School of Public Health and Information Sciences

School of Public Health and Information Sciences

Master of Public Health (MPH) Student Practicum Placement

The goal of the Practicum Experience (P.E.) is a 6-hour course in the MPH curriculum designed to bridge the gap between academia and practice and serve as a vehicle to introduce future public health professionals to the field during their formal education. Additionally, the P. E. creates a snapshot of what may be expected of public health professionals after formal schooling. To achieve this goal, MPH students synthesize conceptual information presented in their courses and apply this information during the P.E. in various sites. It is our vision that relationships garnered through the P.E. with our partners and fellow stakeholders in public health will be a fruitful, positive opportunity for all involved—our students, our school and our community.

MPH Student Practicum Placement, Students Graduated May 2007

Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Dr. Sarojini Kantora
MCH Epidemiologist,
Health Start Program Evaluator / Louisville Metro Dept. of Public Health and Wellness / Vital statistics records development; Maternal/ Child Health issues and concerns / F. Groves (EPH)
Dr. Guy Furnish,
Associate Professor / U of L School of Dentistry / Development of information database for Smile Kentucky / C. Wang (EPH)
Dr. Toni P. Miles
Director, Clinical Geriatric Research, Dept. of Family and Geriatric Medicine / U of L
School of Medicine / Understanding the connection b/t studying pharmacogenetics and clinical practice; research participation surveys / K. Baumgartner (EPH)
Dr. Matt Zahn
Medical Director, Infectious Disease / Louisville Metro Dept. of Public Health and Wellness / Influenza clinic operations; Pandemic flu preparedness; Flu survey analysis / W. McKinney (EPH)
Sara Jo Best / Lincoln Trail District Health Department, Elizabethtown, KY / Regional preparedness
of HRSA Region 5 / C. Wang (EPH)
Wendy Ward,
Executive Director / Gilda’s Club Louisville / Non-profit start-up phase and fund raising for Gilda’s Club Louisville / R. Austin (HMSS)
Beth Clingaman,
Director / American Diabetes Association, Louisville-Lexington Chapter / School Walk for Diabetes program; non-profit organizational mgmt / L. Palmer (HMSS)
Read Harris,
Director of Health, Volunteer and Youth Services / American Red Cross, Louisville, KY Chapter / Develop project mgmt and planning skills; develop quality control and QA plans / L. Palmer (HMSS)
Stephanie Poynter, DMD / Family Health Center, Inc. / Client Characteristics of a Community Dental Program / B. Wainscott (HMSS)
Kay Heady, RN and Ryan Irvine / Louisville Metro Dept. of Public Health and Wellness / Implementation of a Mobile Health Unit: Dental Services for Jefferson Cty Schools / B. Wainscott (HMSS)
Gregory M. Skaff
Deputy, TSM Abrams / U.S. Army TRADOC System, Abrams Tank Systems (Hardin Cty) / Abrams Tank Injury Database Characterization / D. Tollerud (EOHS)
Dr. Lisa Markowitz,
Asst Professor
Dept of Anthropology / Community Farm Alliance / Youth Food Diary Project / I. Ramos (EOHS)
Tom VanArsdall
Andrea Keatley / Cabinet for Envir. And Public Protection,
Dept for Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Air Quality (Fayette) / Characterization of environmental databases for mercury in the state / R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Russell Barnett
Cynthia Lee / KY Institute for the Environment and Sustainable Development &
Air Pollution Control District / Develop a dataset that combines PM2.5 (particulate) and butadiene air monitoring data for linkage with health outcomes data. / D. Tollerud and
R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Dr. LaCries R. Kidd
Asst. Professor
Pharmacology and Toxicology, Cancer Prevention and Control / JamesGrahamBrownCancerCenter, School of Medicine / Gene-gene interaction and prostate cancer in African American men / G. Brock (BB)
Shauna Weis,
President / Environmental Safety Technologies, Inc. / MRSA amongst college athletes / R. Carrico (HBPS)
Lee S. Mayer, DMD
Ryan Irvine / DixieHealthCenter and DentalCenter / Patient Absenteeism Characteristics in a Dental Health Clinic / R. Austin (HMSS)

