Canadian Field Epidemiology Program Evaluation: Survey and Interview Results

This mixed-methods evaluation includes an online survey completed by 24 CFEP graduates and interviews with 22 graduates, 15 placement site supervisors, and 13 current managers. It examines program outputs, outcomes, and impacts from 2018 to 2023, detailing skills application and career progression.

Use Cases

• Analyze the relationship between CFEP competency domains and post-graduation employment as epidemiologists using survey data.
• Quantify the impact of trainees and graduates by examining counts of outbreak investigations (145 by trainees, 48 by graduates).
• Assess the adoption of new analytical tools like R and data visualization mentioned by placement supervisors in interview transcripts.
• Model career progression by evaluating the proportion of graduates (54%) advancing to supervisory or management roles.
• Evaluate surveillance system involvement by comparing trainee (91%) and graduate (84%) rates from survey results.

Strengths

• Mixed-methods design triangulates quantitative survey data from 24 graduates with qualitative interviews from 50 total participants.
• Evaluation covers a defined 5-year period (2018-2023) for recent CFEP cohorts.
• Provides specific counts for key activities, such as 145 outbreak investigations by trainees.

Limitations

• Small quantitative sample size (24 survey respondents) limits statistical power for subgroup analysis.
• Data is contained in a narrative PDF report, requiring extraction for structured analysis.
• Focus is exclusively on the Canadian program, limiting generalizability to other FETPs.

Provenance

Source

James A. Flint via figshare.

Collection Method

Theory-based mixed-methods study using an online survey and semi-structured interviews.

Time Range

2018-2023 (for graduate cohorts evaluated).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-20.

Geography

Canada.