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INTERNATIONAL HEALTH INTERNSHIP public health mental health psychology sociology health professions and more
If you’re looking to start a career in international health,
then this is the internship opportunity for you
Placements in health-related positions on the beautiful tropical island of Pohnpei, in the Federated States of Micronesia
KICK START YOUR CAREER IN INTERNATIONAL HEALTH – APPLY TODAY!
OrganizationName
§ You’llbeworkingdirectlywiththePohnpeiStateDepartmentofHealthServicesascoordinatedbythePacificIslandsHealthOfficers’Association’s(PIHOA)PacificIslandsPublicHealthTrainingCenter(PIPHTC)
InternshipProjectTitle
§ PIHOAPIPHTCPohnpeiStateDepartmentofHealthServicesInternshipProgram
ProjectDescription
§ Areyoulookingforaninternshipwhereyoucantrulymakeadifferenceasyouprepareforacareeringlobalhealth?Wouldyouliketheopportunitytoworkalongsidededicatedprofessionalswhoarebattlingdiseaseslikeleptospirosis,chikungunya,cancer,obesity,Type2diabetes,andmore,allwhiledoingsoonatropicalislandparadise?Ifso,thenthisistheinternshipforyou!
§ ThePIHOAPIPHTC,inconcertwiththePohnpeiStateDepartmentofHealthServices,islooking
forhard-workinganddedicatedinternswhowanttotakeonthechallengesofpublichealthinaresource-limitedenvironmentwhereeverydaypresentsnewchallengesandopportunitiesforgrowthasyoutakeyourfirststepstowardacareeringlobalhealth.
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§ Weofferavarietyofinternshipopportunitiesthatcanbetailoredtomeetthespecificlearningneedsofhealthprofessionsstudents,includingpublichealth,psychology,sociology,socialwork,andcloselyrelatedfields.
§ Thisinternshippresentsanexciting
opportunitytoworkinaninternationalhealthsettingwithstafffromdifferentethnicandculturalbackgroundsinadeveloping,resource-limitedenvironmentwheretheyinterncanseetheirhands-onworkmakingarealdifferenceinthelivesoftargetpopulations.
§ AllinternshippositionsarebasedinPohnpei,FederatedStatesofMicronesia,workingwithinthe
severaldepartmentsofthePohnpeiStateDepartmentofHealthServices,butwithaspecialemphasisoncommunity-based,publichealthprogramsinvariousareas,suchasbehavioralhealth,healthpromotion,maternalandchildhealth,immunization,cancerprevention,obesitypreventionandcontrol,andsoforth;and,mayincluderotationsinpublichealthagencies,communityhealthcenters,dispensaries,andthePohnpeiStateHospital.
§ BecauseofthelargenumberofongoingprojectsinPohnpeiatanyonetime,andthestrong
workingrelationshipbetweenthePIPHTCandPohnpeiStateDepartmentofHealthServices,theopportunitiesarenumerousandflexible,andcanbetailoredtomeetthespecificindividuallearningneedsofthestudentinternwithintherequirementssetforinternshipbytheCouncilonEducationforPublicHealthAppliedPracticeExperience.
§ InconsultationwiththePreceptor,PohnpeiStateDepartmentofHealthServices,andtheir
academicadvisor,theinternwilldevelopanoverallgoalfortheirinternship,andthendevelopasetofmeasureableobjectivestobemetinmeetingthisoverallgoal,thatwillbecomethespecificsoftheinternship,andthemeansbywhichtheinternwillbeevaluated.
§ Thiscompetitiveinternshiponlyofferstwo
slotsperyear–butifyouthinkyouhavewhatittakes,wewanttohearfromyou!
InternCharacteristics
§ Ittakesaspecialkindofpersontosucceedinthisinternship–onewhoisnotafraidofchallenges,isflexibleandadaptabletoworkinginadevelopingcountryenvironment,gettingtoknowpeopleofdifferentcultures,backgrounds,andlanguages,embracingchange,andmakingthemostoutofwhatothersmightseeasobstacles,butwhichyouknowarejustopportunitiesforgrowth!