MPH Student Practicum Placement, Students Graduated May 2008

Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Paula Peyrani, M.D. / Infectious Disease Division, UofLHospital / Data analysis using Kaplan-Meier statistical procedures in analyzing Community Acquired Pneumonia in patients collected from public and private hospitals in South America. / J. Myers (BB)
Paula Peyrani, M.D. / Infectious Disease Division, UofLHospital / To investigate the relationship between positive blood cultures and severity of disease in CAP patients and to establish if the proportion of S. aurues differs between risk classes. / J. Myers (BB)
Shauna Weiss / Environmental Safety Technologies / Evaluation of the effectiveness of classroom education on the knowledge and behavior habits of student athletes / S. Muldoon (EPH)
Deborah Phillip / Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter / Evaluation the effectiveness of services that LLS, KY & So. In. Chapter provides to its pediatric patients diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma / K. Baumgartner (EPH)
Anna Huang, MD / U of L WINGS Clinic / Renal Manifestations in HIV-infected patients on anti-retroviral therapies / F. Groves (EPH)
Dr. Guy Furnish
Dr. Lee Mayer / University of LouisvilleSchool of Dentistry / Analysis of recent Smile KY screening data of children who have Medicare vs. Private Insurance with respect to smooth surface and occlusal surface carious lesions / C. Wang (EPH)
Donna Merzweiler / Downs Syndrome Society of Louisville / Methods and education regarding prenatal screening for Down’s Syndrome / K. Zierold (EPH)
Paula Peyrani, MD / Infectious Disease Division. U of L Hospital/Kindred Healthcare / To investigate an outbreak of drug-resistant Acinetobacter at KindredHospital / C. Wang (EPH)
Hiram Polk ,MD / U of L School of Medicine / Examining the balance between malignant melanoma, tanning-bed exposure, and sunscreen use / C. Hornung (EPH)
Dr. Ann Greenwell / U of L School of Dentistry / Analyzing Smile Kentucky Data to examine differences in the amount of caries in urban living children versus rural living children. / R. Baumgartner (EPH)
Marty Allen, MD / U of L School of Medicine, Infectious Disease / Effects of Bactrim on MRSA patients with skin and soft tissue Infections in the U of L Hospital inpatient population--a retrospective chart review / F. Groves (EPH)
Dr. Richard Miller / Environmental Safety Technologies / Organizing processed Legionella data from cooling towers into a computer base as negative or positive for Legionella for elimination / R. Jacobs (EOH)
Dwayne Roberts / LassiterMiddle School / Asthma assessment: Environmental Assessment of the school using the EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools / D. Tollerud (EOH)
Mike Kuntz / American Lung Association / Evaluation of the economic effects of the smoking ban on area bars and restaurants / R. Jacobs (EOH)
Dr. R. Balasubramaniam / Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (India) / Assisted in the implementation of the public health component of a neighborhood slum project / I. Ramos (EOH)
Maggie Wright / Kentucky Psychological Association / Heads Up! Kids Program; Evaluation of the Heads Up program to determine its effectiveness on 2nd and 3rd grade children / S. LaJoie (HPBS)
Makeda Harris / KY Youth Advocates / Influence of race and ethnicity on infant mortality / M. Harris (HPBS)
Karen Newton / U of L Campus Health Office, Belknap / Collegiate Fitness Evaluation. Comparing U of L with 10 benchmarks regarding the campus recreation department services and facilities. / R. Carrico (HPBS)
Kristina Bryant, M.D. / Kosair Children's Hospital / Increasing influenza vaccination rates among inpatients at Kosair’s Children's Hospital / R. Carrico (HPBS)
Dennis Sullivan / U of L Dept of Environmental Health and Safety / Evaluation the existing knowledge regarding infection prevention and control of 250 EMT-P employed by the Louisville EMS / R. Carrico (HPBS)

