Capstone

You should start by identifying a faculty member whose research interests and expertise are in the topic area and/or methodology that you wish to pursue, and is available to advise the project. Your faculty advisor may serve as your capstone advisor, or they may have an initial discussion with you and then refer you to other faculty members. Another helpful strategy is to inquire with several faculty members about any current work of theirs that may lend itself to a potential capstone project. Other resources for identifying a potential capstone advisor are the MPH Program Office, the faculty directory (searchable by keyword) and Collexis.

A capstone project is suitable if it provides students the opportunity to apply the skills and competencies acquired in the MPH program to a problem likely encountered in public health practice. The topic and format of the capstone project is flexible and is developed through discussions between the student and capstone advisor. Possible options for format or design include:

Literature Review

The capstone project would involve analyzing an important public health problem through a survey of current literature on the topic. The project would include sections that clearly describe the problem, assess the problem and its magnitude, evaluate its causes and determinants, and discuss prevention and intervention strategies.

Example Project:

• "Bringing Uninsured Children into Medicaid and SCHIP: A Comparison of Enrollment and Reenrollment in Two States"

Program Plan

The capstone project would involve developing a plan to implement a public health program. It would address critical issues such as management, fiscal, ethical and logistical issues.

Example Projects:

• "An Analysis of Direct Potable Water Reuse Acceptance in the United States: Obstacles and Opportunities"

• "A Lay Training Program in Basic Emergency Care and Danger Sign Recognition in Rukungiri District, Uganda: Recommendations for Global Emergency Care Collaborative's Pre-hospital Emergency Resources Project"

Program Evaluation

The capstone project would involve evaluating/monitoring an existing public health program, such as process evaluation, monitoring of outputs and outcomes, impact assessment and/or cost analysis.

Example Projects:

• "Early Detection of Malaria Foci for Targeted Interventions in Endemic Southern Zambia"

• "Farmers Markets as a Healthy Food Access Strategy: Assessing Baltimore's Farmers Markets and Proposing Recommendations to Increase Access"

Policy Analysis

The capstone project would involve analyzing the public health implications of a current or proposed policy. The work could include perspectives on economics and financing, need and demand, politics/ethics/law, or quality/effectiveness.

Example Project:

• "An Analysis of State-based Health Insurance Exchange Proposals after the Passage of the Affordable Care Act"

Research Proposal

The capstone project would simulate a grant proposal or research plan. The project would include a clear statement of the research question, the specific aims of the proposal, review of literature, study design, methods of analysis, implications and significance of the work. The research question would be one that is encountered in professional work, such as the evaluation of a public health intervention.

Example Projects:

• "Clarifying the Outcomes of Family Involvement Interventions: An Evaluative Research Proposal"

• “Strategies for the Discovery of Novel Anti-Infective Agents”

Research Report

The capstone project could involve the collection, analysis and/or interpretation of data to address a public health problem. The project could include sections on the research question, study design, data collection procedures, data analysis, interpretation and significance of findings.

• Secondary Data Analysis:Typically, the capstone research report is in the form of a secondary data analysis, using an existing data set. Please note that the appropriate IRB approval may need to be obtained for any project that uses data gathered from human subjects. Even in cases where the data is de-identified, a determination should be sought from the IRB office.

• Primary Data Analysis: Work for the MPH capstone can also involve the collection of data. Data collection for capstone is usually in the context of an ongoing study, but it is also possible (although not recommended) for MPH students to initiate an original study under the guidance of a Johns Hopkins faculty member. In the latter case, the student should allow substantial lead time for research planning and IRB approval.

Example Research Reports:

• "How Did it Happen? Examining U.S. State Bans of Smoking in Cars with Children using Key Informant Interviews"

• "Salt Iodization in Haiti: Challenges to Improving Salt Production Quality and Recommendations for Pursuing Iodization"

Example Qualitative Data Research Reports:

• "Extrinsic Factors Affecting Health Worker Motivation in the Context of Task Shifting: Experiences of VCT Counselors in Ethiopia"

• “Treat them with Love' Empowerment of Community Health Workers as Agents of Change"

Example Systematic Review and Methods Development:

• “Grading Quality for Information and Synthesis of mHealth Evidence”

Using a Course Project

Students may use their work from any project-oriented course as a basis for their capstone, but they must build and expand on it for the final capstone project. That previous work must be placed in the list of references, and the advisor will need a copy of the student's original paper.

