UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
DIVISION OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH

RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITION
1 position, 100% Time Summer, 50% During School 
Year

POSITION PURPOSE:
This position exists to assist in implementing 
quality improvement activities related to the 
Minnesota Stroke Registry (MSR) program. The 
University of Minnesota is a contractual partner 
with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) on 
this effort. The appointment will be through the 
University of Minnesota. This position leads 
efforts to utilize stroke quality of care 
indicator data and facilitates the development, 
implementation and monitoring of a quality 
improvement intervention plan.

Reports to Co-Principal Investigator and 
co-investigators at the University of Minnesota 
collaborating with the MDH

POSITION DESCRIPTION:		
Development of quality improvement interventions.
Work directly with personnel at the University of 
Minnesota to assist in developing and implementing
quality improvement programs and interventions for
the MSR. Examples of these quality improvement 
programs and interventions may include but not 
necessarily be limited to: development and 
implementation of an automated ‘prompting’ program
embedded in an electronic health record system 
such that care guidelines are taught and followed 
in real-time as patient care information is 
recorded; programs to teach care protocols to 
multidisciplinary stroke teams; development of a 
stroke care team in hospitals; other quality 
improvement interventions that affect systems of 
care within the hospital setting (to be developed 
by this position in coordination with partners).

Develop scientific knowledge about stroke 
epidemiology, prevention, treatment, and 
management:
a) Interpret and evaluate scientific and 
epidemiological studies and medical and public 
health literature pertaining to stroke prevention 
and treatment; clinical interventions to improve 
stroke care and management; culturally appropriate
health promotion and behavior change interventions
to promote stroke prevention and control so that 
state-of-the-science approaches at the individual,
community and systems levels can be applied in 
Minnesota.
b) Review prevalence, incidence and mortality data
to guide targeting and development of the MSR.
c) Write and present appropriate periodic reports 
on the MSR quality improvement activities.
d) Implement the development of appropriate 
updates, fact sheets, newsletters, presentations, 
audiovisuals, mailings, surveys, and additional 
materials.

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Current graduate student in the School of Public
Health.
• Clear, concise and understandable communications
skills.
• Ability to collect, analyze, evaluate and 
organize information.
• Ability to prepare and make effective oral and 
written presentations.
• Ability to plan, organize and direct stroke 
quality improvement programs.
• Strong independent and team worker.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective 
working relationships with a variety of people 
working in health, public health, social service.
• Knowledge of simple statistics (mean, median, 
anova, data displays, summarizing data).
• Medical terminology knowledge.
• Knowledge of computer and analysis. 

TO APPLY: 
E-mail or mail a letter of interest and curriculum
vitae to- 
                                    	
Ms. Janelle Willard
Division of Epidemiology & Community Health
1300 S. 2nd Street, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55454

Traut001@umn.edu