Name: Claire
Senior
Major: Spanish
Minor: Global Health
CFS Program: Field Studies in Public Health

When I started my internship at Heartland Alliance’s Refugee and Immigrant Community Services, I immediately knew it was the right place for me. The staff greeted me warmly and everyone was genuinely interested in getting to know me and my personal strengths so that we could work effectively together to aid our participants. I was given a wide range of possible responsibilities for a medical case management intern and asked what I would be comfortable with and interested in.

I love that I have my own participants that I am overseeing, taking care of everything from scheduling their appointments to finding interpreters to explaining prescriptions to visiting their homes if needed. I get to develop a personal relationship with my participants, learning about their lives, their families, and their aspirations, as we work together for their health. I have learned so much about the difficulties of navigating Medicaid and prescription drug coverage, but my participants inspire me daily with their courage, resilience, and graciousness. It is truly a blessing to be able to see them acclimating to America and becoming more comfortable with advocating for themselves.

My internship has only deepened my interest in public health, especially important to me as I am currently applying to MD/MPH programs for next year. It is a unique and wonderful opportunity to be able to pair this experiential learning with the classroom, where I get to hear all about my classmates’ trials and triumphs. Each of us brings a unique perspective and knowledge base to our discussion on public health in Chicago.