Taylor Lott

Dr. Ron Gimbel

Health 4200
April 20, 2016
During the spring semester of 2016, I had the opportunity to work at Clemson
University International Center for Automotive Research (CU ICAR) for my
Health Science Internship. While there, I was able to spend about 180 hours
interacting with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and specialties from
psychology to automotive technology. Because I spent my internship at a
research center, the majority of my roles or duties revolved around research in
relation to health and driving. The projects I was responsible for working on
were collecting the baseline data from the driving simulations at both Christ
Church Episcopal School and CU ICAR, compiling the data into Excel
spreadsheets to use for presentations, and write a literature review for a nonprofit organization that our research team partners with known as the Guard
Your Life Challenge. The knowledge and lessons learned while at CU ICAR have
given me a better understanding of research techniques and evaluations that I
can apply to my future career.
1. Social Determinants in Health
Modern public health has recognized a variety of social determinants of
health. Pick one or more, from one of the 3 categories, of these social
determinants of health and reflect on how it (they) may have influenced
the type, variety, and/or need for the health or medical services delivered
at your internship site:
Healthy Places
Availability and safety of transportation (public or private)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), social determinants in
health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age,
and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life

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(2016). These systems can be categorized as economic, political, or social and are
responsible for addressing health concerns throughout the world (World Health
Organization [WHO], 2016). At Clemson University International Center for
Automotive Research, all the research and studies performed during my time at
my internship focused solely on the availability and safety of transportation.
With the baseline studies, future studies will be able to use the data to make
comparisons and interpretations on certain conditions and how it affects an
individuals operating of a motor vehicle. For my internship site at CU ICAR, I
will discuss the importance of what my internship offers in relation to the safety
and availability of transportation.
The leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States is motor vehicle
accidents (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015). This
statistic, along with many others, highlights the importance of research into
defensive driving. During my internship at Clemson University International
Center for Automotive Research, I was exposed to research involving the
importance of education about driving safety. I was responsible for collecting
data from simulations with scenarios that focused on different aspects of driving
such as reaction timing, object detection, and change of steering direction. I was
also able to aid in researching the effectiveness of the Guard Your Life Challenge,
a non-profit organization that is partnered with the BMW Performance Center to
host defensive driving courses. These projects allowed me to view the statistics
associated with motor vehicle accidents and how important teaching emergency
driving maneuvers are, most notably in teens.
More and more people are obtaining drivers licenses, meaning more
individuals are cruising the roads. Every time an individual climbs into a vehicle
they are putting themselves at risk. Although most states require some type of
drivers education course, these courses do not include defensive or emergency
maneuvers. Also, first time drivers are not always able to get driving exposure
before they receive a license. This could lead to novice drivers being placed into a
somewhat dangerous environment where they are unprepared. This is why the
research being done at CU ICAR is so necessary and imperative.

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The driving simulation participants consisted of graduate students from CU
ICAR and high school students from Christ Church Episcopal School (CCES).
The object of the driving simulations was to provide a baseline study for average
drivers, both with little to no experience and with a great deal of experience. A
future concussion study will use this data as a control. One future study that will
be using this data as a control is a concussion study. For this concussion study,
the research team is partnering with a Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
physician, Dr. John Lucas. The hopes of this study is to show how concussions
affect driving, as well as offer a way for concussed individuals to integrate
themselves back into driving in a safe, risk-free environment.
The scenarios on the driving simulator were created to evaluate participants
reactions under circumstances they would face while on the road. The reaction
times within the scenarios are essential in determining how safe is an individuals
driving. Many times with concussions, individuals are unable to react as quickly
as they would if they lacked a concussion. This suggests that these individuals
would have a difficult time to react to a situation while in a motor vehicle. The
driving simulations can track improvement of reaction times and act as a sort of
therapy for concussed individuals. Since the data I collected at my internship site
was baseline data, I was not able to see these types of interactions and
improvements but I was able to listen to the discussion on why this study is going
to be researched and performed. This type of research can lead to roads being
safer for people under similar circumstances.
Another instance in where driving safety was researched was with the Guard
Your Life Challenge. The Humphries family, who are responsible for starting the
non-profit organization, did so in the hopes that they could improve safety
awareness in teen drivers. This family lost a young member in a car accident in
2012. They wanted to prevent this tragic loss in other families, hence why they
started the organization. The Guard Your Life Challenge is partnered with the
BMW Performance Center and hosts four-hour defensive driving courses at
specified times throughout the year. The goal of both the Humphries family and
the BMW Performance Center is to give teens the tools they need to respond in
emergent situations while on the road. These driving courses include skid

