INSIGHT High School Program Archives

The INSIGHT High School Program offers an intensive four-week medicine and public health experience in Seattle for high achieving students.

Participants learn about medicine and public health through visits with health professionals, research activities, lab experiences, and an inside view of public health in action. While the high school program has maintained focus on an interactive curriculum on medicine and public health since it began in 2016, the program has also grown and adapted based on program evaluations, participant feedback, and injury field priorities.
Each program also culminates in a capstone research project around a central injury theme, where students explore multiple research methods and communication strategies and present their findings at the INSIGHT Research Symposium alongside projects by undergraduate, graduate, and medical students in the INSIGHT Summer Research Program.

Applications for the summer high school program open in early spring.

Past Projects:

Best Route for Injury Support during an earthquaKe (BRISK)

Best Route for Injury Support during an earthquaKe (BRISK): build a walking plan with the fewest potential barriers

Best Route for Injury Support during an earthquaKe (BRISK)

Best Route for Injury Support during an earthquaKe (BRISK): build a walking plan with the fewest potential barriers

Research Study: Transportation Safety

In the 2021 INSIGHT High School Online Summer Program, 82 interns nationwide spent four weeks learning about medicine and public health and completing a research capstone project focused on Transportation and Pedestrian Safety. During the program, the students experienced several modes and methods of research:

Research Question: How many pedestrians die in Washington State each year from a motor vehicle crash?

Session A:  Identify street-level determinants of pedestrian risk associated with motor-vehicle collision pedestrian fatalities in Washington State.

Session B: Identify social, economic, and health-related disparities in street-level determinants of pedestrian risk.

  • With Google Streetview, students were able to view, rate, and identify areas in the Seattle Metropolitan area where fatalities occurred.
  • After learning about introductory research methodology, students were are to work in small groups to create the framework of their policy brief – including review of background information, identification of stakeholders, graphs, and tables to display data, and identify call to action next steps.
  • Students analyzed, interpreted, and visualized their data to identify findings and outcome measures using data analysis methods.
  • Students created YouTube videos that accompany their policy brief presentation on their findings, both of which were presented at the INSIGHT Research Symposium to medical professionals, public health officials, and community members.

Research Study: Pedestrian Safety using Google Streetview (Fatality Reports)

2019 High School Student Project Theme: “Stop the Bleed” First Aid Training

In the 2019 INSIGHT High School Program, 16 interns spent four weeks learning about medicine and public health and completing a research capstone project focused on Stop the Bleed, a national emergency bleeding control training program. During the program,  the students experienced several modes and methods of research:

  • Students became certified in Stop the Bleed first aid bleeding control skills.
  • After developing an original survey on attitudes and beliefs about bleeding first aid, students collected responses both in the field and online.
  • Using data analysis software, students analyzed, interpreted and visualized their data.
  • Students developed, ran, and participated in focus groups regarding the Stop the Bleed training. Based on their findings, they developed recommendations for adapting Stop the Bleed for high school students.
  • After learning about styles of formal evaluation, students developed an evaluation plan for measuring the impact and effectiveness of a high school Stop the Bleed program.
  • Students created research posters and slide presentations on their findings, both of which were presented at the INSIGHT Research Symposium to medical professionals, public health officials and members of the community.
  • In the form of letters, students also shared their findings with local and national stakeholders in the Stop the Bleed campaign and discussed their recommendations for bringing the training to high schools.

Stop the Bleed Research Projects

INSIGHT High School 2019 Group 1
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Adolescents and Adults Regarding Bleeding Emergencies
“Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Adolescents and Adults Regarding Bleeding Emergencies”
Research Skills Focus: Survey development, qualitative data collection, qualitative data analysis.
“Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Current Middle/High School and College Students Regarding Life Threatening Bleeding Emergencies”
“Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Current Middle/High School and College Students Regarding Life Threatening Bleeding Emergencies”
Research Skills Focus: Survey development, quantitative data collection, quantitative data analysis.
“A Qualitative Approach to Adapting Stop the Bleed Training for High School Students”
“A Qualitative Approach to Adapting Stop the Bleed Training for High School Students”
Research Skills Focus: Focus group development and implementation, qualitative data collection, qualitative data analysis
“Designing a Program Evaluation for Stop the Bleed”
“Designing a Program Evaluation for Stop the Bleed”
Research Skills Focus: Evaluation, evaluation plan development

2018 High School Student Project Theme: Bicycle Helmet Use

In the 2018 INSIGHT High School Program, 16 interns spent four weeks learning about medicine and public health through visits with health professionals, research activities, lab experiences and an inside view of public health in action.

