Note: Please visit DPH Paid Internship Program for program details, timeline, and application deadline. You will have a chance to share which project(s) you are interested when you submit the application online.
Project: The Impact of Financial Incentives on COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Massachusetts; Vaccine Data Analyst Research Intern
Organization: Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Science, Office of the Medical Director
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health holds as its highest priority the promotion of optimal health and the reduction of preventable illness among people living in the Commonwealth. Vaccines are among the most well tested and effective interventions available to promote the health of the public. However, even though we have safe and effective vaccines to provide protection from many infectious diseases, some community members are reluctant to accept vaccination for various reasons. For this reason, public health policy makers may use incentives to increase the uptake of vaccination. To increase uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine during a period of high disease activity, the state of Massachusetts offered $75 gift cards to residents who chose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at vaccination sites in areas with lower vaccine uptake. The vaccine incentive program was called “Get Boosted.” We are interested in understanding how the vaccine incentive program might have influenced COVID-19 vaccine uptake during that time. To answer this question, we propose to analyze data from the state vaccine administration database, Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS). This study is expected to produce publishable findings. Our intern will gain exposure to how public health departments can analyze data to inform public policy. One of the primar2y objectives of our commissioner of the Department of Public Health is to “build a modernized data and analytics system for best-in-class data collection, sharing, and dissemination.” Data collection, management and analysis will be an important component of the field of public health into the future.
Skills Required:
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Training in database management, data extraction, data cleaning/quality checks, derivation of new variables, labeling and formatting of raw and derived variables and conducting statistical analysis
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Knowledge and experience using statistical analysis software such as SAS
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Ability to perform statistical analyses (descriptive statistics, stratification, multi-variable regression, time series analysis, spline curves, measurement error correction) using SAS software
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Ability to help prepare study results for inclusion in conference presentations, grants, and scientific publications.
Technology Required: Computer
Work Arrangement: Hybrid
Hours Per Week: 20-37.5
Preferred Eligibility: Masters and or Doctoral students
Preferred Academic Experience: Graduate students in the fields of biostatistics and epidemiology
For more information, please check out Program FAQs. You can also contact us by email dphinternship@mass.gov.