Mallory’s Hays’ Applied Practice Experience (APEx) at CyncHealth
Mallory Hays, a University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health student, completed her APEx journey with CyncHealth over the summer. During this experience, she participated in public health projects through the Midwest Institute of Community Health, a CyncHealth entity. As part of her work, Mallory developed an evaluation plan for community health intervention projects. For Mallory, the project was both challenging and enlightening. She learned to outline project goals and target populations, develop meaningful evaluation questions, and identify relevant data collection and analysis variables.
Mallory notes, “Perhaps most importantly, I gained experience collaborating with organizations to refine these evaluation plans, ensuring they were not only theoretically sound but also practically feasible. This experience highlighted the critical importance of robust evaluation in public health interventions and gave me a deeper appreciation for the iterative nature of proposal development and implementation.”
Another significant learning experience for Mallory was her participation in focus group sessions with various Nebraska organizations. These sessions aimed to understand their data needs for future activities. “This project exposed me to the diverse and complex data requirements of different stakeholders in the public health ecosystem,” Mallory explains. “Through these focus groups, I gained firsthand insight into the challenges and priorities of various health organizations. I learned about the specific types of data that are most valuable to different entities. This experience underscored the importance of tailoring data presentation and analysis to meet the unique needs of different stakeholders.”
Growth and New Perspectives
Mallory’s APEx experience has reinforced her strengths and unveiled new areas of professional growth. Initially, she expected her role as a statistician to be largely independent, focusing on solitary data analysis tasks. However, her time at CyncHealth provided a different perspective. “Reflecting on my skills and abilities, this Applied Practice Experience has not only reinforced my strengths but also revealed unexpected areas of growth and new perspectives on my role as a statistician in public health. Initially, I approached this experience with the mindset that statistics is often a solitary job, expecting to work primarily on independent data analysis tasks. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the level of engagement and collaboration required in public health practice,” Mallory shared.
A Pivotal Public Health Education Experience
Mallory’s APEx at CyncHealth has proven to be a pivotal experience in her public health education. It equipped her with practical program evaluation and health data analysis skills while deepening her understanding of public health practice. This experience has also strengthened her commitment to the field, providing her with a more realistic view of the challenges in public health and a greater appreciation for its potential impact. “This experience has not only enhanced my skills and knowledge but also reinforced my passion for public health and my determination to make a positive impact on population health in my future career,” Mallory affirmed.
Looking Forward
As Mallory continues her professional journey, she feels better prepared to contribute meaningfully to the field of public health, with a particular focus on connecting public health data systems and practices. Her APEx at CyncHealth has solidified her passion for public health and determination to make a lasting impact, illustrating the profound value of applied learning experiences in shaping the next generation of public health professionals. “Student experiences, like Mallory’s, are crucial to shaping the field of public health by connecting real-time health data insights with community public health needs. At CyncHealth, we welcome the opportunity to support the next generation of public health professionals,” says Dr. Larra Petersen-Lukenda, Chief Operating Officer for the Nebraska Healthcare Collaborative and Midwest Institute for Community Health.
About CyncHealth
CyncHealth connects over 5 million lives and 1,135 facilities across Nebraska and Iowa. This network includes hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare providers. By sharing data like patient histories, lab results, and immunizations, CyncHealth helps doctors and nurses provide better care.
