India

Overview

This virtual internship and seminar will focus on the role of local and community-based public health organizations and think tanks in responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic in India. You will assist community and grassroots efforts by interning online at an organization providing services to rural and marginalized communities in India such as, Comprehensive Rural Health Project-Jamkhed, DEHAT, Primary Health Center, or Julia Hospital—a designated COVID-19 hospital.

During the internship you will examine real-world examples of public health, community action, and policy advocacy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of India and Asia. You will expand your knowledge of public health promotion and management, complemented by immersive experiential learning, with guided weekly discussions, assignments, and reflection. You will gain in-depth knowledge, analytical clarity, and cross-cultural sensitivity as you develop self-confidence and an understanding of field-based education. In addition, the internship will enable you to gain valuable work experience and enhance your skills in an international work environment. 

As part of the program, you will complete a paper in which you process your learning experience and the theory and practice of public health in India. You will also attend weekly online assessment meetings with your academic director or internship supervisor and keep a work journal to reflect on your experiences, challenges, and professional achievements. 

You will be expected to devote approximately 12-15 hours a week both on synchronous and asynchronous course activities. Synchronous activities may include orientation sessions, seminar country and theme specific lectures, initial meetings with your internship advisor, group reflection sessions, and project presentations. Frequency, duration, and scheduling of synchronous activities will be determined the first week of the course in conversation with participants to find mutually convenient times. In the event that a student cannot attend a live session, every effort will be made to provide a recording, transcript, or summary for off-line viewing.

Asynchronous activities may include seat time at your internship, break-out groups, check-ins with your Academic Director, internship coordinator and your internship mentor, writing progress reports, discussion boards, completing assignments and a final paper, and using audio or video to record reflections on the internship experience. Students are required to demonstrate a strong online presence by participating in group discussions, answering questions, and interacting with course participants and staff.

Highlights

• Complete a virtual internship with a community organization or NGO, focusing on a specific field of your interest.
• Analyze core concepts of public health including power, policy, and political systems to understand a variety of awareness and advocacy campaigns.
• Explore multidimensional perspectives on the public health response to COVID-19.
• Examine the implications for health systems and policy advocacy in response to COVID-19 in India and neighboring countries.

Prerequisites

None.