Ksa-Program Policies

In my current position as a Public Health Analyst, I analyze and evaluate Drug Pricing Program (DPP) policies, goals, and objectives. I review and assess information from state and local health agencies, make determinations regarding eligibility for participation in the DPP, and determine whether criteria and/or procedures for identifying covered entities are effective in meeting program objectives. I am frequently called upon to brief my supervisor and other managers on unusual cases and issues.

In March of 2002, I noticed an exorbitant amount of time was spent on the telephone with our clients trying to confirm or revise information submitted because of inconsistencies in reports. I devised a plan to capture information that was more precise and current. This plan consisted of developing a database that highlighted pertinent information from each report. All of the analysts on staff were given access to the database for quick and accurate reference. Not only were the reports more consistent, but better service was provided to participants in the DPP. This plan reduced by 48% the number of calls back to participants for clarifications and corrections.

My previous experience in Human Resources in the Fogarty International Center (FIC) as a Personnel Assistant afforded me the opportunity to learn and understand more about various programs in the agency. In participating in personnel management evaluations I had to understand organization missions and functions, and their relationships with each other. In this position, I also had to analyze, explain, and apply position classification standards in order to conduct desk audits and prepare subsequent grade/series recommendation reports for management.

In a previous position at the Justice Department, I developed estimates of travel costs that were included in the overall division budget projects. I also monitored travel expenses and reported status of travel funds available to my supervisors on a weekly basis.

My experience and skills have been supplemented by the following training courses that I have completed through Montgomery College and the NIH Training Center:

Administrative Office Management

Administrative Procedure

Business Management

Leadership and Supervision

Business Writing

Kenneth Farrell

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Ability to make critical judgments about biomedical research projects.

For the past eight years, I have been involved with biomedical research projects in academia and at the National Institutes of Health. As a Visiting Fellow at the Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, I have conducted numerous experiments in neurobiology, which requires a strict understanding of procedural accuracy and the ability to apply crucial judgment in all phases of experimentation. For example in 2000, I conducted experiments in which I demonstrated firing pattern recognition in the temporal lobes. At several key junctures, I was able to collaborate with senior scientists, and use my critical thinking and analysis skills to accurately proceed with the scientific procedures. The results of this research were presented at a seminar, “Differential Decoding of Temporal Patterns in Fruit Flies,” at the University of Pittsburgh. I was also awarded the Dr. Jonas Salk Excellence in Research Prize based on my findings.

In addition, in 1997, I conducted a variety of experiments as a postdoctoral fellow at Rutgers University, Department of Microbiology. During my tenure, I developed enzyme assays to study the cross liking of parasites on fruit flies. My critical judgment regarding the most appropriate research methods was applied from extensive scientific reviews and through discussions with senior faculty members. The results of this study were published in an article entitled “Parasites and Their Effect on Fruit Flies” in the Nature Journal.

I also served as a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Pharmacology at West Virginia University. I taught two undergraduate courses in biology and supervised the fruit fly lab, which consisted of three graduate students and six undergraduate students and a budget of $50,000. During my tenure in the lab, I developed a strain of fruit flies that were resistant to parasite diseases. My results were