There are many courses at the Bloomberg School that are project-oriented and could serve as a starting point for the capstone. Examples include:

• (180.611) The Global Environment and Public Health

• (380.671) Adolescent Pregnancy: Causes, Consequences, Interventions.

If your project involves data from human subjects, you should complete the online IRB Worksheet to determine what additional steps (if any) are needed in regard to securing IRB approval for your project or documenting the existing approval.

The Bloomberg School IRB Office is charged with assuring that human subject research studies conducted in the school comply with internal school policies and external regulations designed to protect human subjects. All students who plan to do human subjects research must have IRB approval before working with human data or samples and/or before contacting human subjects.

"Human subjects research" is broadly defined to include any activity involving living humans that seeks to test a hypothesis or answer a scientific question. This can include both secondary data analysis and research involving direct contact with subjects. The following resources are available to assist students with their IRB questions:

• MPH Program Office assistance is available for initial questions; full-time students should direct their questions to Janet Carn (jcarn1@jhu.edu) and part-time students should contact Katie Cruit(kcruit@jhu.edu).

• Additional assistance is available from Thomas Bradsher at the IRB Office (tbradshe@jhsph.edu). The IRB office is located in room E1100. Please make sure that you've completed the IRB Worksheet before you contact the IRB Office.

• Navigating the IRB : A Primer for Students and Postdoctoral Fellows. This is your first step in learning more about the IRB process. This IRB Office publication is designed to provide additional information about the IRB process.

If the IRB Office determines that you must submit a PHIRST application, you must do so by the date that your MPH Capstone Information Form is due. The IRB submission deadline for field experiences taking place during the Winter break and requiring IRB approval is November 15th.

Submit the online Capstone Information Form two terms prior to completion of the project. You will need to indicate such information as the name of your capstone advisor, a working title and the aims of your project, IRB status if applicable, etc.

Students must register for the two-credit "MPH Capstone" course in the term in which the project is completed. Full-time students must register for this course in 4th Term.

Students who are doing a large amount of preliminary research for a project may want to register for additional "Special Studies/Research" units. You should consult with your capstone advisor prior to registering. When registering, you should select the capstone advisor as the "instructor" and select the number of academic units that you and your capstone advisor have agreed is appropriate for the research.

MPH Capstone Course Numbers

Special Studies/Research Course Numbers

Discuss an overall timeline for completing the various sections of your paper with your capstone advisor in preparation for submitting a first draft for their review. The first draft deadline is about five weeks before the final draft deadline, allowing time for revisions. Communicating with your capstone advisor about your progress, including any issues or concerns, is critical during this phase.

Your capstone advisor will review your final draft for any final edits and recommendations, and you will complete revisions as necessary.

Then submit the final, approved paper to the CoursePlus drop box. If presenting online, also submit presentation slides. Your capstone advisor will submit an online approval directly to the MPH Program Office. Please note: Students may not participate in the oral presentation unless the final paper (and slides, if presenting online) are submitted on time.

Resources:

• Welch Medical Library Informationists

• Welch Library Online Tutorials

MPH Published Capstone Papers, Abstracts and Funded Activities     

• Awopegba AJ, Cohen JE. Country tobacco laws and article 11 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: a review of tobacco packaging and labeling regulations of 25 countries. Tob Induc Dis. 2013 Nov 6;11(1):23.

• Branchini Casey, Sriram V, Ray A, Scott K, Thurakal A. "One Billion Rising" at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: a reflection. Reprod Health Matters. 2013 May; 21(41):251-3. doi: 10.1016/S0968-8080(13)41718-4.

• Hikmat F, Appel LJ. Effects of the DASH diet on blood pressure in patients with and without metabolic syndrome: results from the DASH trial. J Hum Hypertens. 2013 Sep 26. doi: 10.1038/jhh.2013.52. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed. PMID: 24067348.

• Iverson SA*; Brazil AM*; Nelson K; Lautenbach E; Rankin SC; Morris DO; and Davis MF. Anatomical patterns of colonization of pets with staphylococcal species in homes of people with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin or soft tissue infection (SSTI). Veterinary Microbiology 2015, ahead-of-print.

