The MPH Internship
YSPH Students on Interning During the Pandemic
Eddie Encina, Cardno ChemRisk Health Scientist
"Overall, this experience taught me the importance of public health and helped me understand how the skills I’ve developed actually translate into helping clients answer certain health concerns that they have." — MPH candidate in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
Mahira Tiwana, UNICEF
UNICEF was a great place to intern, and I was able to gain significant experience in evaluating programs. At the conclusion of my internship, I presented the findings of my research alongside my team to the Thailand UNICEF office and Thailand Ministry of Health. It was really rewarding to see the real-world usefulness and impact of the work. Also, my internship placement was through the Yale Institute for Global Health, and as part of the Fellowship, I attended a weekly seminar on organizational psychology, professional skills and ethics, which was a great bonding activity for all of the Fellows, and a great space to process the experiences I was having with my team at UNICEF. — MPH candidate in Health Policy
Colin Bass, NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene
"There are so many people out there in public health working to help those most in need, which was an important reminder for me during the pandemic. My first year at YSPH made me feel like as an intern, I could contribute meaningfully towards uplifting the mental health of those most affected by broad, systemic disparities in health/mental healthcare." — MPH candidate in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Madeleine Tessier-Kay, New Mexico State Department of Health
My experience reaffirmed how crucial it is for there to be clear communication between those conducting research and surveillance and those designing current and future policy. The impacts of the pandemic are far-reaching and have shifted the framework for multiple public health issues, such as the current opioid epidemic. — MPH candidate in Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Tia Rocchini, UCLA Health
"This experience was transformative and challenged me to grow both professionally and personally. Completing an on-site internship during the COVID-19 pandemic at one of the top health systems in the country provided me with an incredible opportunity to witness leadership demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity in real time." — MPH candidate in Health Care Management