Foundational Skills for Public Health Professionals

Practitioner-in-Residence: Leah Elsmore ’12, MPH, Senior Consultant, North Highland, Healthcare & President, Bates College Alumni Association

Course Overview: This short term course teaches students how to apply qualitative methods to understanding and solving common public health challenges. The aim is to connect the dots between the liberal arts academic experience to real world, public health practice after graduation. The course will rely on a mix of traditional didactic learning and experiential, community based learning. In the classroom, students will learn about public health foundations, different qualitative research techniques, when and how to use them in the context of public health, and practice them with peers. In the community, students will get a chance to apply what they learned in the classroom. In partnership with Bates Health Services, community partners, and/or the Harward Center, students will be presented with a real public health challenge. They will conduct interviews, focus groups, or ethnographic fieldwork in the community to assess the challenge or gather community input on a solution.

Learning Goals:

1. Students will learn and practice a variety of qualitative skills such as: – Focus Group Design and Facilitation – Interview Design and Delivery – Direct Observation – Ethnographic Research 2. Students will learn about the pros and cons of these different methodologies and when to use them. 3. Students will practice their skills by participating in a community based project in partnership with Bates Health Services, community partners, and/or the Harward Center. 4. Students will walk away from the course with demonstrated experience practicing qualitative skills that can be added to their resume

Instructor Bio: Leah Elsmore is a public health professional with 13+ years of experience in program management, health communications, community and stakeholder engagement, qualitative research methods, and health education. A highly skilled facilitator and trainer, she has worked in a wide variety of sectors including government, nonprofit, hospitals and health care, and consulting. Leah has her MPH from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and her BA in Anthropology from Bates College.