1

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.

2

§ 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!

3

§ 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

4

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.

5

§ 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.

6

§ “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:epidemiology.doc@gmail.comTelephone:011-691-320-2480,ext.301

ThisinternshipisfundedbytheUSHealthResourcesandServicesAdministration(HRSA)throughits grant to theUniversityofArizonaSchool ofPublicHealth entitled thePublicHealthTrainingCenterfortheWesternRegion,andsub-contractedtoPIHOA’sPacificBasinPublicHealthTrainingCenterbasedinPohnpei,FSM.