The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Physician Professional Advisory Committee selected eight Class of 2026 medical students at the Larner College of Medicine—Anika Advant, Connor Barton, Jackson Bressor, Caity DeCara, Akhil George, Briana Leger, Khadija Moussadek, and Regan Staudenraus—to receive a 2024 Excellence in Public Health Award. USPHS Lieutenant Commander Oyebola Oladeinde, M.D., recognized the students during an award ceremony that took place on Zoom on July 24, 2024.

The USPHS Excellence in Public Health Award was established to recognize medical students’ contributions to public health. In particular, the USPHS Physician Professional Advisory Committee looks for evidence of accomplishments that support health promotion and disease prevention, which are the cornerstones of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ and Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s Healthy People 2030 and the Surgeon General’s Priorities.

The Larner College of Medicine nominated the students to receive this award based on their contributions through their 2023 public health project, “Professional Educators’ Perceptions of Active Shooter Drills,” which was initiated by the Vermont Public Health Association. The project was further described in a nomination letter from Larner dean Richard L. Page, M.D., and Associate Dean for Public Health and Health Policy Jan Carney, M.D., M.P.H.: “The purpose of this study was to gain insight on professional educators’ perceptions of preparedness, emotional consequences, and efficacy of active shooter drills in Chittenden County (Vermont’s largest county) public schools.” Advant, a student award recipient, commented, “Our project was focused on understanding more about the emotional impact that active shooter drills have on school-age children, a lesser-researched topic related to gun violence. We felt it was important to hear from teachers, school administrators, and other educators who are a part of these drills and interact with students on a day-to-day basis, so we surveyed and interviewed those involved in K–12 education.”

As part of the project, they sent a REDCap electronic survey to school districts in Chittenden County, with an optional post-survey interview. Intended respondents included school administrators, educators, mental health professionals, and other support staff. Interviews were coded using qualitative analysis to identify common themes. Out of 125 survey responses, 74 percent believed the drills are worthwhile, and a mix of survey and interview results suggested there is value in the drills and the majority felt more prepared as a result. Results also show that schools might benefit from improved communication and standardized drills, and variability within results emphasized the need to expand the study to other Vermont counties.

The students submitted their work to the 2023 American Public Health Association annual meeting, where it was accepted. Advant presented the project on behalf of the team as a poster on November 13, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia, and the students are working on a short manuscript to publish their results.

In a congratulatory letter to a student award recipient, USPHS Captain and Physician Chief Professional Officer Joshua G. Shier, M.D., M.P.H., wrote, “Your leadership and hard work demonstrate your passion and dedication to public health within the medical profession … Physicians’ commitment to public health is essential to improve the general public’s understanding of the important roles of both the medical practitioner as well as their patients in promoting healthy lifestyles.”