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§ Becauseoftheuniquenatureofthisinternship,wehaveidentifiedthefollowingessentialcharacteristicsthatwelookforinourstudents,andwhichhaveallowedpastinternsfrompublichealth,medical,internationaldevelopmentandotherbackgroundsfromtheUSandAustraliatobesuccessfulintheinternshipthatlaunchedtheirglobalhealthcareers.
§ CulturalSensitivity–comfortableworkingwithpeople,bothascolleaguesandtargetpopulations,
whocomefromculturalbackgroundswhicharedifferentthanyourown,includinglifeexperiencesandglobalexplanatorymodels,andinwhomEnglishisnottheirfirstlanguage.
§ CommunicationSkills–abilityto
communicateeffectively,bothwrittenandverbal,withpeoplefromdifferentculturalbackgrounds,inthedesign,development,implementation,andevaluationofpublichealthprograms;particularlyimportanttohavetheabilitytocommunicatepublichealthideasandconcepts,suchashealthpromotiontopics,atalevelappropriatetoEnglishasaSecondLanguage(ESL)audiencesofvariouscapabilities.
§ StrongWorkEthicandInitiative–aself-starterwhoisdedicatedtomeetingthegoalsofthe
project,isconsistentlyontime,submitsqualitywork,andiswillingtotakeonadditionaldutiesandresponsibilitiesasopportunitiesforfurthergrowthanddevelopmentpresentthemselves.
§ TeamworkandInterpersonalSkills–abilitytoworkwellwithamultidisciplinaryteamwhocome
fromdifferentculturalbackgroundsthanyourown,inacollaborative,consultativeandrespectfulmannerthatinspiresteamworkandacommitmenttomeetingprojectgoals.
§ Problem-SolvingSkills–abilitytoidentifyandovercomeproblemsastheyarisethroughstrong
criticalthinkingandanalyticalskillsasameansofmeetingprojectgoals,butwhichareappropriatesolutionstothelocalcontext.
§ FlexibilityandAdaptability–publichealth
inthePacificispracticedinaresource-limitedenvironmentthatrequirespractitionerstobecomeflexibleandadaptableinhowtheirorganizationmeetsgoals,andrequiresthatinternsadoptthemoto,improvise,adaptandovercomeinmeetingeverydaychallenges.
§ ComputerandTechnicalSkills–competencyintheuseofMSOffice,withaspecialemphasison
Excelasameansofdataentryandanalysis;althoughnotalwaysrequired,familiaritywith
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databaseandanalysisprograms,particularlyEpiInfo,isuseful;solidunderstandingofbasicpublichealthscienceskillsfromarangeofdisciplines,suchashealthpromotion,epidemiology,healthmanagement,behavioralhealth,nutrition,andsoforth.
BackgroundoftheOrganization
§ TheFederatedStatesofMicronesia(FSM),whichbecameanindependentnationin1979,inclosepoliticalassociationwiththeUnitedStates,iscomposedofthefourislandstatesofPohnpei,Chuuk,Yap,andKosrae,whichtogetherincludeoversix-hundredislandsspreadacross2,900kmbetweentheMarshallIslandsandPalau.
§ LocatedintheheartoftheFSM,justtwo-hundredmilesnorthoftheequator,Pohnpei,whichis
thecapitoloftheFSM,isknownastheGardenIsleofMicronesia,andfeaturesalushlandscapecharacterizedbytropicalrainforests,beautifulflowers,dozensofriversandstreams,diving,snorkeling,hiking,fishing,surfing,andtheopportunitytoworkalongsideexperiencedpublichealthworkersinthefield.
§ Pohnpeihasapopulationofjustover36,000,andishometoembassiesfromtheUnitedState,
Japan,andAustralia;countryofficesoftheUnitedNationsandtheWorldHealthOrganization;aswellastheheadquartersoftheCollegeofMicronesia-FSM,whichprovidesUS-accrediteddegreesinpublichealth,nursing,healthassistants,andanintensivepre-medicalcourseknownastheDoctorsandDentistsforTomorrowprogram,whichpreparesstudentsfordirectentryintoregionalmedicalanddentalschoolsinFijiandPapuaNewGuinea.
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§ Micronesiansarehard-working,family-oriented,friendly,cheerful,andcanbefoundfrequentlysharingaboisterouslaugh,astheyshowtheirexcitementtobeagrowingnationthatisplayinganincreasinglyimportantroleineducation,politics,andthefightagainstglobalwarmingandnon-communicablediseases(NCDs)intheNorthernPacific.
