Year In Review

2019 was the inaugural year for PROspective – one that has been full of wisdom and insights from both faculty and alumni. This week we take a walk down memory lane to review our top 5 most-read articles from 2019 (in no particular order):

#EpiTwitter: Professional engagement in the 21st century

In our very first article (ever!), Dr. Cecile Janssens introduced us to #EpiTwitter and the wealth of value that comes from having access to an online community of students, teachers, and professionals at your fingertips. 

The quote:

“Over time, I connected with many people who have similar interests but who I would never have met in person because we attend different conferences. Physicians, statisticians, policy experts, patient advocates, and journalists. Slowly but steadily, I expanded my network across disciplines. Twitter is now my favorite ‘annual’ conference, every day.”  

Public Speaking

Science is hard for a lot of reasons, but at the top of that list is that science involves a lot of scrutiny – of data, of methods, and… of presentation. In one of our favorite articles of 2019, Dr. Jodie Guest told us about her experience grappling with the challenges of public speaking. 

The quote:

“”Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” The best speakers are really storytellers even if they are talking about science or a mathematical model.  This is what connects to people and will help them remember what you have presented.”

Get to ‘Yes’

In sports, it has been said (maybe a few too many times) that “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. In the professional world, things aren’t so different. In Get to ‘Yes’, Dr. Timothy Lash gave us a strategy for nailing that shot – making use of our innate human tendencies, like the desire for reciprocity.

The quote:

“Ask in person, and offer something in return. These two principles rest on fundamentals of human interactions. People are more likely to agree to help when asked in person, not by text, email, or telephone. In addition, offering something in return shows respect for the other person’s time and effort.”

Setbacks (not Failures)

Did I mention that science is hard? Let me reiterate: it’s hard – and that means that consistent success is never guaranteed. In Setbacks (not Failures), Dr. Lauren Christiansen-Lindquist helps us reframe the personal and professional challenges inherent in our work, taking a larger view of our journey as scientists. 

The quote:

“The word “failure” sounds so final and evokes imagery of a dead end, where there’s little hope to move forward. It helps me to think of these setbacks as speed bumps, rather than closed roads. Sure, they’ve slowed me down, but they have not, and will not, halt my progress.”

Professional Feedback

While the days of primary school report cards are long gone, evaluation and feedback are still a crucial part of our personal and professional development. Nowadays, that probably comes in the form of monthly check-ins or formal bi-annual reviews. Last, but certainly not least, we heard from Elizabeth Hannapel, MPH (Alum, 2012) about the value of professional feedback and how to incorporate both the good and the bad with tact and grace.

The quote:

“On-the-job training, and the corresponding evaluation processes, should reflect not only job-specific tasks but also the interpersonal skills that enable staff to navigate complex professional environments. “

From all of us at the Confounder – thanks for reading, and we hope to share a lot more insight and PROspective in the new year!

Digital Technology in Public Health

From Alexa Morse, MPH (alum, 2017): 

When you think of technology startups, public health probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, due to the need for innovation, digital technology has become a larger focus in the public health realm over the past couple years.

The intersection of public health and digital technology is one of the most exciting places to be right now. Technology enables public health programs to reach more consumers, therefore impact health outcomes on a broader scale, and with the rise of the digital age, programs such as these are able to meet patients where they are. 81% of Americans own a smartphone and are able to access information at their fingertips without having to leave the convenience of their own home. As healthcare spend in the US is rising (nearly $3.7B in 2018!), companies are trying to find creative ways to scale interventions, impact care, and improve health outcomes outside of the traditional healthcare office visit. 

Digital health, e-health and health IT (HIT), are some of the terms used to describe digital technology in the healthcare space. All relatively mean the same thing and their definitions are blending further together with the convergence of patient care and consumer wellness.

According to StartUp Health’s 2019 Q3 Report, $10.4 billion has been invested in digital health companies this year to date—with very important public health issues nearing the top of those investments. Public health startups include those focused on social determinants of health, access to care, cancer care, women’s health, and many other topics.

There are many examples of companies doing incredible things in public health, enabled by technology. Here are just a few:

Omada Health: Chronic disease therapeutics

Lyft: Transportation to doctor’s visits

Curatio Social Network for Health

Bodyport: Heart Disease prevention and management

HealthTap: Telemedicine

If you’re looking to start your own company in the public health space (or any space), I highly encourage you to focus on the following areas:

• Team: Make sure you have the right team working with you. Bring in experts that believe in your mission and have strengths that mitigate your weaknesses.
• Product: How is your product differentiated from existing products on the market? What makes it unique?
• Market: how big is the market? Is there a need for your product in the market?

If you have these three areas covered and are creating something you are passionate about, you will be on a good path forward.

Plugging into the ecosystem and understanding the available resources is also an important piece of building any company. These are good places to start getting connected:

• Global Center for Medical Innovation
• Atlanta Tech Village
• ATDC
• Innovate @ Emory
• Emory Innovation Hub

Alexa Morse is the Accelerator Portfolio Manager at the Global Center for Medical Innovation. She graduated from Rollins in 2017 with an MPH in Behavioral Sciences and Health Education. During her time at Rollins, she focused on the scalability of health programs, in addition to the intersection of technology and public health.