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recovery, a distraction course, and emergency braking (Guard Your Life
Challenge, n.d.). The idea is to subject novice drivers to controlled danger
situations to teach them how to respond so that they can do the same if faced
with a similar situation in an uncontrolled situation. Educating these teen
drivers on defensive maneuvers for motor vehicles can increase their awareness
and improve their safety while in a car.
One of my roles at the internship was to survey the participants after
completing the course. Later, follow-up questions would be asked to determine
how effective the course was in increasing safety awareness in relation to
transportation. A variety of driving experience can be seen since the ages that are
allowed to participate in the course are 15 to 19. These ages span an experience
level of learners permit, to restricted license, to unrestricted license. This gives a
more detailed understanding of what level of experience is participating in the
course. With the follow-ups, the different ages can also show how age may affect
the number of car accidents in Guard Your Life Challenge participants as well.
Because the social health determinants of transportation safety are so essential
in a society that relies on motor vehicles, CU ICAR works diligently to make a
risky environment safer for the population. The department I interned at saw the
need for a safe, low-risk environment to evaluate driving procedures. These
simulators are used to research driving in relation to a variety of syndromes,
ailments, and situations. It is used in studies involving concussions and
developmental disorders. Hospitals have taken advantage of these simulators as
well, most notably occupational therapists in their practices. This plethora of
uses for the simulators means that more people are being helped. The variety of
individuals utilizing these tools is also producing results that aid in
understanding not only more about the conditions of the participants, but also
about safe driving as a whole. This type of service is so needed due to the
majority of the population obtaining drivers licenses. In the United States in
2010, roughly 210 million people were licensed drivers (Statista). This statistic
shows just how salient it is for services to be offered that focus on improving the
safety of transportation. Clemson University International Center for
Automotive Technology realizes this importance and has reacted.

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2. Organizational Behavior and Governance

Our health care system is an interface of multiple structures for the
organization, financing, management, delivery and evaluation of a wide
variety of health-related services. Based on classwork and your experience
in your internship, (a) Identify a structure, role or function that you
believe is crucial to the services (availability, quality, cost effectiveness
etc.) provided at your internship site. (b) How is that structure, role or
function facilitated by, (or impeded by) things like organizational culture,
organizational functioning, policy or law? (c) If you could change the law,
policy, or organizational practices to make the system more
effective/efficient, what would you change? (d) Explain why.
My internship site at the automotive research center has different
departments that have varying areas of interest. Each of them is set up
differently and is the same is true for the area I interned in. For my site, I was
involved in a research team that focused on collecting baseline data for future
studies relating to driving in terms of reaction times and object detection. The
research team was structured in a hierarchy, each tier being responsible for
specific projects. This research team and its structure was crucial for the
projects and research being produced at the internship site. Without this
current setup, confusion could have occurred and less productivity could
potentially result. The structure of the research team consisted of Dr. Johnell
Brooks, the team leader, Casey Jenkins, a research assistant, Michael
Anderson, another research assistant, and me as the intern. In order to
execute the projects, Dr. Brooks would schedule a team meeting. At this team
meeting, roles and assignments were delegated to the remaining team
members. Caseys job was mostly to keep up with scheduling demands and
act as the lead member in charge when Dr. Brooks was not in the simulation
lab. She would remain in constant contact with Dr. Brooks to keep her
updated on the progress of the research projects. Michael mostly handled
converting the data coding from the simulators into data that could be

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inputted into Excel spreadsheets. The majority of his tasks revolved around
technology and computer functioning with relation to the research being
conducted. My role in the team was to take the newly converted data from
Michael and input it into Excel spreadsheets while also calculating the
averages, standard deviations, maximums, and minimums. Many times I
would also be responsible for creating graphs for a more visual understanding
of the research progress and results. Without this type of hierarchical
structure, the research conducted at CU ICAR would lack a group perspective
of thinking and many valuable perspectives could be lost. Also, the
organization of the system would not function properly, causing either
confusion towards duties of the research team and ultimately lack sound
research.
Because the structure of the research team is so pertinent as to how
research projects are conducted, it is important to mention its facilitation by
organizational functioning. This idea of organizational functioning is one in
which explains the hierarchy of the group and the relationships amongst the
team members. Thus, it would serve as a reminder that without this
organizational functioning, the structure and role of the research team in
innovative studies on safe driving would be impeded. The definition of a team
is a group of people who work together (Merriam-Webster, n.d.b). Without
the combined efforts of each individual member, the group as a whole would
no longer be able to produce the needed research. The relationships amongst
the group allow for a work environment that involves dynamic conversation
about the studies and provides an atmosphere that meshes unique
perspectives. These relationships also provide an understanding about what
each members responsibility to the studies is. If the individuals in the group
were not part of a hierarchy, it would be unclear about the roles each member
possessed. In other words, without a hierarchy or organization functioning,
the research team would not be able to produce studies and research because
no one person would be able to delegate roles to each member. This unclear
role in the workplace can lead to the lack of production for needed research.

