[ST1-M1] Project Stage 1-Module 1 | From Health Problem Review to Project Topic Formulation – IEPH | Institutes of Epidemiology & Public Health

Conceptualization & Design

Stage 1 of 3

Project-Course: ST1-M1

Project Topic Formulation

Module 1 of 2

About the Project-Course | At-a-Glance

What Participants Will Learn-by-Doing in *Stage 1/Modules 1 & 2*** Experiential Collaboratory Project-Courses (incl. Generation of Publications**)

An articulation of ‘why’ this issue/problem matters & must be addressed, culminating in a problem statement and research question/hypothesis, and generate the following milestone outputs:

Identify a topic/problem of interest in general terms, and after completing the activities below, refine that into a structured project title;
A brief case study &/or situational analysis incorporating a literature review of the state of the art existing/background knowledge on the problem of interest, culminating in a problem statement;
A problem statement, research question &/or hypothesis statement pertaining to the problem which needs to be addressed; and
A structured project title derived from refinement of the above elements of the introduction of the problem topic.
Module 1‘s topic summary development activities culminate in two (2) sets of peer-reviewed output milestones (a learning participant-led primary topic summary and corresponding 5-min Lightning Presentation videos, followed by similar outputs from a preceptor-guided related demo topic), with both output milestone sets peer reviewed in 2 x Web conference presentations, i.e. 2 x 5 min lightning presentation format publications (oral/poster video presentation).

A description of ‘what’ will be done to investigate/study/research/address the problem) including identifying an appropriate epidemiologic design framework for the investigation, research/study &/or solution to address the identified problem, research question, &/or hypothesis; and

These outputs are generated from incrementally presenting expanded details in each section, specifically aims and objectives, background & rationale, methods (incl. epidemiologic design framework and analyses) and expected real world applicability of the anticipated final output (anticipated findings/results/solution).
–Module 2 culminates in two (2) sets of 3 peer-reviewed output milestones (for a total of 6 publications) consisting of one (1) set of three (3) eJournal format publications from the learning participant-led primary topic dovetailing another set of three (3) eJournal format publications from the preceptor-guided demo topic.

-Altogether, Stage 1/ST1 Modules 1 & 2 of the Project-Course culminate in 8 peer-reviewed output milestone publications (2 Sets of 4) cumulatively generated from Modules 1 & 2 as shown below.

100% Online

~100% Online A-V materials incl. Webinars, tutorials, sml grp discussions, eConferences & eJournals

Enrollment Formats

~Dual-enrollment (university program supplement), or
~Independent project

Duration/Length

~Module 1: Varies, typically 8-12 wks,
~Module 2: Varies, typically 12 or 24 wks

Program Pacing & Starting/Intake Cycles

~Self-paced, start anytime
~Preceptor-paced, semi-annual start

Intermediate Level

~Prerequisites through HIIT-CIISLearnetwork

Interactive & Collaborative through Peer-Reviewed Publications

Peer-reviewed output milestone publications through:
~eConferences (2 x) & eJournals (6 x publications) in Stage 1, Modules 1&2
~Webinars & grp discussions

Project-Based, Experiential & Mentored Learn-by-Doing

~Learner-led primary project, dovetailing
~Preceptor-guided demo project

International Preceptor Faculty & Peer Reviewers

~Internationally benchmarked training
~International faculty/preceptors & peer-reviewers

Who Should Enroll & Placement Entryways to Enrollment:

Whether you are a freshly-minted graduate (or still preparing to be) .. further along your early-mid career trajectory … an established professional .. or responsible for organizational capacity .. if you have an interest in improvement of your own individual aptitude in Epidemiology, Analytics & Service-/Project-Based e-Learning (EASeL) or development and augmentation of your organization’s EASeL capacity, you can participate in/initiate HIIT-CIISLEARNetwork^ projects which integrate EASeL methods into Experiential Collaboratory Project-Courses (co-learning and collaboration with peers to investigate, innovate, and solve major public heath/healthcare challenges) .. and advance data-driven/evidence-based policy, public health/clinical practice & implementation innovation in pursuit of health outcome improvement.

^HIIT-CIISLEARNetwork projects | Health Improvement Innovations through (HIIT) Collaborative Interinstitutional Interdisciplinary Service-/Project-Based (e)Learning, Epidemiology, Analytics & Research Network (CIISLEARNetwork) projects.

The MCAE Program is Shown Below as the 2nd (Level-2) of Three (3) Progressive Levels of Real World/Experiential/Practice-Scholar Pathway (PSP) Programs in the Applied Epidemiology Track.

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Entryway-Placements towards Experiential/Practice-Scholar Pathway (PSP) Programs:

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Stage 1 within a 3-Stage Project Framework for Experiential Collaboratory Project-Course Series

Two (2) Project Initiation Modules of Stage 1/ST1 (concept to protocol):

Module 1 (M1): Project Topic Conceptualization & Initiation
Module 2 (M2): Project Design, Conceptual Abstract & Protocol

More M1 & M2 details are in the next section

Flow-Diagram & Summary:

-In this mentored/experiential/learn-by-doing program (see diagram in next section), learning participant-led Stage 1 of Primary project activities dovetail preceptor-led projects Demonstration project activities (on a related topic).
-As indicated in the diagram in above section, and the outputs/milestones list in the next section below, engagement of learning participants in the preceptor-led demo project provides opportunities for learning-by-doing in advance of subsequent relatively independent supervised execution of their Primary project.

