EXTRA CREDIT
Epidemiology 414
Practical Epidemiologic Investigations
(Web Technologies for the Epidemiologist)

UCLA - School of Public Health
Department of Epidemiology

 

EXTRA CREDIT 1

UCLA
School of Public Health
Evaluation Committee

Employer Survey
(Abbreviated Research Plan)

Objective: To survey both current and prospective employers of UCLA School of Public Health graduates, and obtain their opinions about the quality and scope of the education received by such employees, and what skills and other attributes they would like to see in UCLA graduates.

Background: The Evaluation Committee is interested in learning about the opinions of Employers of UCLA graduates, both Public and Private, in order to determine whether graduates adequately meet their expectations. It is clearly understood by the Committee that this present survey will not be based upon a scientific sampling, and that the instrument developed may not contain quantifiable information.  However, it was felt that such a survey could serve as a useful pilot for later efforts.

Methods:

  1. Create a List of Areas of Interest to survey -   It will be necessary to develop a number of questions by topic area. Each topic area will also have free-form text fields for the respondents to fill in.  To create the topic list and the questions, students will carry out a literature review, and conduct interviews with Committee members, other selected UCLA faculty, and some current Employers. Typical topic areas will include:
  2. Develop a sample Survey Instrument -  The Survey will be divided into two major parts: one in which Employers evaluate current graduate employees (current employess may be divided between recent graduates and 'older' graudates dating from > 5 years ago), and second part of the survey, employers will be asked to indicate the type and level of skills they would like to find in future graduates.
  3. Review of Survey Instrument – After putting together a draft survey form with a basic set of questions,  the Evaluation Committee and several selected Employers will review its content.
  4. Refine Survey Instrument - Based upon comments received and further review the survey will be refined and  submitted to the Evaluation Committee.
  5. Setting up a Web enabled survey/database system - Using FrontPage the Survey form will be converted from Word/WP into HTML-Form document. Data fields from the Survey will created using an Access data-base.  The HTML Survey Form, will then be converted into a Cold Fusion Page, and a Cold Fusion Application developed to set up the ODBC between Survey Form and Database.  The Access database will be converted to a Microsoft SQL7 database for use on the Web.
  6. List of potential employers to be surveyed - An email list will be assembled, which will be the basis for notifying employers about the survey. In addition, information about the survey will be promulgated through known contacts, such as Dr. Jonathan Fielding, Director of Public Health, at the County of Los Angeles, Dr. Strassburg, in his capacity as Technical Advisor to L.A. CARE, etc.  In addition, certain UCLA publications such as the Alumni News could be utilized.
  7. Employers will be asked to fill out the survey on the Web, they will be provided the URL (http://lapublichealth.org/ucla/survey)

Analysis:

Develop a Report in Access which will provide Committee members with pertinent information obtained from the Survey. (Although the database will be in SQL7, each night there will be a download into an Access data base).

EXTRA CREDIT 2

Dr Frerichs, the Epidemiology Department Chair, has been encouraging faculty members to create web pages that are linked to the Department's web page.  All faculty Web pages will have a standard look and feel, with a simple Frame environment. Other then basic information on each faculty home page, the amount of information presented on the site will be determined by the faculty member.  This might include the creation of, on-line resume, class outlines, class plans, faculty's abstracts, favorite links, etc.   For an example, please look at Dr. Frerichs'  web page at:  http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/faculty/frerichs.html. 

epi414@yahoo.com