Professional Feedback

From Elizabeth Hannapel, MPH (Alum, 2012): 

Workplace feedback looks, sounds, and feels different from school feedback. Classroom feedback tends to come by way of test scores, comments on papers, and final grades. These methods of feedback revolve almost entirely around the accuracy and content of your work product. Workplace feedback can (and should!) include the content and quality of your work products, as well as your attributes as an employee. The latter is something that many young professionals struggle with. It can be uncomfortable and is often only reluctantly engaged with by employees and employers.  Providing candid feedback on soft skills is difficult; employers may not feel confident in their own soft skills and it is a challenge to provide soft skill feedback that is actionable.

“It was impossible not to feel hurt (“Why don’t they like me?”) and defensive (“I’m getting my work done; if they don’t like it that’s their problem.”)”

I still remember the first time I received feedback about my approach to work. I was used to tackling my job duties and offering to help others. While that approach was beneficial for group projects in school, a colleague pointed out that it was creating friction with a group of colleagues with very different work styles. It was impossible not to feel hurt (“Why don’t they like me?”) and defensive (“I’m getting my work done; if they don’t like it that’s their problem.”) Neither of those helped me navigate my workplace or become a better team member.

“Only one of my ultimate objectives depended on the skills that were graded in school.”

What did help me was to step back and think about the feedback as an opportunity for improvement (rather than a critique of my identity.) I thought about my ultimate objectives: complete my job duties, foster collaboration, maintain open communication with colleagues, and have that communication be pleasant whenever possible. Notably, only one of those depended on the skills that were graded in school. I was able to realign my actions with those goals in mind, develop friendly workplace relationships, and was better able to recruit those same folks for support in other endeavors.

I graduated from Rollins with a MPH in Epidemiology in 2012. I now work for the Georgia Department of Public Health, and I interact with current Rollins students and recent alumni. Rollins students are well equipped for local and state public health job duties through their coursework. What Rollins students, and young professionals in general, could benefit from is openness to and active engagement with feedback.

“Often it is a gift we may not want, but a gift nonetheless.”

It is fundamentally harder to hear feedback on soft skills than on hard skills. It is particularly hard to remember that feedback is a gift.  Often it is a gift we may not want, but a gift nonetheless. Soft skills are often heavily weighted in decisions on advancement.  An employee may be technically brilliant, but without the soft skills to help drive the organization forward, their career goals may be stymied. Being open to improving both hard and soft skills helps to build a solid path for continued advancement.

As a potential employer, I can work to establish and improve mechanisms for feedback. Often in academic and government settings there isn’t much emphasis on feedback for soft skills.

“If you find yourself in a workplace without a formal feedback process, ask for one!”

This is a disservice to both the employee and the company. On-the-job training, and the corresponding evaluation processes, should reflect not only job-specific tasks but also the interpersonal skills that enable staff to navigate complex professional environments. Our team does not have a formal process for providing feedback to current students, and I’m working with others to establish one.

If you find yourself in a workplace without a formal feedback process, as either a student volunteer or a full-time-employee, ask for one! Reach out to your supervisor and establish regularly scheduled meetings where you can review not only your quantifiable job performance but also your soft skills. Your employer may have performance reviews, but they may not include feedback for professional skills.

“Request feedback and be open to it.”

Ask your supervisor “How do you think I’m performing with respect to interpersonal relationships and office dynamics? What can I do to improve my listening and communication skills? What areas should I further develop, and do you know of any resources or trainings that might be helpful?”

Request feedback and be open to it. Although difficult, this is a crucial component of continued development and a competitive advantage. Rollins offers many opportunities to prepare for public health work; Use this time to increase your technical knowledge AND your interpersonal skills that will help you succeed as a professional.

Additional Resources:

Ladders: How to Handle Negative Feedback Without Taking it Personally

Purdue CCO Blog: Receiving Feedback

MBO Partners: How to Identify and Improve Soft Skills

WikiJob UK: Soft Skills

Training Industry: Expert Perspectives on Soft Skills

Elizabeth Hannapel graduated from Rollins in 2012 with a MPH in Epidemiology. While at Rollins, her interests included Infectious Diseases and Public Health Emergency Preparedness. Now, Liz serves as the state coordinator for legionellosis and shigellosis, and leads infectious disease outbreak investigations for the Georgia Department of Public Health. Follow Liz on Twitter @LizBitler.

Generational Differences

This week on PROspective, we’re talking about generational differences and how they play out in the workplace. If you recently started a REAL job, maybe this will help you understand your manager and their expectations. If you are an alum, this might help you coach your REAL student or recent hire. 

BUT – what you might not realize, is that this discussion isn’t just about their generation – it’s also about your own generation. 

“Nosce te ipsum” – Know Thyself

This maxim was popularized by the ancient Greek philosophers, who carved it into the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. An important, but often overlooked empathic exercise – pointed toward yourself instead of at others. 

This infographic from King University online breaks down the major differences between Millennials and GenX’s in the workplace – what they value, how they work, and what they expect. As you read through the graphic, take a beat to think about how this applies to you just as much as how it applies to others. Understanding your own motivations, expectations, and values – and how they may be perceived by others – might help you navigate a workplace with a collection of different worldviews. 

Also worth noting – generalizations about people of different age groups are just that – general, and almost certainly don’t represent every individual in a group. Keep in mind that these categories are loosely defined and individual characteristics will always vary.