FROM THE BENCH
Midshipmen Meet Public Health Labs
in Florida Internships
By Stephen L. White, MS, bioterrorism defense coordinator, Bureau of Public Health Laboratories-Miami; Elesi Quaye, assistant laboratory director,
Bureau of Public Health Laboratories-Miami and Darryl Pronty, MPH, bioterrorism defense coordinator, Bureau of Public Health Laboratories-Miami
In the summer of 2017, the Florida
Department of Health’s Bureau of Public
Health Laboratories (BPHL)-Miami
welcomed its first cohort of midshipmen
from the United States Naval Academy
(USNA) to participate in a three-week
internship sponsored by the Defense
Threat Reduction Agency. The internship
is one of several summer internships
offered by the USNA Department of
Chemistry for students interested in
laboratory research or diagnostics.
The BPHL-Miami internship provides
midshipmen with an in-depth look at the
public health laboratory and introduces
potential career paths in public health.
BPHL staff developed the internship
schedule and curriculum over several
months, and plan to revise it annually
following participant performance and
feedback. Upon arrival in Miami, the
midshipmen train alongside experienced
laboratorians, infectious disease and
environmental health epidemiologists,
and other laboratory partners to gain
a unique perspective on the roles
and responsibilities of a public health
laboratory. Although activities vary each
year, the internship provides experiential
learning through lecture-based theory,
case studies, webinars, exercises, field
excursions and, of course, hands-on
experience at the bench. It culminates in
a presentation to laboratory staff of their
learnings from the internship and their
analysis of a case study highlighting the
contribution of the laboratory to public
health. At the conclusion of the program,
the midshipmen evaluate all facets of the
internship, including program content,
administration and excursions. This
evaluation is compared with their input
on a pre-test.
To help facilitate the internship
and provide a more comprehensive
experience, staff at BPHL-Miami also work
closely with staff from sister laboratories
in Jacksonville and Tampa; this exposes
the midshipmen to testing that is not
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
BPHL-Miami staff with the 2017 midshipmen. Photo: BPHL-Miami
available in Miami, such as whole genome
sequencing and Mycobacterium testing.
In addition to laboratory testing, the
midshipmen meet with other laboratory
partners. Over the past two years, interns
have met with epidemiologists, FBI agents,
biosafety experts, civil support team
laboratorians and quarantine station staff.
at a conference or other appropriate
venue. Continued collaboration between
the USNA and BPHL will provide future
leaders with an appreciation of the
laboratory’s contribution to public
health. n
Unsurprisingly, these visits and the
bench experience are valued most by
the midshipmen. Midshipman Garrett
Forrester noted, “The ability to learn about
the lab and its functions was incredible! I
never would’ve known how this all works
if not for the internship.” Midshipman
Jordan Cabarrus’ favorite activity was
the field excursion to sample water for
coliform testing; he stated, “I like the field
visits the best! The water sampling was
a lot of fun!” This may or may not have
something to do with the draw of Miami’s
well-known beaches.
As BPHL-Miami looks forward to its third
group of midshipmen in the summer
of 2019, it plans to add more time at
the bench, expand the number of field
opportunities and offer the opportunity
for midshipmen to present their work
APHL.org
Midshipman Lianne Marquez works up an isolate in
microbiology. Photo: BPHL-Miami
Winter 2019 LAB MATTERS
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