Elective Course: Internship in Vaccinology

MICR 6143 Internship in Vaccinology


Course Credit Hours: 1 credit hour

Room: TBA
Date: TBA
Time: TBA

Prerequisites:

For graduate students, successful applicants must have completed all required BBSC and/or program coursework prior to commencing the internship. Written approval from the mentor is also required.

Course Description

View on GSBS website

The Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences (SIVS), in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters, sponsors an annual internship program.

The UTMB-based internship program will form the basis of this course. Students will participate in the preparation of a report on a specific infectious diseases and vaccines topic that will be submitted to the WHO as a background/briefing document for use by one of their expert committees. Students will work in small groups (2 or 3 students) under the supervision of a SCVD member to research and prepare the document. Activities associated with that work will be performed over an approximately 3-month period, concurrent with the trainee's regular educational and research activities. It is estimated that this will involve 2 contact hours per week with the mentor plus 6 to 8 hours of independent time per week for document search and review, or writing.

Course Objectives

The course objectives are for students to:

  1. Participate in team-based approaches to document and data review
  2. Gain a first-hand understanding of decision making processes for global public health policy, particularly as it pertains to development and use of vaccines

Course Outline

Week 1Introduction to internship task; Definition
Week 2Assignment of research/writing responsibilities; Discussion
Week 3Literature/data search; Discussion of search outcomes
Week 4Literature/data search; Discussion of search outcomes
Week 5Development of skeleton document
Week 6Report writing; Discussion
Week 7Report writing; Discussion
Week 8First draft of report sections due; Compilation and discussion
Week 9Report writing; Discussion
Week 10Report writing; Discussion
Week 11Final draft of compiled report due; Discussion
Week 12Proofing, formatting and editing of compiled report; Discussion
Week 13Peer evaluation and discussion of positive outcomes, pitfalls and challenges

Grades

Grading (satisfactory/unsatisfactory) will be based on participation, attendance, completion of assigned task(s), evaluations/feedback received from UTMB mentor(s), and submission of a final report to the SCVD by the student summarizing their internship experience and outcomes.

 Any appeals for grading changes must be submitted to the instructors responsible for the writing and grading of the question within 5 business days after the return of the graded assessment to the student.  The instructors must report any grade changes to the course director.

Textbook and Reading Materials

There is no required textbook for this course. Mentors will assign general and specific reading, literature/data search and review tasks as appropriate to the requirements of the internship project.


Course Coordinator:

Aneth Zertuche
MRB 4.102
Route 1019
Extension 76869