NIH STRIDE PROGRAM
CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN
I. Basic Data
Training Position: Computer Assistant GS-335-7
Target Position: Computer Specialist GS-334-9
Organization: NIH/NIDCD/OD
Epidemiology, Statistics and Data System Branch (ESDSB)
Executive Plaza South, Suite 430
6120 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892
Begin Date: October 3, 1993
Supervisor: Dr.
Projected Date for Placement: September 30, 1996
II. Orientation to Training (IC)
The Epidemiology, Statistics and Data System Branch (ESDSB) plans and conducts independent and cooperative epidemiologic studies on the incidence, prevalence and determinants of deafness and other communication disorders. The Branch provides advice on the principles and practice of epidemiologic studies and supports clinical and experimental research studies on the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language. It studies health interview and examination statistics, and makes correlations with behavioral, demographic, environmental, genetic or other biological risk factors to formulate clues about disease etiology and prevention strategies.
III. On-the Job Training
A. First nine months
After orientation session and during the first training segment (October 1, 1993 through June 30, 1994) ‘intern’ will be undertaking day-to-day studies and hands-on training with computer applications through the Center for Information Technology (CIT) and the NIH Training Center (NIHTC). During this/her period, ‘intern’ will routinely check course offerings and schedules for training provided by NIH. S/he will use all the available options from CIT and the TC to increase his/her knowledge of scientific computing. While pursuing on-the-job training with related courses, ‘intern’ will fully explore prerequisites of needed computer or statistical courses and follow a long-range plan to acquire this educational training. S/he will discuss the training plan with his/her supervisor periodically to inform him/her of progress and any unmet needs.
In addition to the day-to-day studies, ‘intern’ will use his/her acquired knowledge of operating system capabilities and limitations (such as, I/O devices, memory, and CPU core capacity), stored software packages, and existing application programs for coding and maintenance duties to measure throughput times, and to call-up, modify, or suppress application programs running on the PC or IBM mainframe.
At the conclusion of this segment, ‘intern’ will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of:
1. The use of computer applications in ESDSB to facilitate accurate presentations with concise text describing the research being conducted.
2. Understand the capabilities of available text editors including the underlying operating system to assist other end-users of computer or statistical software to meet their requirements for processing and disseminating their research findings.
B. Next eleven months
During the second training segment (July 1, 1994 - May 31, 1995) ‘intern’ will continue with on-the-job training and, through his/her own initiative seek to improve understanding of computer programming and statistical data analysis techniques by attendance at special seminars, self-study, and other means (classes, workshops, etc.). ‘Intern’ will review new and updated statistical software packages such as BMDP, SAS, SPIus, and Epistat, for documentation of operating instructions, including names or labels for fields, libraries file, retention periods, and input file formats. In addition to becoming more familiar with statistical software, will study features of higher level programming languages such as BASIC and FORTRAN, in order to sufficiently follow instruction manuals and guidance from professional staff who use these languages to program more complicated statistical procedures. ‘Intern’ will learn to write simple, straightforward programs in BASIC and/or FORTRAN. S/he will continue to work on the requirements to write concise, clear program documentation summaries to reflect purpose, content, input schedule, processing schedule, processing variables, control parameters, input identifiers, software features, and run instructions.
In conclusion of this training segment, ‘intern’ will be expected to:
1. Have an understanding of writing programs and program modules for-
extracting, sorting, reformatting, and merging data sets for a variety of reports,
and input data.2. In addition to the ability to edit text and programming code, s/he will draw
finished flowcharts and learn good techniques for producing logical
programming code.3. S/he will learn to formulate system specifications after receiving requests from profession staff (computer specialist statisticians, or epidemiologists) to perform simple computer program submissions.
C. Next four months
During the third segment (June 1, 1995 - September 30, 1995), ‘intern’ will continue the on-the-job training and expand his/her ability to help support a LAN to communicate easier and trouble-free with members of the Branch through this/her electronic media, and to gain experience and appreciation using the NIH Extramural Computer LAN facility supported by the Information Systems Branch of NIDCD and counterparts at the NIH level. Also, this segment will give ‘intern’ experience in maintaining records on current and already-collected data sets, including the archival procedures for developing a magnetic tape library for ESDSB. From the knowledge of using Wylbur and other CIT provided programs for communication with the IBM mainframe computer, s/he will periodically (at least monthly) check the status of all Branch data sets and tapes held in Building 12 at the NIH Computer Center to prevent accidental loss of data sets or tapes. Additionally, s/he will work on renewing expiration dates on all data sets or computes tapes that are about to lapse. S/he will monitor monthly computer expenditures by Branch staff using printouts available from CIT. Throughout this segment, s/he will explore the data and file management needs of the Branch staff and recommend the most efficient and economical means for maintaining these data sets. During this segment, s/he will recommend to staff, as appropriate, new and economical means of data processing, maintenance, and storage, base on knowledge acquired from attending CIT courses and workshops and through personal interaction with CIT staff.
