Long-term Health Education and Training: Do’s and Don’ts

MAJ Michelle Colacicco-Mayhugh, PhD

Outline

• • • • • • What is best for me?

– Is this the right thing for me?

– What are the consequences on my career?

LTHET application process Application to school(s) Surviving a program My experience Questions

What is best for me?

• • Is LTHET the best thing for me?

– Do I really need this to meet my personal & professional goals – How will this affect family, etc.

What are the potential consequences on my career?

– Timing of promotion boards – Opportunity for other assignments

LTHET Application Process

• • • • LTHET MILPER Message comes out approx. 18 months prior to school start Follow LTHET directions explicitly Requires: – DA Form 3838 – Commander’s memorandum – Transcripts (not in IPerms) – DA Photo – GRE – Consultant’s endorsement If you plan on applying, plan ahead for the GRE

Application to School(s)

• Try to visit schools and meet potential major professors early in the process – ID potential projects early in the process – Make sure there is research funding in advance – Try to find a major professor who has experience getting military entomologists through a program successfully – Do not wait until you are already in your program to start seriously thinking about research • Be proactive with the admissions office – An RFO cannot be generated without an acceptance letter – If possible, ask for advanced consideration of your application

Surviving a Program

• • Expect to work harder than you have in any previous position Limit distractions – The mission is clear and simple…earn the degree – Try to avoid over committing yourself: • Committee memberships • Side projects • Remain proactive – If the program permits, try to test out of courses for which you already have experience – Complete qualifying exams, defend proposal, etc. as early in the program as possible

My Experience

• • Attended USUHS – Dual military considerations – Ability to tie into research programs at WRAIR Started working with people at USUHS and WRAIR before I started school to identify potential research projects Spring 04: Applied to LTHET Fall 04: Selected for LTHET Applied to Schools Jan 05: Received acceptance Mar 05: RFO received Orders cut

Core Courses

Biostastics I, II, and III Changing Patterns of Arthropod Borne Disease Environmental Health Epidemiology I Malaria Epidemiology and Control Medical Parasitology Principles and Practices of Tropical Medicine Ethics Scientific Writing Total Credits

Credits

13 4 4 4 3 3 6 1 1 39

Elective Courses

Epidemiology II GIS in Public Health Remote Sensing Methods for Public Health Acarology Epidemiology and Control of Arboviruses Biosystematics Physiological Parameters of Vector Competence Sand Flies and Disease Journal Club Total Credits

Credits

4 2 3 4 2 2 4 3 5 29

My Experience

• • Qualifying exams (written and oral): months after beginning program, after coursework is complete 12 – 24 Proposal defense: After qualifying exam, before research begins Jul 05: Started at USUHS Mar 07: Qualifying Exams (oral and written) Jun 07: Proposal Defense Jul 07 – Dec 08: Research &Writing Feb 09: Thesis submitted to grad school Mar 09: Private Defense Apr 09: Public Defense May 07: 2 nd Child Born Feb 08: Spouse deployed Jan 09: WRAIR Feb 09: Spouse home

My lessons learned

• • • • • • Be proactive in the application process Communicate with advisor and committee regularly Write proposal and plan research early to allow for a fast start once all blocks have been checked Accept that you have limits and learn to recognize them If you need help, ask early Make the most of any free time available

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to MAJ Anthony Schuster, MAJ Brian Evans, and CPT(P) Jeff Clark for insights into their experiences

Questions?

Disclaimer:

Material has been reviewed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. There is no objection to its presentation and/or publication. The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the author, and are not to be construed as official, or as reflecting true views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.