MPH Student Practicum Placement, Students Graduated May 2009

Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Kandris Goodwin / Metropolitan Sewer District / Working within the Outreach and Education department, assisting with a partnership MSD has made with EasternHigh School. / R. Austin (HMSS)
Randy Gaither / The Kroger Company / Cost analysis of different flu shot delivery methods / R. Esterhay (HMSS)
Allyn Simmons / Norton Healthcare / 1--Physician work force data base
2--Daily operations at Norton Suburban / B. Wainscott (HMSS)
Anna Smith / UniversityHospital / Record and analyze individual and social determinants that influence patients to come to the ER for primary care. / J. Taylor (HMSS)
Trudy Betorune, RN, MPH / Gilda's Club Louisville / To create a strategic outreach plan to increase the awareness in the community and increase membership, volunteer participation, and donors. / B. Wainscott (HMSS)
Dr. Lamont Gholston / ParkDuvalleCommunityHealthCenter / Examination of the information about patients who enter the ER with dental disease as their chief complaint via patterns in the demographics, commonality of drugs being issued and referrals. / S. Allen (HMSS)
Dr. William Hymes / LouHIE (Louisville Health Information Exchange / Rates of medical errors due to prescription error / R. Austin (HMSS)
Marcelline Coots / Passport Health Plan / Healthy Hoops KY Program / R. Steiner (HMSS)
Leanne French, MS / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Built environment provides the opportunity for a subtle alteration of the environment that could alter personal behaviors surrounding obesity and diabetes. / S. Allen (HMSS)
Marigny Bostock / Louisville Metro Dept of Public Health and Wellness / Initial planning stages of the Verb program / R. Wilson (HPBS)
Paula Peyrani, M.D. / Director of Clinical Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, UofL / Effectiveness of motivational interviewing on Type II diabetes in African Americans / S. McCabe (BB)
Jim Legleiter / Passport Health Plan / Healthy Hoop Kentucky: a plan
to address Passport members’ asthma management needs / J. Myers (BB)
Elllie Schweizer / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Social Norms Marketing Campaign: The social norms related to tobacco use that exists within local high schools and middle schools. / I. Ramos (EOHS)
Elizabeth Cobb / Kentucky Hospital Association (statewide) / Evaluation of the Infection Prevention and Control programs throughout Kentucky's 126 hospitals. / R. Carrico (EOHS)
Dr. Margo Riggs / Kentucky Department of Public Health (statewide) / Survey Kentucky Coal Miners to determine their knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding the Coal Workers' X-ray Surveillance Program / R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Kelly Robinson / IrelandArmyCommunityHospital, Ft. Knox, KY / Educating commanders about HIV+ soldiers in the Army. / R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Janette McCabe, RN / Kentucky Refugee Ministries / To formulate a tool for incoming refugee clients to help them navigate the US healthcare system. / R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Antonia Demas, Ph.D / Food Studies Institute / Food is Elementary (FIE): administer pre and post test questionnaires/surveys that test student's knowledge before and after having completed the FIE curriculum / R. Jacobs (EOHS)
John Gagel / Lexmark International, Inc. (statewide) / Printer life cycle assessments / R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Col. Albert Fekete / Louisville Metro Office of Public Health and Emergency Preparedness / Construction, maintenance, and execution of a mass prophylaxis program in the event of a terrorist attack / R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Dr. Anna Huang / University of Louisville- WINGS Clinic / To evaluate the quality of HIV therapy at the HIV outpatient (WINGS) Clinic at the University of Louisville; propose to compare our mortality rates with the HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS) / F. Groves (EPH)
Louise Kent, / Northern Kentucky
Independent District Health Department / Surveillance of risk factors for childhood obesity in children under age 6, in Boone County, KY / K. Zierhold (EPH)
Charlie Kendall / Cabinet for Health and Family Services (statewide) / Recycle Prescription Drugs; researching why this law was passed over and not promulgated as well as writing the regulations for this law to become enforced. / C. Hornung (EPH)
Norbert J. Burzynski, DDS, MS / University of LouisvilleSchool of Dentistry / An Evaluation of the Oral Cancer Screening at the KentuckyState Fair / K. Zierhold (EPH)
Dr. Kari Zahorik / Campus Health Services, Univ. of Louisville Belknap
Campus / STI rates so as to compare them to other educational institutes and better serve the surrounding community with targeted disease specific information, prevention, and screening recommendations / F. Groves (EPH)
Dr. Guy Furnish / University of Louisville, School of Dentistry / SMILE Kentucky has partnered with the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness to use the department’s mobile health unit at 12 Jefferson County elementary schools for free dental screenings. / C. Wang (EPH)
Connie Sorrell / Kentucky Cancer Program / Breast cancer in the African American population in JeffersonCounty looking at the disparity of stage of diagnosis among the population. / K. Baumgartner (EPH)
Anne Greenwell / University of Louisville, School of Dentistry / SMILE, KY education, dental screening, dental treatment (all free) to elementary kids in multiple counties. / C. Wang (EPH)

