Courtney Gauchel, a second-year remote MS student in the clinical informatics track and an APHL fellow, recently presented her MS capstone project at the Newborn Screening Symposium. She is part of a multi-disciplinary team working to develop a chatbot designed to explain newborn screening results to concerned parents. Using participatory approaches, Courtney is testing and refining the chatbot to ensure it effectively addresses parents' needs.
The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), which represents state and local government health laboratories across the United States, aims to strengthen public health laboratory systems both domestically and globally. One of APHL’s key goals is to enhance newborn screening programs by shaping policy, encouraging data-driven improvements, and driving innovations in public health laboratory practices.
Reflecting on her experience, Courtney shared, “Working with Dr. Eilbeck and the APHL Newborn Screening Program has been life-changing. I've been able to apply skills from my graduate program to my fellowship project, all while working remotely from Wisconsin. Creating the chatbot and knowing our work can ease a historically stressful time for parents has been incredibly rewarding. Some days, I can’t believe this is my job because it’s so enjoyable, and the people I work with are truly wonderful. This non-traditional learning and work experience is something I am beyond grateful for.”
