Name: Stephanie
Senior
Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Global Health
CFS Program: Field Studies in Public Health

This fall quarter I am a part of a unique field study experience. Not only am I an intern with the Chicago Community Engagement Program (CCEP), but I am also working on a campaign initiative with both the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Institute for Public Health and Medicine. Participating in the Chicago Field Studies (CFS) Program at Northwestern has opened my eyes to the delicate yet marvelous intricacies that exist in public health and in Chicago.

As a premedical senior majoring in Biological Science and minoring in Global Health, I was uncertain about my immediate future goals. Should I focus solely on medicine or just on public health? Is there a way to incorporate both? This internship experience helped me discover the answer. My inspiring mentor at CCEP encouraged more of the “field” aspect of my internship. By sitting in seminars, discussing with practicing physicians, engaging with health care workers, and organizing a public health campaign, I realized that health involves a partnership amongst medicine, communities, and public health workers.

Through the seminars and discussions stimulated in the class component of the CFS program, I noted details in public health that I would have glimpsed over in the past. I feel extremely lucky to be learning about all aspects of public health, ranging from policy making to community engagement programs. I highly recommend upperclassmen undergraduates to consider applying for the CFS program. Not only did it foster a “real-world” experience outside of the classroom but also solidified my ambitions for the future.