§ ThePohnpeiDepartmentofHealthServices
operatesanumberofDivisions,includingpublichealth,medicalservices,andcommunityhealth,providingpreventativeandcurativeservicesatthecommunity,clinical,andhospital-basedlevels.
§ Inadditiontothepublichealthdepartment,whichprovidespreventativeservices,including
maternalandchildhealth,behavioralhealth,cancerprevention,andimmunizationprograms,PohnpeiDepartmentofHealthServicesalsooperatescommunitydispensariesandprimarycareclinics.PohnpeiStateHospitalisanapproximatelyeighty-bedgeneralmedical-surgicalhospitalwithlaboratory,medicalimaging,andotherancillaryservices;andprovidesdental,ophthalmologic,generalsurgical,obstetrics-gynaecology,paediatrics,andotherservices.
§ Clinical,publichealth,andteachingstaffareamixofMicronesiansandex-patriates,including
physicians,nurses,laboratorians,pharmacists,andalliedhealthworkersfromFiji,thePhilippines,andacrossthePacific,givingtheinterntheopportunitytointeractwithatrulymultinationalstaff,astheylearnkeyglobalpublichealthskills.
ProjectTimeline
§ Twointernshipswillbeofferedeachyear§ Eachinternshipwillbetwocalendarmonthsin
duration§ Thefirstinternshipmustcommenceafter
January1,2019,andmustbecompletedonorbeforeMay1,2019
§ ThesecondinternshipmustcommenceafterMay1,2019,andmustbecompletedorbeforeDecember1,2019
ProjectPreceptor
§ Dr.BrianP.Mangumhasworkedasaninternationalhealthpractitioner,epidemiologist,andmedicalschoolprofessorintheCaribbean,Africa,Europe,theUnitedStates,andtheAsia-Pacificregionforoverfifteenyears.
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§ “I’veworkedinthedevelopingworldmostofmyadultlife.IlovethePacific,andhavechosentomakethismyhome,whereIamraisingmyfamily.Thereasonforthisissimple–thisisagreatplacetoliveandwork!PacificIslandersarestrong,hard-workingandfriendly.Itrulyfeelpartofthecommunityhere.Whiletheprofessionalchallengesareimmense,soaretherewardsofseeingyourworkmakeadifference!Andbesides,isn’tthatwhyyouwanttogointoglobalhealth–totravel,workhard,andgowhereyoureducationmakesadifference?Iknowthatwaswhatdroveme.Thosewhomyouwillworkwithonthisinternshipareincrediblydedicatedpeoplewhoareeagertosharetheirknowledgeandexpertise.Ifyourpassionishelpingothers,andyouwanttogetexperienceinglobalhealthinaresource-limitedenvironment,thenthisistheplaceforyou!”–BPM
§ PleasenotethatalthoughDr.Mangumwillprovidecoaching,teaching,andassistanceasneededatregularintervalsthroughouttheinternship,adirectsupervisorwithinthespecificDivisionoftheDepartmentofHealthServicestowhichthestudentisassignedwillbeidentifiedtooverseethestudent’sday-to-dayactivities.
InternTitle
§ InrecognitionthattherearenumerousandflexibleopportunitieswithinthePohnpeiStateDepartmentofHealthServicesforinternships,theintern’stitlewillbenegotiatedwiththePreceptorandtheinterntoaccuratelyreflecttheagreeduponprojectandthespecificdutiesperformedduringtheinternship,aswellasgivetheinterntheopportunitytocustomizetheirtitlebasedupontheirfuturecareergoals
ContactInformation
§ Dr.BrianP.MangumCoordinator,PIHOAPIPHTCc/oCollegeofMicronesia-FSMNationalCampusPalikir,Pohnpei,FM96941Email:[email protected]:011-691-320-2480,ext.301
ThisinternshipisfundedbytheUSHealthResourcesandServicesAdministration(HRSA)throughits grant to theUniversityofArizonaSchool ofPublicHealth entitled thePublicHealthTrainingCenterfortheWesternRegion,andsub-contractedtoPIHOA’sPacificBasinPublicHealthTrainingCenterbasedinPohnpei,FSM.
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