What is your hometown?
Bellingham, Washington
What college or university were you attending during your internship?
Western Washington University
What is your field of study or degree program?
Public health
Why did you want to intern at the Washington State Department of Health (DOH)?
Workforce Pathways is a great opportunity for those of marginalized identities who often are underrepresented in public health gain experience in this field and learn about state level public health.
What was the name of your DOH host team?
Health Equity Zones Initiative, Prevention and Community Health
Please share a brief description of your intern project.
In the Health Equity Zones Initiative, I created a program planning project for how a monthly learning community could operate for our three zones.
What was a highlight of your internship experience at the DOH?
Being able to meet in person at the Capitol for our last day.
Do you have any tips for future interns?
My biggest tip is to meet in person when you can, especially for team projects. Learn from everyone on the team and have one-on-one sessions to learn about them.
Did anything surprise you during your internship experience about working in public health, or at a state agency? Were there any additional surprises that you encountered?
What surprised me was that I was able to go to a conference during my second week of my internship. It was an incredible opportunity, and I was grateful to be a part of this amazing internship.
What new skills, competencies, or knowledge did you gain during your internship at the DOH?
My program planning skills, presentation skills, and networking skills improved.
In what ways did your internship support your career goals or professional development?
Being able to create a health education focused plan has always been an interest of mine.
Where are you hoping to take your career next?
I'm currently in the dental school cycle. I have an interview at my top choice school and am hoping to be accepted.
Is there anything about your identity or background that you would like to highlight or share?
I am a first-generation Mexican-American who hopes to bridge gaps in dental equity.
What else might future interns or others interested in the Pathways Program want to know?
Enjoy your time at DOH and take advantage of every opportunity. There are a lot of learning sessions available. Make a connection with your team.