Tammy Combs

Advanced Virtual Healthcare Training for High School Students

This just in…nearly half of the students at ‘East Coliville High School’ are sick with similar symptoms. As part of our virtual health department epidemiology team, you will work together to eliminate false leads and piece together clues to determine the cause of this outbreak. It is up to your team to interpret data, identify the pathogen, locate its source and stop its spread before this illness claims more victims.

The scenario of “East Coliville High School” is introduced with a short video. Students are told to watch carefully for clues as to what is causing the outbreak.

Students use worksheets to determine the incubation period of the mystery illness, to calculate the relative risk factor of different foods, and to compare various reported symptoms from the “school nurse”.

Throughout the investigation, human digestive anatomy is discussed, along with a host of pathogens that are associated with food poisoning.

Hopefully, students successfully identify the agent involved in this scenario. Objectives Students will: •Identify the differences between an outbreak, epidemic, or pandemic illness.

• Analyze how environmental factors can affect food quality and personal health.
• Describe the importance of accurate research and communication within public health surveillance.
• Identify valid sources of information relating to a health crisis.
• Utilize epidemiological methods and tools to identify potential pathogens.

Target Audience: Health Science Minimum Participants: No minimum Maximum Participants: 30 or less