MPH Student Practicum Placement, Fall 2009-Spring 2010

Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Dr. Matt Zahn / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Evaluation of Mass H1N1 Immunization Practices in Louisville, KY / Dr. Carrico (HPBS)
Dr. Matt Zahn / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / H1N1 Hospitalizations in Louisville’s Largest Hospital System-August 2009-January 2010 / Dr. Groves (EPH)
Bart Irwin / Family Health Ctrs., Inc. / Dental Patient Experience at Family Health Ctrs., - Portland / Dr. Wainscott (HMSS)
Dr. Matt Zahn / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Distribution of H1N1 Vaccine at Retail Pharmacies in Jefferson County, KY / Dr. Austin (HMSS)
Cynthia Brown / Bullitt County (KY) Health Department / Health Education with the Bullitt County Health Department / Dr. LaJoie (HPBS)
Darko Mihaylovich
Abanur Saidi / Migration Refugee Services – Catholic Charities / Refugee Health Issues / Dr. Harris (HPBS)
Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Tamara Reif / Center for Women & Families / Planting Seeds of Hope: Intimate Partner Violence Screening Practices in Jefferson County, KY / Dr. Carrico (HPBS)
Dr. Kenny Zegart / LouHIE project / LouHIE, Leading Edge Challenges and Opportunities / Dr. Wainscott (HMSS)
Ryan Irvine / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Evaluating Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness Mobile Dental Clinic / Dr. Steiner (HMSS)
Dr. Matt Zahn / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Evaluation of H1N1 and Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Availability in a Large Metropolitan Area through the Evaluation of a Network of Primary Care Providers / Dr. Wilson (HPBS)
Melissa Nathanson / KY Dental Association / Sealants for Kentucky / Dr. Zierold (EPH)
Dr. Matt Zahn / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Evaluation of H1N1 and Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Availability in a Large Metropolitan Area through the Evaluation of a Network of Primary Care Providers / Dr. Allen (HMSS)
Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Bart Irwin / Family Health Centers, Inc. / Family Health Centers, Inc.: An Analysis of Organizational Structure & a Systems Perspective / Dr. Austin (HMSS)
Lizzie Minton / National Multiple Sclerosis Society, KY – Southeast Indiana chapter / Evaluation of 2009 Needs Assesment for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, KY-Southeast IN chapter / Dr. K. Baumgartner (EPH)
Nikki Boyd-Westenhofer / Health Promotion Schools of Excellence / Development of an Electronic Measurement Tool / Dr. Carrico (HPBS)
Kelly Monahan / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Trans-fat in Louisville, KY / Dr. Jacobs (EOHS)
Chase Braden
Philip Smeltzer / Humana, Inc. / Worksite Wellness Program Evaluation at Humana / Dr. LaJoie (HPBS)
Dr. Brooke Sweeney / Healthy for Life Clinic / Healthy for Life: Childhood Obesity Clinic / Dr. Esterhay (HMSS)
Dr. Matt Zahn / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / H1N1 School-Based Immunization Program: Experiences from Louisville, KY / Dr. Esterhay (HMSS)
Melissa Nathanson / KY Dental Association / The oral health status & parental acceptance of gratis fluoride varnish application for pre-school children based upon screening data collected at the KY State Fair for 2004-2007 as part of the Healthy Smiles 2010 Project / Dr. O’Brien (EPH)
Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Kristen Miller / Louisville EMS / The PSIAM Project: A Louisville Metro Emergency Medical Services & Spalding University collaborative for developing a smarter way to deliver service for non-urgent 911 calls / Dr. Steiner (HMSS)
Dr. Julio Ramirez / UofL., Division of Infectious Diseases / Acinetobacter.baumannii outbreak investigation / Dr. Muldoon (EPH)
Dr. Ruth Carrico / UofL Campus Health Services / Data Analysis of Campus-wide H1N1 Survey / Dr. Wilson (HPBS)
Marigny Bostock / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Qualitative Analysis on HKHC Grant Application / Dr. Harris (HPBS)
Dr. Henry Cunningham / UofL, UNICEF chapter / UNICEF – Answering the World / Dr. Allen (HMSS)
Connie Sorrel / Brown Cancer Center / Applying GIS in a Comprehensive Cancer Control Program: KY Cancer Program / Dr. Austin (HMSS
Brandon Hurley / Anderson County (KY) Health Department / NPHPSP with the Anderson County (KY) Health Department / Dr. Jacobs (EPHS)
Andrew Barker / Humana, Inc. / Health Behavior & Attitude Based Market Segmentation: A Validity Analysis for Humana / Dr. Harris (HPBS)
Cheryl Scanlon / UofL Hospital/Wellness Department / UofL Hospital Wellness Program / Dr. Walton (HPBS)
Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Linda Goss / UofL Hospital Infection Control Division / MRSA Infection Control for the Homeless Population / Dr. Groves (EPH)
Makeda Harris / Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness / Modeling of Obesity Risk / Dr. Tollerud (EOHS)
Dr. Lee Mayer / UofL School of Dentistry / Contrast between urban & rural KY county populations of elementary school students with “urgent dental needs”…a longitudinal analysis of Smile KY! data from 2003-2009 / Dr. Kerber (EPH)
Karen Newton / UofL Campus Health / Vaccination Project / Dr. I. Ramos (EOHS)