• JohnBull EA, Lau BD, Schneider EB, Streiff MB, Haut, ER. No Association Between Hospital-Reported Perioperative Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis and Outcome Rates in Publicly Reported Data. JAMA Surg. 2014 Feb 5. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2013.4935 [Epub ahead of print]

• Jumani K, Advani S, Reich NG, Gosey L, Milstone AM. Risk factors for peripherally inserted central venous catheter complications in children. JAMA Pediatr. 2013 May;167(5):429-35. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.775.

• Kennelly Mary: Reconsidering Retail Store Eligibility in SNAP: The Food and Nutrition Service is All Ears, October 3, 2013, Blog on Center for a Liveable Future website, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

• Kennelly Mary E., Neff Roni, Rutkow Lainie. Strengthening Vendor Standards in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Are Healthier Foods Within Reach? 16 J. Health Care L. & Pol'y 141 (2013).

• Nwabuo CC, Dy SM, Weeks K, Young JH: Factors Associated with Appointment Non-Adherence among African-Americans with Severe, Poorly Controlled Hypertension. PLoS ONE. 2014 9(8): e103090. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103090

• Popoola VO, Tamma P, Reich NG, Perl TM, Milstone AM. Risk factors for persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in children with multiple intensive care unit admissions. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2013 Jul;34(7):748-50. doi: 10.1086/670994. Epub 2013 May 22.

• Pursnani Seema, Diener-West M, Sharrett AR. The effect of aging on the association between coronary heart disease risk factors and carotid intima media thickness: an analysis of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort. Atherosclerosis. 233/2 (2014), pp. 441-446. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.12.046

• Rajaram Sri-Sujanthy, Desai NK, Kalra A, Gajera M, Cavanaugh SK, Brampton W, Young D, Harvey S, Rowan K. Pulmonary artery catheters for adult patients in intensive care. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Feb 28;2:CD003408. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003408.pub3.

• Steiner Riley J, Finocchario-Kessler S, Dariotis JK.  Engaging HIV Care Providers in Conversations With Their Reproductive-Age Patients About Fertility Desires and Intentions: A Historical Review of the HIV Epidemic in the United States. American Journal of Public Health: August 2013, Vol. 103, No. 8, pp. 1357-1366. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301265.

• Tsai CW, Grams ME, Inker LA, Coresh J, Selvin E. Cystatin C- and creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate, vascular disease, and mortality in persons with diabetes in the U.S. Diabetes Care. 2014 Apr;37(4):1002-8. doi: 10.2337/dc13-1910. Epub 2013 Nov 22.

• Whelton SP, Roy P, Astor BC, Zhang L, Hoogeveen RC, Ballantyne CM, Coresh J. Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein as a risk marker of the attenuated relationship between serum cholesterol and cardiovascular events at older age. The ARIC Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2013 Oct 1;178(7):1076-84. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwt086. Epub 2013 Sep 10.

After the final paper and capstone advisor's approval are submitted, you will complete the oral component of the capstone project by giving a 10-minute presentation. This will take place at the May MPH Capstone Symposium, online or an alternate venue.

Resource:

• Designing and Writing an Effective Capstone Presentation

The MPH Program Office will submit grades for the MPH Capstone Course as follows:

• "Pass" grade for all students that submit an approved capstone paper and complete the oral presentation requirement.

• "Incomplete" grade will be posted for those students who do not complete the capstone project in the term for which they are registered.

The MPH Program Office also awards special honors to the best overall capstone projects. Nominations are accepted from capstone advisors and winners are selected by an awards committee based on the written project. The capstone award includes a plaque for excellence in public health professional practice. The student with the single overall best capstone project receives a $500 award.

Key Dates and Deadlines

Timeline for online presentation at December 4-5, 2017 session

Timeline for online presentations, May 7 – 9, 2018 sessions

Timeline for in-person presentations, May 12, 2018 Symposium

Timeline for presentation at alternate venue

Students presenting in an alternate venue must adhere to the schedules above, as per the time of year in which the project is completed. Deadlines for completion of the oral presentation and receipt of the oral requirement waiver are December 5, 2017 and May 12, 2018—depending on the period in which the student is graduating.