By Joseph S Anzalone
Practicum Opportunity with Committed Communities Development Trust (CCDT) in Mumbai, India
CCDT works with marginalized communities in the slums of Mumbai and its suburbs, with a special focus on families and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Their mission is “Community action combating hunger, discrimination, and disease.” Last year they hosted their first MPH Student, from BUSPH, Pavitri Dwivedi (pavitrid@bu.edu), who designed and conducted a cross-sectional study to establish a baseline to monitor the impact of HIV disclosure in adolescents. Excellent students, interested in a 2-3 month or longer practicum with CCDT, can contact Pavitri or Professor, Jen Beard (jenbeard@bu.edu) to learn more about the possibilities or read their recent newsletter. Start time is flexible, but arrangements do require several months lead time. Hindi and Marathi speakers may have more possibilities. To apply, send a letter of interest and resume to Jen Beard.
BU African Studies – FLAS Scholarships, due Feb 15
The African Studies Center expects to offer at least six Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships. These fellowships provide a stipend and tuition support to select graduate students who would benefit from studying an African language. We currently offer Arabic, Amharic, Hausa, Igbo, Swahili, Wolof, Xhosa, and Zulu.
For Masters students, the FLAS provides a $15,000 stipend and $18,000 toward tuition, with the Provost’s office picking up the remainder of the cost of tuition, so it represents a full scholarship. PhD students may also apply.
FLAS recipients are required to take an African language course and a course with some Africa focus (which can be a course from within their discipline). The FLAS is an ideal opportunity for graduate students who need language study.
For more information and to apply, see: http://www.bu.edu/africa/forstudents/financial-aid/
Internships in Health NGO’s in Ukraine
Do you have an interest in doing a practicum with a Health NGO in Ukraine? Do you have some language capacity in Ukrainian or Russian? Several opportunities to do a practicum in Ukraine are forthcoming.
The Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC) is a Ukrainian civil society organization, which unites experts from legal, media and civic-political sectors fighting corruption as a root cause of the key state-building problems in Ukraine.
They could host 2 interns simultaneously. Basic language proficiency would make the internship experience more productive and vivid. The scope of work depends on the start time of the internship and its duration
Intern's duties:
- jointly with program manager and professional lawyer prepare weekly posts in English for AntAC's webpage in relation to monitoring of tenders in area of HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis, hepatitis, oncology
- conducting ongoing research of international practices in regulation of prices for medicines, anti-corruption in health, etc...
- monitoring of international media specializing in anti-corruption and health issues
- preparing op-eds drafts and blog posts based on AntAC's anti-corruption activities in public finances in health care
- preparing draft letters to various stakeholders (like pharmaceutical companies) abroad
- conducting data and documents search using foreign open data platforms
- participation in development and implementation of advocacy campaign in relation to public health on national level
- as a result of internship there could be a professional policy brief (like those U4 is doing) on anti-corruption in healthcare using Ukraine as an example
- editing English version of documents, analytical materials of AntAC
- working in a team on analytical reports alike attached)
If you are interested, please contact Joe Anzalone josanz@bu.edu, with your details.
Jobs at MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) was established in 2003 as a research center at the Economics Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, it has grown into a global network of researchers who use randomized evaluations to answer critical policy questions in the fight against poverty.
J-PAL’s mission is to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is based on scientific evidence, and research is translated into action. We do this through three main activities:
- Conducting Rigorous Impact Evaluations: J-PAL researchers conduct randomized evaluations to test and improve the effectiveness of programs and policies aimed at reducing poverty.
- Policy Outreach: J-PAL’s policy group analyzes and disseminates research results and builds partnerships with policymakers to ensure that policy is driven by evidence, and effective programs are scaled up.
- Capacity Building: J-PAL equips practitioners with the expertise to carry out their own rigorous evaluations through training courses and joint research projects.
View current job openings via:
http://www.povertyactionlab.org/search/apachesolr_search?view=&filters=type%3Ajob&viewall=all
Field Opportunity in Tanzania for Clinically Minded, with Initiatives, Inc. for 2 to 3 months, January – March 2014, apply by Dec 13.
Initiatives Inc., a small women-owned, Boston-based, business founded in 1987, is committed to improving access to quality primary health care for people in underserved communities. Their technical and management support enables organizations and communities to link, coordinate and deliver health services with the goal of providing solutions for better health. Their key areas of focus include Organizational Development, Human Resources for Health, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, Community Involvement and Operations Research and M&E.
Project Background
Initiatives is assisting the Kibong'oto Infectious Disease Hospital (largely treating TB) in Moshi, Tanzania to improve hospital management and care. A recent capacity assessment and discussions with Kibong'oto leadership led to the identification of gaps in the availability of written performance and practice standards for clinical staff as an area needing improvement. Initiatives is also assisting Kibong'oto to develop quality management systems and clinical standards, essential building blocks in the successful implementation of their hospital wide quality management program.
An important activity in 2014 is the development of nursing practice standards and guidelines for the hospital wards. This initial work with the nursing department will also establish a framework and methodology that will be applied to the development of standards of practice for the pharmacy department. The Boston-based desk work will begin in December followed by a consultancy visit to Tanzania, to further the work with the Kibong'oto Hospital task force. Ongoing support will be maintained via internet and telephone exchanges.
