Overview
Meet the PVAMU Team
Bootcamp
Internships
Professional Development

Grant and Program Overview

The Gaining Equity in Training for Public Health Informatics and Technology (GET PHIT) Consortium plans to train 1,400 students predominantly (greater than 75%) from underrepresented groups and 500 public health, clinic, and academic professionals, while placing 400 students in internships. Led by The University Texas of Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health (SPH) and School of Biomedical Informatics (SBMI), the GET PHIT Consortium is collaborating with:

  • Huston-Tillotson University (HBCU);
  • Prairie View A&M University (HBCU);
  • Texas A&M International University (HSI);
  • Texas Tech University Health Science Center;
  • The University of Texas at Arlington (HSI);
  • The University of Texas at El Paso (HSI);
  • The University of Texas Permian Basin (HSI);
  • The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (HSI).

Students will participate in:

Summer Bootcamps, delivered both Face-to-Face and Online

Modules integrated into existing undergraduate curriculum

Post-baccalaureate certificates

Master’s degrees

Professionals will have access to freely available, online, asynchronous public health informatics and technology curriculum throughout the life of the grant. GET PHIT will leverage its many public health, community, and other partners to ensure the student internships are meaningful.

Meet the PVAMU Team

Seungchan Kim, Ph.D.

S. Kim, Ph.D.
[ home | CV | role ]

Sharon McWhinney, Ph.D.

S. McWhinney, Ph.D.
[ home | CV | role ]

Max A. Fontus, Ph.D.

M. A. Fontus, Ph.D.
[ home | CV | role ]

Noushin Ghaffari, Ph.D.

N. Ghaffari, Ph.D.
[ home | CV | role ]

Andrea McDonald, Ph.D.

A. McDonald, Ph.D.
[ home | CV | role ]

Naznin Sultana, Ph.D.

N. Sultana, Ph.D.
[ home | CV | role ]

Bootcamp

This is a special online bootcamp exclusive to PVAMU students.  See Online Summer Bootcamp below for the curriculum and additional information about the online bootcamp.

If you have any questions about the GET PHIT Bootcamps, please contact us at get-phit@pvamu.edu.

The in-person summer bootcamp is for undergraduates who may be interested in public health informatics. They will be offered in different locations each summer, open to all currently enrolled undergraduate students. The first week of the 2-week experience will be comprised of a combination of informational lectures and hands-on, practice exercises. The students will spend the second week working on research projects. They will be divided into small groups with faculty mentors. Project ideas may come from the faculty or the students.

The bootcamp curriculum will include:

  • Introduction to Public Health Informatics (PHI)
  • Data Standards
  • Public Health Analytics
  • Privacy and Security
  • Emerging Trends in PHI
  • Public Health Surveillance
  • Epidemiology
  • Bias and Equity in data use

Examples of potential projects include:

  • Building a decision-making dashboard for a rural public health department
  • Collecting public health data via a variety of methods
  • Developing an algorithm to identify specific risk factors

If you have any questions about the GET PHIT Bootcamps, please contact us at get-phit@pvamu.edu.

The online bootcamp will be delivered virtually, using a learning management system over a period of approximately 8 weeks. Each unit will include recorded lectures and exercises. Students and mentors will interact virtually at mutually convenient times. The small group projects will be completed under the guidance of a faculty mentor over the second 4 weeks. Examples of potential projects include building a decision-making dashboard for a rural public health department; collecting public health data via a variety of methods; or developing an algorithm to identify specific risk factors.

The bootcamp curriculum will include:

  • Introduction to Public Health Informatics (PHI)
  • Data Standards
  • Public Health Analytics
  • Privacy and Security
  • Emerging Trends in PHI
  • Public Health Surveillance
  • Epidemiology
  • Bias and Equity in data use

If you have any questions about the GET PHIT Bootcamps, please contact us at get-phit@pvamu.edu.

Bootcamp applications are available below:

Bootcamp applications at UTHSC

Announcements

The PVAMU Team at the First Annual GET-PHIT Summit

Internships

GET PHIT will provide eligible students with paid internships within health departments, non-profits, and health systems every semester

The GET PHIT internship is a 160 hour part-time paid internship. Students will receive a stipend ranging from $2,440 – $3,000 based on education and skill. The Summer 2022 Internship application is closed.

  • Must be a student at a GET PHIT institution
  • Must participate in a GET PHIT bootcamp, approved program and/or course
  • Have a strong interest in public health informatics and data science
  • Students from underrepresented minorities are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to apply

Important Update: International students applying to the GET PHIT Internship program are eligible to participate in unpaid GET PHIT internship opportunities. The availability of unpaid internships may differ by semester and are not guaranteed. If interested, students must seek approval and clearance from their respective office of international affairs and relevant offices/advisors before proceeding. Clearance to participate does not automatically guarantee an unpaid internship.

In addition to providing your personal information, applicants will need to provide the following items:

  • Unofficial transcript from your current institution
  • Resume/CV
  • Name and contact information for a recommender (someone who can attest to your skills, leadership, character, and the like)
  • Personal statement (500 words or less) addressing your interest in public health informatics, data science, and/or other relevant topics, and how this program will support your growth and development.

These items can be directly provided and/or uploaded to your application.

Semester * Internship Dates ** Deadline to Apply
Summer 2022 Early June – Mid Aug April 1
Fall 2022 Early Sep – Early Dec July 1
Spring 2023 Early Feb – Early May Oct 1

*GET PHIT Internships will also be available in years 2023, 2024 and 2025. Check back for updates to schedule. ** Specific start dates may vary and will depend on internship sites and processing.

Professional Development

The professional development courses offered by GET PHIT will be guided by a needs assessment of Texas public health agencies. The professional development courses will be online only and self-directed. Although participants will need to register, the education will be offered at no charge for the duration of the grant (until September 2025). Continuing education certificates will be awarded upon the completion of each unit.

Have questions? Email us at get-phit@pvamu.edu