This summer I had the wonderful opportunity of working with Dr. Danielle Cullen on her health research project called Complete Eats. This project had two goals: the first was to implement the Summer Food Service Program at four CHOP locations and evaluate the implementation process—the acceptability, feasibility, and reach of the program—at each location. The second goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of this program in connecting participants who were experiencing food insecurity to resources in their communities, and the impact on subsequently reported food insecurity and child health. My role as a research assistant was to recruit program participants as well as to conduct surveys and follow-up phone interviews, serving as collection of our quantitative and qualitative data. Additionally, I served as a program site manager, identifying areas for process change and program improvement. I was lucky to be able to work with an incredible team of students and an amazingly supportive mentor.
Tackling something as fundamental and unfortunately overlooked as food insecurity is no easy task, and as Dr. Cullen always says, implementation science is messy. We were challenged to think critically and creatively to maximize the effectiveness and reach of this program at our respective sites. My team and I will be continuing to collect and analyze data into the fall and considering future directions for the project. It was amazing to be able to learn about the social determinants of health, public health research and initiatives, and the role of health organizations in public health practices and policy from a first-hand perspective rather than from inside the classroom. This unforgettable experience has made me even more excited for my future as a nurse and has sparked an interest in the realm of research and public health policy.
This summer I had the wonderful opportunity of working with Dr. Danielle Cullen on her health research project called Complete Eats. This project had two goals: the first was to implement the Summer Food Service Program at four CHOP locations and evaluate the implementation process—the acceptability, feasibility, and reach of the program—at each location. The second goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of this program in connecting participants who were experiencing food insecurity to resources in their communities, and the impact on subsequently reported food insecurity and child health. My role as a research assistant was to recruit program participants as well as to conduct surveys and follow-up phone interviews, serving as collection of our quantitative and qualitative data. Additionally, I served as a program site manager, identifying areas for process change and program improvement. I was lucky to be able to work with an incredible team of students and an amazingly supportive mentor.
Tackling something as fundamental and unfortunately overlooked as food insecurity is no easy task, and as Dr. Cullen always says, implementation science is messy. We were challenged to think critically and creatively to maximize the effectiveness and reach of this program at our respective sites. My team and I will be continuing to collect and analyze data into the fall and considering future directions for the project. It was amazing to be able to learn about the social determinants of health, public health research and initiatives, and the role of health organizations in public health practices and policy from a first-hand perspective rather than from inside the classroom. This unforgettable experience has made me even more excited for my future as a nurse and has sparked an interest in the realm of research and public health policy.