Improvement in Context: Exploring Aims, Improvement Priorities, and Environmental Considerations in a National Sample of Programs Using "Small Data".

Background: In 2013, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) transitioned into a new accreditation system to reduce burden, focus on outcomes, and promote innovation and improvement. One component is a self-study that includes aims, an environmental assessment, and setting improvement priorities. The ACGME initiated voluntary site visits following the self-study.

Effectiveness of school-based influenza vaccination.

Background: Vaccination of children in school is one strategy to reduce the spread of influenza in households and communities.

Methods: We identified 11 demographically similar clusters of elementary schools in four states, consisting of one school we assigned to participate in a vaccination program (intervention school) and one or two schools that did not participate (control schools). During a predicted week of peak influenza activity in each state, all households with children in intervention and control schools were surveyed regarding demographic characteristics, influenza vaccination, and outcomes of influenza-like illness during the previous 7 days.

U.S. medical students' rotations in epidemiology and public health at state and local health departments.

Elective rotations in health departments expose medical students to public health practice and career opportunities in applied epidemiology and preventive medicine. State and county epidemiologists and health officers can serve as excellent role models for medical students. In 2000-2001, the authors identified such electives by consulting medical schools' Web sites and by contacting state epidemiologists, teachers of preventive medicine, and medical school associate deans.