The internship culminated in a capstone research project examining bicycle type, helmet use and gender in Seattle. The project was mentored by UW Acting Assistant Professor of Epidemiology Stephen Mooney, Ph.D.

During the program,  the interns experienced the complete process of conducting a research project:

  • Students researched background information, policies and prior studies on bicycle use, bicycle helmets and bike shares.
  • In the field, students collected data at four bike counter locations around Seattle.
  • Using data analysis software, students analyzed, interpreted and visualized their data.
  • Students worked in teams of four to write a scientific abstract, develop an infographic, and write a letter to disseminate their research to one of four specific audiences: transportation researchers, city transportation officials, bike share companies and local elected officials.
  • In developing the campaign, the interns learned about public health and epidemiology, academic research, data analysis, communication and visual design. Speakers included professionals working in many aspects of medicine and public health, including doctors, researchers and topic specialists.
  • Their findings, infographics and poster presentations were showcased at the INSIGHT Research Symposium for medical professionals, public health officials and members of the community.

While researching bicycle helmet use, the students also learned about neuroscience and participated in hands-on brain laboratory activities to explore the complex nature of brains and brain injury.

Seattle Bicycle Helmet Research Projects

“Helmet Usage Among Seattle Bicycle Users”
“Helmet Usage Among Seattle Bicycle Users”
Targeted Audience: Transportation Researchers
“A Comparison of Helmet Use Among Bike Share and Private Bicyclists”
“A Comparison of Helmet Use Among Bike Share and Private Bicyclists”
Targeted Audience: Bike Share Companies
“A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Helmet Usage Among Bike Share Bicyclists in Seattle”
“A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Helmet Usage Among Bike Share Bicyclists in Seattle”
Targeted Audience: City Transportation Officials
 “Helmet Usage Among Private and Bike Share Bicyclists in Seattle, WA”
“Helmet Usage Among Private and Bike Share Bicyclists in Seattle, WA”
Targeted Audience: City Elected Officials

2017 High School Student Project Theme: Distracted Driving Prevention

In the 2017 INSIGHT High School Program, 19 interns spent four weeks learning about medicine and public health through visits with health professionals, service opportunities, and an inside view of public health in action. The internship culminated with the opportunity to develop their own innovative outreach campaigns to reduce distracted driving in Washington. The PEMCO Safe Driving Campaign project was supported in part by PEMCO Insurance, a Northwest company that provides auto, home and boat insurance.

The project was overseen by HIPRC core faculty member Beth Ebel, M.D., a pediatrician and trauma care expert who is the section lead for Safe and Active Transport at Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center. Ebel’s research has helped doctors, lawmakers and the public better understand the risks of cell phone use while driving.

During the program,  the interns experienced the complete process of developing a public health campaign:

  • Students researched behaviors and attitudes around phone use and driving through an online and in-person survey.
  • After analyzing the data, they divided into three groups and chose specific behaviors and audiences to target.
  • Using key concepts of rhetoric and communication, the teams developed evidence-based campaigns, slogans, marketing materials and videos designed to persuade their target audience using theories of the science of behavior change.
  • In developing the campaign, the interns learned about public health and epidemiology, academic research, data analysis, communication and marketing. Speakers included professionals working in many aspects of medicine and public health, including doctors, researchers and communication specialists.
  • Their findings, impressive video productions and scientific poster presentations were showcased at the INSIGHT Research Symposium for family, friends and medical professionals.

Developed by INSIGHT High School Program interns with support from PEMCO Insurance.

“Don’t Be That Guy”

  • Targeted Behavior: Phone use at stop lights.
  • Targeted Audience: Young Adults, Commuters and Passengers.

“FOMO Costs”

  • Targeted Behavior: Social media while driving.
  • Targeted Audience: Teens and Young Adults.

“It’s Not Just You”

  • Targeted Behavior: Distracted driving.
  • Targeted Audience: Parents.

2016 High School Student Project Themes: Distracted Driving Prevention & Youth Concussion Awareness

The 2016 INSIGHT Injury Research Training Program convened 39 high school, undergraduate, graduate and medical students for eight weeks of research, learning, and sharing. The research projects were conducted by students, in collaboration with UW Medicine Faculty.

Two groups of high school students each spent three weeks researching public health issues and conducting assessments before designing and delivering public health campaigns. Visit the links below to see their incredible work raising awareness about distracted driving and concussions.