In November, I was given the opportunity to work as an MPH Student Research Assistant with the Center for Violence Prevention (CVP) and the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) under the supportive mentorship of Christina Labows, MPH, Rachel Myers, PhD, MS, and Hillary Kapa, MPH. During this experience, I contributed to several meaningful projects while developing valuable research and data management skills. I primarily supported child passenger safety (CPS) research focused on understanding disparities in pediatric crash injury outcomes and exploring caregivers’ perspectives on their child’s long-term recovery following a crash. My responsibilities included screening patient medical records in Epic using detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria, entering and organizing data in REDCap, updating the study documentation manual, creating new database variables, and contributing to team discussions to help ensure accurate and consistent data classification.

In addition to CPS research, I also supported the BRAVE (Building Resilience After Violent Experiences) program and community-based violence prevention program evaluation initiatives. I collected pre- and post-measures from youth enrolled in BRAVE, conducted qualitative coding and analysis of interview transcripts using Dedoose, and helped draft a logic model to demonstrate the program’s impact on youth and their caregivers. I monitored implementation of a new care planning tool newly used by case managers in the Community Violence and Trauma Support (CVTS) programs. This work is foundational to future efforts to identify data-driven and feasible implementation processes for case managers in the field. These experiences strengthened both my quantitative and qualitative research skills while providing insight into how interdisciplinary teams use research to improve care, inform interventions, and support families affected by injury and violence.

I am incredibly grateful to contribute to research that has the potential to create meaningful change for children and families. What I value most about this work is its emphasis on prevention and early intervention, as addressing challenges early can have a lasting impact on long-term health, safety, and well-being. This internship solidified my passion for patient-centered research and for translating research findings into practice to improve outcomes across diverse patient populations. I am so thankful to the CVP and CIRP teams for their mentorship, support, and encouragement throughout this experience, and for helping me grow both personally and professionally as a public health researcher.