Student Testimonials

"At the Children's Hospital Primary Care Clinic, the main concrete skills that I learned were how to use programs such as PowerChart and EPIC. I became a better advocate for myself and as such was able to shadow and observe attendings, residents, medical students, nurses, and social workers. This experience has inspired me to want to work in a clinical setting, preferably a teaching hospital where I can run my own research projects."

"Working on the Rapid Response Plan was a great experience because I got to be a part of something that will deeply impact the lives of immigrants and the Somerville community in general. I learned about what it takes to start something like this and the community involvement and organizing that is required to follow through with projects such as this. I learned so many new skills, but I greatly valued the opportunity to network with community leaders. My supervisor always told me to look at his calendar and if I wanted to sit in on any meetings I was more than welcomed to. I appreciated those opportunities because I was able to get a much more in depth look into how organizations run and what their impact on the community and in local politics is. I also greatly appreciated having the opportunity to interact with community members who would come to the office. Many times, I helped people who needed me to make phone calls for them, but I was also able to talk to them and learn about what living in Somerville is like for immigrants, which as an immigrant myself, I greatly valued."

"I liked that my placement was relevant to what I actually want to do in the future and I was exposed to almost all branches of dentistry. In addition, it was not very far from campus so the commute was very reasonable and manageable. My greatest takeaway was learning how to critically think through problems or cases that would come into clinic in a way that not only solved the issue but also met or surpassed the needs of the patient."

"The internship helped me realize a perfect balance between both of my majors: Economics and Community Health. It's easy to hear about internships that people have in labs or working with communities within the major, so I'm glad that my eyes were open to all the different paths one can take that are less community/research/science driven."
"I took CH 99, Qualitative Research Methods, before interning in cancer research at MGH and the class really helped me during my internship! I was able to use the skills I learned during class, and apply it to the internship work I was a part of. It was cool to use the qualitative skills I've learned (NVivo, interview coding) and truly be an active, participating member of my team at MGH. It has been such an rewarding experience."

"I took CH 99, Qualitative Research Methods, before interning in cancer research at MGH and the class really helped me during my internship! I was able to use the skills I learned during class, and apply it to the internship work I was a part of. It was cool to use the qualitative skills I've learned (NVivo, interview coding) and truly be an active, participating member of my team at MGH. It has been such an rewarding experience."

"By working at the Office of Health and Human Services, I have gained a first-hand understanding of the many policies and programs implemented by the State to serve our public health. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have worked in this office, and I strongly recommend this site to Community Health majors. With such a broad scope, there is something at the EOHHS that will interest everyone."

"The biotechnology industry, a relatively new field, is booming right in Tufts' backyard. My internship has shown me that public health is playing an increasingly important role in the field. Whether working with regulatory agencies and governmental programs, analyzing policy, implementing disease management programs, dissecting ethical issues, and even working in the Community Lab, public heath is making a definite, positive impact on the biotechnology field."

"I feel so fortunate to work at a site that recognizes the innate inequality that presents itself with language barriers, and addresses it for its target population. I look forward to learning even more about the struggles that this patient population faces, so that we can continue to work on mitigating these factors to create a safe and comfortable environment for all patients."

"Working directly with these programs in the evaluation and implementation capacity has given me new insight into potentially successful solutions given enough political and legislative backing. Knowing this, I will track the changes that come in national health reform and primary care, much more critically and with an "insider's" eye."
"Asylum-seeking patients now have a place to turn when the healthcare system seems overwhelming. After a recent visit to the pharmacy and food bank with a new client she told me, "thank you so much for being here with me. I don't know how I would have managed to understand all of this alone. I was going to go home without the medicine. Next time I will come here by myself and I will not be afraid because I will know what to do." Through this program, many patients have become more able to navigate the health system, more confident to advocate for themselves, and more connected to services."

"This work made me realize that the project crystallizes many of my interests — the experiences of immigrants, the effects of social and economic inequality on health, the local area around Somerville, and the community-participatory research design."

"Initially, I worked to inform families about the vast services available at our school-based health center to increase utilization rates and the community's support. As I have helped to increase awareness of the services available and the need to protect them, I have begun to mobilize the community."

"I chose to intern at a grassroots family-based organization, dedicated to supporting and advocating for the needs of people affected by mental illness. I had the opportunity to gain insight and knowledge about the logistics and planning needed to organize a large event. The WALK was a success! total It was an incredible experience to be able to work with the community on a project from the beginning planning stages, right up until the big WALK day. This internship experience was an invaluable and memorable part of my education at Tufts."