Stage 1 | Modules 1 & 2 Summaries | Output Milestones At-a-Glance

ST1/Stage 1 of the Experiential Collaboratory Project-Course series guides program participants progressively through Modules 1 & 2 output milestones to accomplish project startup from concept to protocol as briefly outlined below:

Module 1 | Project Topic Conceptualization & Initiation

Project initiation steps beginning with framing of the primary topic /problem of interest as a problem statement, rationale/purpose, research question &/or hypothesis, and defining aims and objectives

Module 2 | Project Design, Conceptual Abstract & Protocol

Design thinking & further project conceptualization culminating in generation of a conceptual abstract, expanded conceptual summary report and a protocol, i.e. consolidating a project title, aims & objectives, background & rationale, methods (epidemiologic design framework and analyses) and expected real world applicability of the anticipated final output/results/solution.

-The progressive approach through Modules 1 & 2 also includes ascertainment of consistency and logical connections across the key sections.

Project Stage 1 | ST1 | Modules 1 & 2 Output Milestones

Two (2) Sets of Four (4) Peer-Reviewed Output Milestone Publications Cumulatively Generated from Stage 1/Modules 1 & 2 (M1 & M2)

Module 1‘s topic summary development activities culminate in two (2) sets of peer-reviewed output milestones (a learning participant-led primary topic summary and corresponding 5-min Lightning Presentation videos, followed by similar outputs from a preceptor-guided related demo topic), with both output milestone sets showcased in Web conference format publications.
Similarly, Module 2 culminates in two (2) sets of peer-reviewed output milestones with one (1) set of three (3) eJournal format publications from the learning participant-led primary topic dovetailing another set of three (3) eJournal format publications from the preceptor-guided demo topic.
Altogether, Stage 1/ST1 of the Project-Course culminates in 8 peer-reviewed output milestone publications (2 Sets of 4) cumulatively generated from Modules 1 & 2 as shown below.

Module 1 | 1 x 2 Peer-Reviewed Output Milestone A

Primary Project Topic Summary & 5 min. video presentation:
Learning-participant-led primary topic web Conference Publication #1.1
-Topic summary includes a tentative title, case study &/or introduction (background, rationale and significance), problem statement, research question(s) &/or hypothesis statement(s) culminating in project overall aims.

Demo Project Topic Summary & 5 min. video presentation:
Preceptor-guided demo topic web Conference Publication #1.2
-Topic summary includes a tentative title, case study &/or introduction (background, rationale and significance), problem statement, research question(s) &/or hypothesis statement(s) culminating in project overall aims.

Module 2 | 3 x 2 Peer-Reviewed Output Milestones B, C & D

Conceptual Abstracts/Project Description Summary (Conceptual abstract x 2):
-Learning-participant-led primary topic (eJournal) Publication #2.11 dovetailing Preceptor-guided demo topic (eJournal) Publication #2.12
-Incorporating aims & objectives; background, rationale & significance; and methods (incl. study design, study population, inclusion criteria, outcome and risk factors of interest, study procedures, analyses methods and measure of effect):
Quality assurance (QA) & continuing education through peer review of methods conference presentations & journal article Registered Reports-format publication (D’Agostino et al, 2021; Baldwin et al, 2022 ) of Conceptual Abstracts (x 2):
-Writing & reviewing abstracts (SER Guide; CDC Guide; )

Expanded Conceptual Summary Report x 2:
-Learning-participant-led primary topic (eJournal) Publication #2.21 dovetailing Preceptor-guided demo topic (eJournal) Publication #2.22
-Expanded Conceptual Summary Report begins with a scale-down 400-word abstract followed by the 1-page or <1500 word expanded abstract generated with more details on the same sections as the conceptual abstract (for Registration/Publication as a registered project summary report);
-Incorporates aims & objectives; and more detailed background, rationale & significance; and methods (incl. study design, study population, inclusion criteria, outcome and risk factors of interest, study procedures, analyses methods and measure of effect):
-Quality assurance (QA) & continuing education through peer review of methods conference presentations & journal article Registered Reports-format publication (D’Agostino et al, 2021; Baldwin et al, 2022 ) of Conceptual Abstracts (x 2):
-Writing & reviewing abstracts (SER Guide; CDC Guide; )

IRB protocols x 2:
-Learning-participant-led primary topic (eJournal) Publication #2.31 dovetailing Preceptor-guided demo topic (eJournal) Publication #2.32
-Protocol consists of transfer of content from Conceptual Abstract to required IRB application form/format
-Incorporating aims & objectives; background, rationale & significance; and methods (incl. study design, study population, inclusion criteria, outcome and risk factors of interest, study procedures, analyses methods and measure of effect):
-Quality assurance (QA) & continuing education through peer review of methods conference presentations & journal article Registered Reports-format publication (D’Agostino et al, 2021; Baldwin et al, 2022 ) of Conceptual Abstracts (x 2):
-Writing & reviewing abstracts (SER Guide; CDC Guide; )