MPH Student Practicum Placement, Fall 2010-Spring 2011 (listing students with oral presentations in Spring 2011 [25])

Community Preceptor / Community Site / Brief Project Description / Academic Mentor and Department
Makeda Harris / Lou. Metro Gov’t. / Analysis of Environmental Health Programs / Dr. G. Brock (BB)
Linda Goss / UofL Hospital / Development of a Preop Checklist for Cardiac Catherization / Dr. R. Carrico (HPBS)
Ellen Schoeder / Am. Cancer Soc.-KY REACH / KY Reach Program / Dr. R. Carrico (HPBS)
Dennis Sullivan / UofL Dept. of Env. Health & Safety / Electronic Document Management System at UofL’s Dept. of Env. Health & Safety / Dr. R. Esterhay (HMSS)
Tina Hembree / Norton Cancer Institute-Suburban / Norton Cancer Institute & their Prostate Cancer Data Set / Dr. F. Groves (EPH)
Kambe Lattimore / Cabinet for Health & Family Services / KY Dept. for Public Health-HIV/AIDS Branch / Dr. F. Groves (EPH)
Donna Benton / JCPS / School Employee Wellness / Dr. M. Harris (HPBS)
Darryl Turpin / Lou. Metro Gov’t. / Men’s Health Initiative Focus Group Analysis & Implication for Change / Dr. M. Harris (HPBS)
Kelly Monahan / Lou. Metro Gov’t. / Analyzing Water Samples from Public Swimming and Bathing Facilities / Dr. R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Larry Taylor / Energy & Environment Cabinet / KY Dept. of Env. Protection’s Mercury Reduction Strategy / Dr. R. Jacobs (EOHS)
Debborah Arnold / KY Community Crisis Response Board / KCCRB: Protecting First Responders / Dr. A. LaJoie (HPBS)
Kristin Munro-Leighton / Family Health Centers, Inc. / Worksite Wellsness / Dr. A. LaJoie (HPBS)
Dr. Margaret Riggs / KY Dept. of Public Health / Assessment of Community Awareness of Health Impacts from Proposed Coal Gasification Plants in Western KY / Dr. W. McKinney (HPBS)
Kristin Munro-Leighton / Family Health Centers, Inc. / A Descriptive Retrospective Analysis of Breastfeeding at the Family Health Centers in Louisville, KY / Dr. S. Muldoon (EPH)
Bart Duncan Irwin / Family Health Centers, Inc. / Understanding the Relationship between Public Health and Medicine: A Management Perspective / Dr. S. Olson-Allen (HMSS)
Luta Garbat-Welch / Catholic Charities / Expanding Healthcare Resources for the Refugee Community in Kentucky / Dr. R. Baumgartner (EPH)
Antonia Demas / Food Studies Institute / Food is Elementary / Dr. I. Ramos (EOHS)
Kristin Miller / Lou. Metro Gov’t. / PSIAM, a Pilot Program Being Used to Service Non-Urgent 911 Calls / Dr. R. Steiner (HMSS)
Russell Barnett / KY Institute for the Environment & Sustainable Dev. / Risk Assessment of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Releases of the Ford Truck Plant & the potential health impact of the surrounding community / Dr. D. Tollerud (EOHS)
Megan Burke and Linda Hummell / UofL Hospital / Quality and Patient Safety / Dr. B. Wainscott (HMSS)
Connie Sorrell / Brown Cancer Center Cancer Prevention & Control Program / KY Cancer Program: Reducing Tobacco Dependence through Professional Education / Dr. B. Wainscott (HMSS)
John Howard / Park DuValle Community Health Center / Tracking Behavioral Change in CHC Dental Patients / Dr. B. Wainscott (HMSS)
Dr. Matt Zahn / Lou. Metro Gov’t. / Pharmacy Services during an Emergency Crisis / Dr. B. Wainscott (HMSS)
Heather Parrino / Campus Health Service (UofL) / Building Resiliency in Campus Community / Dr. R. Wilson (HPBS)
Stefanie Goff / Lincoln Trail Health Department / Lincoln Trail District Health Dept. Accreditation / Dr. R. Wilson (HPBS)

MPH Student Practicum Placement, Summer 2011 (listing students with oral presentations in Summer 2011)