So far, during my internship at the Consortium for Infant and Child Health (CINCH) in partnership with Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), I have had the biggest opportunity to gain hands-on experience in public health research and community engagement. I have collaborated with the program director and the rest of the team on the What’s Up with Teen Marijuana? research study. By working in collaboration with experienced professionals, I have been able to learn a lot about the ways research, education, and partnerships with communities contribute to the improvement of the health of adolescents and their families.

My major duty included researching outreach opportunities and engaging with various community groups, schools, health clinics, and other events where the information about our study can be shared. In addition, I participate in various events and help to organize the work of our table, communicate with parents and caregivers, and inform them about the research study, as well as give educational presentations on teen marijuana use and mental health issues.

Aside from the outreach activities, I also help with other administrative and research-related duties that contribute to ensuring smooth project coordination. Some of the tasks include entering data from filled parent surveys into the database, making phone calls, scheduling meetings, and assisting the program director with anything else that may be required. Participating in both backstage operations and community events has helped me acquire more knowledge of all the aspects involved in successfully implementing a public health program.

On the whole, these first 100 hours have been very beneficial both personally and professionally for me and I’ve gotten the chance to meet and network with so many important people. It’s also helped me improve my communication, organizational, and time-management skills, this internship experience has made me value the importance of conducting community-based research more than before. In addition, the internship has provided me with an opportunity to implement theoretical knowledge obtained during my courses on Health Services Administration.