Ideally the student would assist with some of the Boston-based work and then go to Tanzania on the consultancy visit and stay afterward for up to 12 weeks, to facilitate the work of the Kibong'oto task force. We expect to schedule the initial visit in January. The Kibong'oto leaders and managers we have worked with are very smart, committed to improving their services, speak English well and are excellent colleagues.
Kibong'oto may be able to identify housing at little or no cost. Although Initiatives is not able to cover travel expenses, for a qualified candidate, a need-based Santander award is a possibility.
TO EXPRESS INTEREST: submit CV, cover letter to Joe Anzalone, via josanz@bu.edu, by Dec 13.
Emergency Medicine in India – Practicum Opportunity – for Spring or Summer
Background: There is a great need for more epidemiological data and analysis to help guide emergency medicine efforts on a local and national level in India This practicum opportunity is a joint placement between Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS - http://www.kimskerala.com) and Apollo Hospitals (http://www.apollohospitals.com) network. Liz Clark, a BUSPH Alum, who works with KIMS, has reached out to BUSPH to offer this opportunity. The student would also be working Ms. Clark’s collaborator, Dr. Mahesh Joshi, the head of all Emergency Medicine departments for Apollo Hospitals, as well as theAcademic Director for the Society of Emergency Medicine of India. MPH students with EMT’s or ER nurses or others with experience or interest in emergency medicine are encouraged to apply.
The anticipated scope of work is:
1) The student will establish a set of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that are applicable to the Indian context. The student is expected to do some research prior to coming to India. (Ms. Clark and Dr. Joshi will interact with the student to discuss needs and what's realistic in the Indian context.) KPIs will be agreed to in advance of arriving in India.
2) The student would come to KIMS (Trivandrum) and Apollo (Hyderabad) to collect the agreed data points as well as document basic patient systems in both EDs. The student will be provided housing by both hospitals and transport to and from the hospital by KIMS. All other expenses will be borne by the student. All work they perform will remain confidential to the hospitals.
3) The student will create a final report for both hospital's executive management. In this report they will document the KPIs, explain how the KPIs compare to international benchmarks, and then make recommendations to increase operational efficiencies while maintaining or increasing patient safety.
To respond, submit a letter of interest, a resume and dates of availability to Joe Anzalone via josanz@bu.edu . A need-based Santander award is a possibility.
Intern for Betasab in Ethiopia, in Spring 2014, apply by Nov. 6
Betasab, Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in Brooklyn, New York and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Our goals are to:
• Provide vulnerable Ethiopian women and children with the means to a secure future through a holistic package of services
• Empower women by providing infrastructure for income-generating activities
• Stop the cycle of poverty and lack of education in the Lafto neighborhood ofAddis Ababa
We seek a talented public health intern to help us conduct a follow-up assessment to see if and how the needs of our neighborhood have changed, determine, if possible, the extent our programming has led to improvements seen in the area. We also want to continue the quality-of-life improvements our women have made by building infrastructure so that they and other local women can take their financial futures into their own hands through income-generating activities.
See a more complete scope of work BUSPH Betasab Spring 2014 practicum.
SPH IH job: Academic Services Coordinator
IH Department seeks to fill the Academic Services Coordinator position.
Note - due to the confidential student information this position encounters, there is a strong preference for not hiring a current IH concentrator in the MPH degree program. Graduates of the program are welcome to apply.
Intern for Initiatives, Inc. improving Community Health Worker web resource
Initiatives Inc. a Boston-based, firm addressing health capacity issues for the improvement of health services in the developing world, seeks at least one intern for a Boston-based internship, to review, revise and update a USAID-sponsored CHW (Community Health Worker) Central web resource. The attached scope of work, provides greater detail.
Intern positions are available for the remainder of Summer and can be extended into Fall.
If interested, please send a letter of interest & qualifications along with your resume, to Joe Anzalone via josanz@bu.edu
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About Initiatives Inc.: Initiatives Inc. is committed to improving access to quality primary health care for people in under-served communities. A women-owned small business, Initiatives assists governments and NGOs, primarily in Africa, Asia, and the Near East, to strengthen health services. We have managed development assistance projects and assembled and supported short- and long-term technical teams of expatriate and national experts in more than 50 countries. Please visit www.initiativesinc.com for more details.
Learn Spanish and complete your practicum in Ecuador
BUSPH has a working relationship with the Montanita Spanish School in Ecuador. “The school was named one of the top five language schools in the world by the STAR Awards for the excellent performance by its professors, the beautiful location of the school on the beach in Montanita.” Students can go there to learn or re-learn Spanish while being involved in a service project that could fulfill your practicum requirement.
BUSPH is in the process of developing the practicum experiences, but are looking for a small number of students who may be interested in spending some time in South America. If you would like to learn more about the school and a practicum opportunity there please contact Scott Harris, Practicum Director at scotth@bu.edu or 617.638.4656, or visit the Digication site to learn more:
https://bu.digication.com/GoIH/Montanita_Spanish_School
