Practicum Products

The two main products that I'm developing as part of my practicum are videos and handouts. The videos are done (as of less than an hour ago!) but I'm waiting for some feedback before I deem them finalized and ready to show off.

The handouts on the other hand have been done for a while and even given out at our health expo this earlier this month. 

This is what I started with (click to enlarge):

I found it difficult to read. There is a lot of text with very little white space or visual structure. Additionally, the two-page format (printed front and back) meant that I was constantly flipping the paper over. The workout ideas were on one side, but the pictures of the exercises were on the other. Also, there were only women models and one of the health educators actually had a student ask if these handouts were only for women because of that!

I decided to break up the information. It was too much information for one handout. My two main requirements were that they had to be one page only and they had to be grouped in a way that people would use them. Thus I ended up with handouts depicting workouts using a particular piece of equipment (e.g. stability ball, resistance band) and a handout with muscle groups (so far only a core workout, I'm currently deciding if I want to do more like arms or legs). I also went on a hunt for male fitness models (harder than it sounds). Honestly, the handouts themselves will say more than I ever could, so have a look. 

(click to enlarge)

Transition

Although I am officially still an MPH student, this semester is turning out to be more of a transition into "real" work.

As I think I mentioned in my previous post, I had to take some time off this summer for personal reasons and because of that was not able to finish my practicum in time to graduate at the end of July. Because I have everything done except my practicum, this semester is a little different than most. I am not taking any classes. There were some I was interested in, but I decided that because I was busy with applications to med schools, working, and still dealing with some personal stuff, that I would take the semester off from coursework.

Without classes, then, what am I doing? I am continuing with Health Iowa at Student Health Services (where I did my practicum). I'm finishing up the last bit of video work for my practicum. I have been taking a little longer than I would have for a couple reasons: one, I won't present until December; two, the only place I have a computer capable of video editing is at home so I can't do it while I'm at work.

The practicum work is no longer my main job at Health Iowa, though. My official title is as a "student interventionist" with the BASICS program. BASICS is short for Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students. It is an intervention designed to decrease the negative consequences from drinking. BASICS takes a harm-reduction approach (as opposed to an abstinence approach) to alcohol. If you want to learn more about BASICS, it is included in SAMHSA's NREPP (National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices). I'll update more about the program we use BASICS for as I work through the semester.

In addition to working 20 hours/week at Health Iowa, I am continuing with my 20 hours/week on the med/psych unit at UIHC.

And last but not least, I'm finalizing travel plans for APHA in San Francisco at the end of October!

I'll leave you with a few pictures...

A beautiful fall day this week, crossing the Iowa River

Enjoying the dog park on another beautiful day

Some good times with friends over the summer

And my sleepy co-pilot