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With this group dynamic the research team possesses functions
appropriately, alterations can be made to improve the functioning of the
system as a whole. The change that would seem to work best in this system
would be that the roles of each individual be delegated in a more definite
manner. During my internship, my roles and the roles of the remaining team
members would be established in informal meetings with Dr. Brooks. These
informal meetings would include discussions on what the intentions were for
future studies and an update on the progress of current studies. Many times
while at my internship, I would be unsure of what I needed to be working on.
Although this would usually be short-lived because someone would give me a
job to do, I think it could be eliminated as an issue. This issue can be cleared
up by Dr. Brooks and the team establishing clear, written roles of each team
member. I think it would also help if at the beginning of a project, roles and
assignments are written out for each team member and given due dates. This
would make for a better flow and everyone would know his or her job and
responsibilities. Previously, a general list would be discussed and no due
dates established. It would also be somewhat difficult to keep up with who
has what role and many times something would be forgotten. I think this
occurred mostly because a timeline was not considered and the duties were
not laid out in a manner that could be referred to in the future. Overall, I
think the organizational functioning of the research team is appropriate for
research and studies to be enabled. However, I think that making a more
defined list of duties as well as consulting a calendar would improve the
functioning of the current hierarchical system.
3. Concentration-Specific Questions
Preprofessional Concentration: Professionalism is an important
component of a health care workers contract with society. Not only do we
need health professionals who participate in good evidence-based
decision-making, but we need caregivers who apply those decisions in a
way that is professional and ultimately supports patients/clients.
Professionalism has many components. Among them are maturity,

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responsibility, communication skills, and respect for other persons,
especially patients/clients. Describe a situation or individual that you
encountered during you internship that exemplifies professionalism, and
explain how/why this is true. What did you learn from your internship
that can help you improve your own professionalism?
Professionalism is defined as the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize
or mark a profession or a professional person (Merriam-Webster, n.d.a). After
interning at Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research, I
discovered that professionalism takes on many identities and varies from person
to person. To say someone is a professional or exudes professionalism is to say
that they take their job seriously and treat all individuals with respect. Previous
to my internship, I had notions that professionalism mostly meant that the
individual would approach someone with a business-like demeanor, presenting a
firm handshake and emotionless face. This is not to say that every professional
presents themselves in a suit or works for a corporate office. It also does not
mean that this stereotyped idea is true.
While at CU ICAR, I was able to interact with an abundance of individuals,
each unique in their identity. This is also true for their style of professionalism.
What I learned while at the research facility was that professionalism is just as
distinctive as a fingerprint. Some of the employees at CU ICAR were more like
the businessman mentioned above while others were more like everyday
people. Regardless, they all encompassed the qualities of being a professional. In
particular was my preceptor, Dr. Johnell Brooks. Her professionalism and
competence in a workplace modeled a new definition of what it means to be a
professional. Instead of an uptight atmosphere with minions running around,
she kept things very relaxed and wanted her workplace to take on a family style
dynamic.
One quality of professionalism that Dr. Brooks embodied was proficient
communication skills. From the first day I began interning with her and her
team, I realized how effective her methods of communication were. She kept in
constant contact with everyone within and outside of the team. She made herself

