1038- United States of America- Addressing the burden of Staphylococcus aureus infections in Indigenous communities in the Southwest US

This project is being conducted in the White Mountain Apache Tribal lands, which are located approximately 3 hours north of Phoenix, Arizona. The Center for Indigenous Health (CIH) has been conducting infectious disease research in collaboration with the Tribe for over two decades and has a research site co-located with the Indian Health Service Hospital in Whiteriver, Arizona. The CIH has a project funded by the NIH to develop and evaluate a community-informed intervention to reduce Staphylococcus aureus carriage to help address the burden and epidemiology of S. aureus among Native American adults.

The primary duties of the student will be to assist with study activities, including coordinating study visits, processing and storing samples, data entry, data management, and quality control activities. If desired and feasible, the student may also assist with study visit activities, including consenting and sample collection, and laboratory activities, including culture.

welcoming! The CIH has a long history of working with students and conducting research in this community. Both the staff at CIH and people in the community are very welcoming and friendly. The student will be integrated into the study team, which will include the site manager, study physician, research nurse, and study assistants. The student will have the opportunity to get engaged with all aspects of the study.

is interested in Indigenous health and eager to learn about how to conduct and manage studies.

Candidates should have completed courses in Epidemiology (either 720 or 750) and Biostatistics (either the 620 or 650). Clinical and/or laboratory experience and proficiency in Stata/R/SAS are desirable but not required. Candidates should have a strong academic record and good oral and written communication skills.

Name: Catherine Sutcliffe, Department of Epidemiology, csutcli1@jhu.edu

I would describe my communication and mentorship styles as... 

hands-on, open, and supportive. I will have regular email and phone communication with the study team, including the student. I will work with the student and study team to develop a plan for the student. This plan can evolve over time as the student becomes more familiar with the study and the work environment.

A complementary student would have a working style and mentorship expectations that are..

open and flexible. The student should expect to be in regular communication about their activities and any issues that arise. The student should be flexible about what activities they work on - this will vary day to day and may change as the need arises. The student should be able to take direction and work with a team, but also work independently on tasks and problem-solve.

$1,500