Table 2.

Data collection methods and sources

Methods and sourcesa	Data collected
Telephone interviews (with an external consultant) (TI) (1, 2, 3)	Nature, usefulness, and extent of the contribution of internships and mentorship to (a) current research practices, research orientations, and career development (trainees only) and (b) trainees PHIR skills acquisition (mentors only)
	Program adaptation to the PHO needs and most important contributions of the Program (managers only); facilitators and barriers to PHIR training; recommendations for Program improvement
Exit interviews (with the Program co-director) (EI) (1)	Achievement of the trainee personal learning objectives (career development, professional network development, transdisciplinary intervention research, knowledge translation, public health concepts and systems knowledge, ethics) and the contribution made by the internships and mentorship
Semiannual evaluation reports (SAER) (1, 2)	Frequency of encounters between trainees and mentors and comments from trainees and mentors on the progress towards achieving personal learning objectives, satisfaction with the mentoring relationship, and suggested improvements to any aspect of the Program
Online surveys (1, 2)	Contribution of internships and mentorship to enhance: a broad vision of public health interventions, an openness towards other disciplines, an understanding of ethics
	Trainees only: skills for interacting and working with people from other disciplines, creating research partnerships, sharing knowledge

^aSources: 1 trainees, 2 mentors, 3 senior PHO managers

Additional file 1