At the end of this segment, ‘intern’ will be expected to:
1. Have a sound understanding of how to provide support to users of LAN, the function of the various pieces of equipment necessary to have a fully functioning LAN, and provide the necessary administrative support to insure maximum benefit to users of the LAN.
2. Be able to demonstrate the ability to track expiration dates, Branch computer expenses, and maintain titles and data sets in an efficient and economical system that best utilizes Branch resources.
D. Final Year of Training
During the last on-the-job training segment (October 1, 1995 through September 30, 1996), ‘intern’ will be provided with the opportunity to work with research projects through the use of programming. Assignments will be made in terms of programming and project objectives and possible methods or approaches to the work. ‘Intern’ will work independently to perform the work on the assigned projects by planning and carrying out necessary steps, within established limits on such things as: 1) adapting logic, coding, and testing procedures to job requests, and 2) drafting amendments to program documentation to insure understanding by other Branch staff. During this segment, s/he must identify and discuss methods, techniques, and problems that arise in programming logic, or similar concerns, with his/her supervisor. This segment will also give the opportunity to have interaction with other NIDCD professional staff. This opportunity will demonstrate his/her ability to carry out requests from elsewhere in the Institute without major support or oversight from other professionals in the Branch. Throughout this final segment, s/he will help define requirements for processing research data, including specifying the fields, contents, labels, and desired output. By gaining an understanding of good research procedures and practices, ‘intern’ will be expected to investigate further errors in data and take proper corrective action in the processing approach. S/he will also learn to make sound suggestions for modifications prior to processing data for research projects. Finally, s/he will seek to improve his/her understanding of the NIH computing environment, both mainframe and PC, in order to better perform computational duties for the Branch.
At the conclusion of this training segment, ‘intern’ will be expected to:
1. Have a sound knowledge of processing computer programs to perform data analyses for research projects undertaken by the Branch.
2. Possess a thorough understanding of the appropriate roles and responsibilities of professional staff of the Branch in conducting research studies, and be able to integrate well with the collaborative group activities needed for the successful conduct of these studies.
3. Be able to function as a “computer specialist” within the Branch, and to have the knowledge required to explain the Branch's research program activities to other Institute, Federal, or outside investigators collaborating with the Branch.
‘Intern’ will also enroll in a Computer Science curriculum at American University, Washington, D.C. All relevant, available computer application short courses and training will be completed through the NIH Training Center and CIT. Additionally, it is expected that statistical or epidemiologic courses will be taken through the FAES Undergraduate course program at NIH, if appropriate.
Needed adjustments during the training period will be made only after consultation between ‘intern’ and his/her supervisor. The following academic and short courses will be completed by
A. Computer Applications:
1. MS/PC DOS: Intermediate and Advanced Topics for MS/PC DOS
2. WINDOWS I & II
3. Harvard Graphics for WINDOWS & Intermediate Harvard Graphics
4. Wordprocessing: WordPerfect 6.0 and/or Word 6.0
5. Wylbur and Advanced Wylbur
6. Lotus and QuattroPro
7. Dbase, Paradox, Relational Database Overview. SQL-The Language forRelational Databases
8. Data Communications Software: Item fit and SmartCom LE
B. Statistics and Statistical Software Courses
1. Introduction to Statistics
2. Biomedical Statistics
3. SAS Fundamentals l & II for Programmers & Non-Programmers
4. Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
5. Introduction to Epidemiology
6. Software Packages: BMDP, SPSS, PC/SAS; and S-Plus
C. Computer Science and Programming Courses
1. Computer Science I & II
2. Data Structure. Data Systems
3. Computer Organization
4. Discrete Mathematics for Computers
5. Pascal or Basic Programming Language
6. FORTRAN
7. Operating Systems
D. Network Administration Training
1. LAN Concepts
2. Introduction to Networks
3. Planning and Installing a LAN
4. Network Services
5. WINDOWS NT Advanced Server
6. Advanced Network Topics
IV. Training Evaluation
1. Intern will complete evaluation forms relating to the courses taken or training
received and discuss any shortcomings or problem with supervisor.
2. Supervisor will review course grades and evaluate training received viadiscussion with intern and through observing intern's ability to use the
knowledge obtained through job-related assignments.
3. Periodically (each 60 days in the first six months; every three monthsthereafter), the intern and supervisor will jointly review progress in achieving
the goals of the STRIDE CDP. A written assessment will be completed each
six months to insure that satisfactory progress in training is accomplished.
4. Intern participates fully in Branch staff meetings, held approximately everytwo weeks, has regular one-on-one meetings with his/her supervisor, as well
as other one-on-one meetings when the need arises.
5. Intern participates in the development of criteria for the Employee PerformanceManagement System (EPMS) and has an annual performance appraisal in accordance
with his/her performance under the EPMS.
V. Approval
STRIDE Intern __________________________________________ Date ________________
Supervisor ______________________________________________ Date ________________
Personnel Officer _________________________________________ Date ________________
STRIDE Program Manager _________________________________ Date ________________