Chelsea Pallatino, 2nd Year LEND Trainee Research Practicum in India

Second year MPH student and LEND trainee, Chelsea Pallatino, is spending this summer completing her practicum through the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health at SHARE INDIA, of Mediciti Institute of Medical Sciences in the village of Ghanpur, located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.  Chelsea will be working as a research assistant at SHARE INDIA throughout June and July, 2012 on a project for the LIFE Study with Dr. Clare Bunker of the Department of Epidemiology and Dr. P.S. Reddy of UPMC.

For her project, Chelsea will be completing research for the LIFE Study for her upcoming master's thesis.  She will be investigating the relationship between the performance of health, sanitation, and hygiene practices in the home and infant infection and mortality.  Chelsea will accompany project translators on home visits to conduct interviews in the local villages; attend meetings with Community Health Volunteers of each village; assist in the development and facilitation of focus groups; and help with the analysis of maternal and child health data.

Chelsea feels this international experience will enhance her existing interest in neurodevelopmental issues and disparities in healthcare access in high-risk, underserved populations.

Mediciti Institute of Medical Sciences      Pallatino experiencing Indian culture visiting Taj Mahal

Pallatino holds baby while in the field