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available by numerous modes of communication. If I emailed her a question or
needed to discuss something by phone, she would make herself available to clear
up any confusion. Also at my internship site would be in-person meetings or
meetings via conference calls. During these exchanges, Dr. Brooks spoke in a
manner that was easy to comprehend and was patient when there was a
misunderstanding. Many conference calls consisted of speaking with
occupational therapists about the manuals for the driving simulators. During
these exchanges, Dr. Brooks made sure she walked the therapists through the
manuals so that there would be no confusion. Her communication skills were
critical for when she was discussing projects and assignments for the research
team to complete, especially when she was working from home and not in the
office. Many times Dr. Brooks would have a specific idea that the group needed
to conceive. Without her communication expertise, we would lack the knowledge
to produce the finished product she anticipated.
Another professional quality Dr. Brooks conveyed in the workplace
environment was responsibility to those who worked with her and the parties she
was partnered with. Not only was Dr. Brooks and the research team responsible
for working on numerous papers to be published, she was also contributing to
projects for other companies across the United States, and even writing a book
chapter. The never-ending list of projects was overwhelming, but this type of
responsibility to others was what she thrived on. She diligently funneled her time
and energy into projects that focused on promoting the use of driving simulators
in transportation safety and its education. As stated earlier, many other
professionals were looking to gain access to driving simulators in their practices,
be that for endless treatments and studies. She would become responsible for
traveling to those individuals who were interested in this type of equipment for
therapies and research. Another instance where Dr. Brooks showed
responsibility as a professional was in meetings with the family who began the
Guard Your Life Challenge. The partnership between CU ICAR and the Guard
Your Life Challenge program is fundamental in determining how well defensive
driving courses are in curbing the high numbers of car accidents for teens. The
responsibility of the research team to collect data on the performance of the

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program aids in the understanding and improvement of safe driving. Not only
does this information affect the population in the upstate area of South Carolina,
but the published information from this study can also act as a template for
future research in other areas of the country and world. One thing I noticed with
Dr. Brooks was that her responsibility never seemed like a burden, regardless of
how overwhelming the amount of work she had on her plate. She always
welcomed it and strived to provide her best self to all those she was accountable
to.
Although Dr. Brooks portrayed abundant qualities of a professional, the most
important one I took note of was her respect to those she came in contact with.
Dr. Brooks has a colorful personality and makes everyone comfortable in her
presence. She is welcoming to all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or
culture. This respect she emanates comes in the form of friendly jokes and
praises. Although there are differences between her and many of the individuals
she meets with, she remains respectful and treats them equally. Respect is vital
in any sort of workplace environment. No person should feel disrespected and
Dr. Brooks is consciously aware of her actions so that no person experiences this
from her. Even within the research team, if someone does something wrong, she
does not treat them with disdain or contempt. She explains their mistake and
attempts to explain in a considerate manner how to alleviate the issue. This type
of quality seems to be disappearing in many respects in this world, which is why
it is ever-so pertinent for professionals to possess respect for others.
My internship at Clemson University International Center for Automotive
Research was an amazing opportunity that I was able to use as a valuable
learning experience. The models of professionalism by Dr. Johnell Brooks and
the rest of the research team gave me great insight into what it means to be a
professional. Qualities such as responsibility, good communication skills, and
respect are salient in all workplaces, especially the healthcare field. Because
healthcare is my desired area of interest for a career, I was attuned to the
interactions between participants and researchers, students and professors so
that I observe professional interactions. I could then take what I learned at my
internship and use it in my own profession. In my opinion, respect is the most

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important attribute of a professional that can be improved. While I strive to
always be respectful, it can be difficult to remain unbiased in some situations. To
respect someone is to treat everyone equally. In the field of medicine, physicians
treat patients of all race, gender, and culture. It is of the utmost importance to
treat all patients equally. While this may seem as if it is a rather simple task,
situations arise that test a persons professionalism. These are the moments
when the physician must remember that their duty is to treat patients with
respect.
Physicians are to remain unbiased regardless of circumstances. However,
emotions can cause a cloud in judgment. This can result in patients being
unfairly treated and disrespected. After spending time with Dr. Brooks at CU
ICAR, I was able to see how to eliminate this issue from occurring. Our job as
professionals is to not pass judgment onto others and respect the people we are
treating no matter the differences between our views. My internship experience
further taught me how to deal with situations in which I would have a different
view or opposing perspective than other people. I am a very respectful person,
and because I know emotions affect judgment I can be better prepared when
dealing with patients due to my time at CU ICAR. All the knowledge and
experience gained while at my internship will help me to further my career in
medicine. These experiences will also remind me to always treat everyone
equally and with the highest respect.

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Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Teen drivers. Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/
Guard Your Life Challenge. (n.d.) Driving experience. Retrieved from
http://www.guardyourlifechallenge.com/driving-experience.html
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.a). Professionalism. Retrieved from
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/professionalism
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.b). Team. Retrieved from
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/team
Statista. (2010). Statistics and facts about car drivers. Retrieved from
http://www.statista.com/topics/1197/car-drivers/
World Health Organization. (2016). Social determinants of health. Retrieved
from http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/