At the intersection

Today, September 7 2021, is the inaugural World Field Epidemiology Day. As a team of field epidemiologists, we are thrilled that our global community’s work is being acknowledged and celebrated.

Our Field Epidemiology in Action team wanted to celebrate this first World Field Epidemiology Day by sharing a glimpse into the life of a field epidemiologist, showcasing many of our Field Epidemiology Training Program graduates in Papua New Guinea who work tirelessly on the frontlines to serve, protect and strengthen their communities.

I (Stephanie, a field epi working on Solomon Islands programs) also wanted to take the chance to reflect, personally, on what it means to me to be a field epidemiologist.* I often explain to people what it is that I do – and can boil it down to a neat “prepare for, detect and respond to public health events”. But I think the much more interesting story is why; the unseen, underpinning motivation behind all of this.

Field epidemiology is rooted in social justice. In recognition of our shared humanity, we strive for health for all, ensuring that none are left behind. It is the art and science of adapting and applying technical epidemiological principles to work in the various beautiful and complex contexts we find ourselves working in around the world. It is exciting to see capacity being developed globally for strengthened disease surveillance, outbreak response, and increasing laboratory and clinical capacity. But if these capacities are limited only to the resource-rich countries, or capital cities, or to those who live nearest the health facility… we still have a way to go. All people have a right to enjoy good health and wellbeing, and field epis are in a unique position to bridge that gap from the system to the community because we often sit in that in-between space.

A village in Solomon Islands. Image: Stephanie Wheeler

Of course, field epidemiologists work at all levels of health systems, and at different ‘distances’ between us and the communities we serve. But wherever we sit, we work with community to apply our culturally contextualised understanding of people and place to the epidemiological principles to ensure that they work for these specific people and the way that these people live their lives.

We often think about the technical skills of epidemiology, such as data analysis and contact tracing. And whilst these are crucial skills required of field epis, without the ‘soft skills’ – the engaging interpersonal and communication skills – behind it, translating it, sowing it into action, we may risk having elegant and impressive systems that have no real-world impact on people’s lives.

A village in Solomon Islands. Image: Stephanie Wheeler

I, personally, like to think of myself as sitting at the intersection between the scientific community and the real-world community. This lovely flexible space between some very concrete things, and some rather nebulous things. Things often move slower in here, because a whole lot more nuance is required. I can’t just dump a strategy or tool that’s worked elsewhere onto this one; people and culture are too richly unique for that. It requires shared time and story; lots of listening. It means coming in recognising people as experts of their own lives, and valuing the generations of traditional knowledge they bring. It means suspending assumptions and allowing people to tell you what they want, and what they know works. It means trying things in new ways, and being open to both failure, and to learning of a better way.

On this first World Field Epidemiology Day, I’m grateful for all of my field epi friends and colleagues who I have met at the intersection, and feel honoured to work beside you.

Stephanie

*The title of ‘field epidemiologist’ is not a protected professional title – which is perhaps a post all on its own! – so there are a range of perspectives on what constitutes a field epi. This blog is only a personal reflection and experience from one of our team members. In a future post, we will explore the various technical skills that one can expect a field epi to have competence in, and how the FETPs in both Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have been developed to focus in on these core technical skills.