then consider how you would like to investigate those topics.
- Create a plan for completing at least one enrichment activity. Your plan should include what you want to do and how you will do it. Use the Enrichment Activity Plan Template to help you think through the details of each enrichment activity. Refer to the example provided for ideas on how your plan might work. Then finalize your plan for each enrichment activity.
Get Approval for Enrichment Activities
- Meet with your mentor and review your plans for each of the enrichment activities you want to pursue during this rotation. Together, brainstorm additional ways you might approach the activities. Discuss the best way to fit the activities into the rotation schedule.
- Note any feedback your mentor provides during your discussion and revise your Enrichment Activity Plan.
Conduct your Enrichment Activity
- Implement your Enrichment Activity Plan based on the schedule you and your mentor agreed to. Work on your project deliverables as you go.
- Check in with your mentor according to the schedule you both agreed on when your mentor approved your enrichment plan. During these meetings review progress on your deliverables and schedule.
- Submit final deliverables as directed by your mentor.
Enrichment Resources
Enrichment Activity Plan - Template
Enrichment Activity Plan - Sample
Suggested Enrichment Activities
Topic |
Description of Enrichment Activity |
Approximate Duration |
| Public Education |
One of the responsibilities that any outbreak investigation carries with it is the need to share the knowledge uncovered with the public so as to educate, inform, and ensure their safety.
Create a brochure for distribution in a school or healthcare setting. The topic is of your choosing, but it should be relevant to the issue of educating the public and also of healthcare. Some examples might include:
- Ways to avoid the flu
- How to reduce stress during exams
- Facts about drug use in your community
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2 days |
| Outbreak come to Life |
Are you interested in seeing the kind of work that you have seen in this rotation? Has this rotation raised a picture in your mind that you would like to see more fully fleshed out?
Arrange to visit:
- Medical Examiner's Office
- Local branch of the CDC
- Emergency Room
Take a tour of the facility and see how it works. Talk with employees, physicians and patients. Take notes and be prepared to present what you discovered to your mentor and other students in your cohort. |
1 day |
| The Hot Zone |
Write a review of the 1994 book by Richard Preston entitled, The Hot Zone. In your review, be sure to address the following:
- What are the primary tensions in this outbreak investigation?
- What, if anything, slowed down the investigation and compromised the health of the public?
- What is the impact of public perception on reception of this type of issue?
- The Ebola virus is no longer the headline grabber it once was. Is this issue any less relevant than it was in 1994? What factors may influence when something becomes a hot topic?
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2 days |
| And The Band Played On |
Write a reaction to the 2001 movie entitled, And The Band Played On. In your reaction, be sure to address the following:
- What are the primary struggles that the CDC confronts during this investigation?
- What surprised you about this investigation?
- What did you learn through watching this film that enhances your understanding of the way the CDC operates?
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1 day |
| Government Regulation |
You might not be aware of it, but there are recalls of products and materials that happen on a regular basis.
- Conduct some research into some recent recalls by such bodies as the CPSC, the FDA, and the USDA. Collect as many different reasons as you can find for these recalls, and be prepared to present what you discovered to your mentor and other students in your cohort.
- Look for a recent recall and investigate how the story unfolded in the media over time. Be prepared to talk to your mentor and cohort about why you think it was handled in that way, given what information was available.
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1 day |
| Just the Facts, Ma'am |
Working on statistical analysis may give you an opportunity to change the way you see how 'facts' are presented around you every day. Here are some possible exercises:
- Look at news or magazine articles for instances where they report statistics (e.g., averages, ratios, percentages, etc) and evaluate the report for what they do not tell you.
- Evaluate an article or advertisement where 'facts' are presented, and attempt to identify what the null and alternative hypotheses were. Where hypotheses are not described, discuss how this affects what types of conclusions can be made.
- Look at any claims that something is hazardous to their health (obesity, chemicals, etc) and do some research as to which type of study would need to be done to support the claim, explaining your choice.
- Look for instances where scientists have made claims which later turned out to be false. Evaluate these situations for how false positive and false negative errors might have been a factor in the incorrect conclusion.
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1-2 days |
| Do You Have 5 Minutes for the Environment? |
Look for any questionnaires or surveys that are offered to you in everyday life. Evaluate the survey for quality using this link on questionnaire guidelines. |
1 day |
| Design Your Own |
Come up with your own idea(s) for an enrichment activity related to some aspect of an outbreak investigation. Write a brief description of your idea and submit it to your mentor for consideration. |
TBD |
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