About Me

My name is Grant Miller, and I am a 25-year-old senior at Old Dominion University pursuing a Bachelor of Public Health in Health Services Administration with a minor in Business Management. I also hold an Associate of Health Science degree from Virginia Peninsula Community College. My academic background has helped me develop a strong interest in healthcare administration, public health, community-based care, and improving access to healthcare services.

My interest in healthcare comes from both personal and professional experiences. As someone living with Type 1 diabetes, I have experienced the healthcare system from a patient perspective, which has helped me understand the importance of accessible, patient-centered care. Professionally, I have gained healthcare exposure through shadowing in both inpatient and outpatient settings and through my previous role as a physical therapy aide. These experiences allowed me to observe patient care, healthcare teamwork, documentation, communication, and the daily operations of healthcare settings.

Outside of school and professional development, I am a family-oriented person who values meaningful relationships and community. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors and spending time with friends and family. My personal experiences, education, and healthcare exposure have all shaped my goal of pursuing a career in healthcare administration, where I can contribute to better access, stronger coordination, and improved health outcomes for the communities I serve.

Internship Site Overview

I am completing my internship with the Chesapeake Mobile Care Clinic and Chesapeake Homeless Resource Clinic, which are community-based healthcare programs connected to Chesapeake Regional Healthcare and Healthy Chesapeake, Inc. The Chesapeake Mobile Care Clinic is a fully equipped medical unit designed to bring healthcare services directly to people in the community, especially those living in underserved neighborhoods, rural areas, or situations where traditional healthcare access may be difficult. Chesapeake Regional Healthcare describes the mobile clinic as a program that delivers high-quality, compassionate healthcare directly to communities that need it most.

The clinic provides a wide range of services, including primary and preventive care, acute illness treatment, chronic disease management, wellness visits, health screenings, immunizations, blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks, patient education, behavioral health screenings, social service navigation, referrals, and support for needs such as food access, housing, transportation, and long-term care connections. These services align closely with my interest in community health because the mobile clinic model reduces common barriers to care, including transportation issues, cost concerns, lack of nearby providers, and limited access to preventive services.

The Chesapeake Mobile Care Clinic operates on a rotating schedule and visits numerous locations throughout the month. According to Chesapeake Regional Healthcare, the clinic rotates through scheduled stops such as schools, community centers, shelters, senior housing complexes, rural neighborhoods, places of worship, and other community-based locations. The current clinic schedule, service locations, contact information, and visit details can be accessed through the Chesapeake Regional Healthcare Mobile Clinic webpage at: https://chesapeakeregional.com/mobileclinic.

During my internship, I will support efforts to deliver accessible healthcare services directly to underserved populations. My expected responsibilities include assisting with clinic operations, supporting patient intake, participating in outreach coordination, and observing how healthcare teams provide services in nontraditional community settings. This experience will help me better understand community health administration, patient engagement, barriers to healthcare access, and the logistical challenges involved in mobile healthcare delivery.

Name, Physical Location, and Type of Organization

The name of my internship site is the Chesapeake Mobile Care Clinic, operated in partnership with Healthy Chesapeake, Inc. My learning contract also identifies the Chesapeake Homeless Resource Clinic as part of my internship experience. The physical location listed for the organization is 667 Kingsborough Square, Suite 102, Chesapeake, Virginia 23320.

The organization is a nonprofit, community-based health organization focused on public health, health promotion, disease prevention, outreach, and improving access to care. Healthy Chesapeake works through partnerships with citizens, healthcare providers, government agencies, businesses, and community organizations to support a healthier Chesapeake. The Chesapeake Mobile Care Clinic is a mobile healthcare program that brings preventive, primary, urgent, educational, and supportive healthcare services directly into the community.

Brief History, Mission, Vision, Goals, and Objectives

Healthy Chesapeake, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to improving health and quality of life in Chesapeake through collaboration, prevention, education, and community partnerships. The organization is built around the idea that health is influenced by many social, economic, environmental, and personal factors. Because of this, Healthy Chesapeake works with community partners to support projects and programs that address health needs and create more equitable opportunities for wellness.

Healthy Chesapeake’s mission is “to build a culture of wellness that supports, sustains and advocates for a healthier Chesapeake.” Its vision is that “Chesapeake will be the healthiest community in Virginia.” These statements show that the organization is not only focused on treating illness, but also on creating long-term conditions that support health, prevention, and quality of life for all residents.

Healthy Chesapeake’s values are summarized through the acronym THREADS, which stands for Teamwork, Health, Respect, Equity, Adaptability, Dignity, and Service. These values are important because they show the organization’s commitment to working with others, treating people fairly, adapting to community needs, and serving residents with dignity and respect. This is especially relevant to the mobile clinic because the program reaches people who may face barriers to care and need services delivered in a more flexible and accessible way.

The organization’s objectives include facilitating collaboration between citizens, government, businesses, and agencies; increasing awareness of services and programs that support a healthy Chesapeake; supporting solutions to health and quality-of-life issues; documenting and sharing best practices; and analyzing the effectiveness and outcomes of community projects and initiatives. These objectives connect directly to the purpose of the Chesapeake Mobile Care Clinic because the clinic depends on partnerships, outreach, community trust, and ongoing evaluation to successfully improve access to care.

The Chesapeake Mobile Care Clinic was developed as a practical response to healthcare access barriers in the community. Chesapeake Regional Healthcare states that the clinic’s mission is “to close the gap in healthcare access by delivering preventative, primary, and urgent care services to patients where they live, work, and learn.” The clinic is operated in partnership with Healthy Chesapeake and funded in part by a Rotary International Global Grant led by the Rotary Club of Chesapeake. This history shows that the program was created through collaboration among healthcare, nonprofit, and community partners to make healthcare more accessible outside of traditional clinical settings.

Preceptor Background

My internship preceptor is Phyllis Stoneburner, MBA, BSN, RN, who serves as the Executive Director of Healthy Chesapeake, Inc. According to my internship learning contract, Ms. Stoneburner has been a licensed nurse for 46 years and has held many healthcare leadership positions throughout her career. Her previous roles include staff nurse, charge nurse, nursing director, vice president of operations, vice president of nursing, vice president of patient care services, chief nurse executive, and interim hospital president. She has served as the Executive Director of Healthy Chesapeake since January 2021.

As Executive Director, Ms. Stoneburner is responsible for helping guide Healthy Chesapeake’s operations, partnerships, community health initiatives, and organizational goals. Her leadership role involves supporting programs that improve health outcomes, promote collaboration, and address community health needs. Her extensive background in nursing, hospital administration, executive leadership, and community health makes her a strong preceptor for this internship experience. Through her mentorship, I will have the opportunity to learn more about healthcare leadership, nonprofit operations, community partnerships, mobile healthcare delivery, and the administrative side of serving underserved populations.