Academic Health Center Office of Emergency Response
Research Assistant (9521)

Background:

The Academic Health Center (AHC) Office of 
Emergency Response is currently engaged in joint 
planning with the Hennepin County Human Services 
and Public Health Department regarding a rapid and
effective local response following a large scale 
public health emergency.  Certain situations 
require the provision of preventive therapy 
(injection or oral medication) to large groups of 
people in a short time period to prevent illness 
in those that have been exposed to disease-causing
organisms. Examples include hepatitis A in a food 
handler, bacterial meningitis, pandemic influenza,
and bioterrorism events (anthrax, smallpox, 
plague). In some situations, it may be important 
to reach an entire community, or the entire state 
within an extremely short time period.  A Mass 
Dispensing Site (MDS) is a temporary emergency 
public health operation designed to serve the 
population with an eye toward speed and volume. In
Minnesota, MDS planning is done at the regional 
level with each region pre-determining primary and
back-up sites, and detailed operational plans for 
each site. Within the metropolitan region, 24 MDS 
sites are planned, including 9 sites in Hennepin 
County. The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 
Campus has recently agreed to host a primary site 
in Minneapolis, replacing one of the existing 
primary sites. A graduate research assistant will 
be hired during the Spring Semester to work with 
staff in the AHC Office of Emergency Response to 
support intensive and targeted planning efforts 
related to this MDS.

Duties:
•	Provide overall staff support to the 
development of detailed plans for site selection, 
staffing, clinical protocols, security, 
transportation, rapid set-up, and logistics.
•	Participate in and document meetings with 
internal University stakeholders as needed.
•	Meet with Hennepin County staff and other 
local health department staff, as needed, to 
review existing MDS  protocols and materials.
•	Collect and review models from other 
states as needed.
•	Other duties as assigned.

Duration:  Spring Semester, 2007 (1/16/07-5/4/07)

Hours:  20 hours per week

Location: Mayo Building (East Bank)

Pay Rate:  starting rate @$15.71/hour    

Qualifications:  Masters/Doctoral student in the 
Academic Health Center, excellent oral and written
 communication skills, ability to organize, 
summarize, develop, and  document operational 
plans and procedures. 

Preferred Qualifications:  Knowledge of and 
experience with mass clinic planning, clinic 
planning, or operational development of public 
health programs.

Application Deadline:  Open until filled


The University of Minnesota is an equal 
opportunity educator and employer.


Contact:          
Jill M. DeBoer, MPH, Director
Academic Health Center Office of Emergency 
Response
MMC 263 Mayo, 420 Delaware St SE
Minneapolis, MN  55455
Office Phone:         612-625-3958
Fax:                        612-626-6783
E-mail:                    jdeboer@umn.edu