Student Spotlight: Allison Foster, 2nd Year EPI

Allison Foster, 2nd Year EPI MPH

Practicum: Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, WI

Last summer, I completed my practicum in Marshfield, Wisconsin at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute (MCRI) in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health. For my REAL position, I work on domestic influenza surveillance efforts in the Influenza Division at CDC, and the MCRI is one of five sites in the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network which provides annual estimates of flu vaccine effectiveness. During my practicum, I had the opportunity to be mentored by some of the nation’s leaders in flu research while working on a project to assess the association between asthma and serious outcomes following influenza illness among school-aged children. I was also able to lead a journal club discussion, shadow clinicians and other clinic staff members, and assist in drafting a funding application for vaccine research. I recently presented a poster of my project at the ASPPH Annual Meeting in Arlington, VA on March 21, and I am currently working on a manuscript for publication.