Last fall, Alex Hodgens '09 (Syracuse, N.Y.) worked in a public health clinic during his off-campus semester in Nicaragua. "I realized there that working to reverse inequalities in healthcare is something I'm very interested in," the rising senior says. Once back at home, Hodgens continued to look for ways to work in public health, and was able to find an internship at Syracuse Community Health Center West, a primary care clinic that provides services to members of the community who might otherwise be excluded from healthcare.
For Hodgens, the internship this summer was a great way to balance his semester in rural Nicaragua with similar work in an urban public health clinic in the U.S. He says it was and "eye-opening experience" to see the problems that healthcare faces in a typical American city, especially since the causes for poor health here are not as different from those in a developing country as one might expect. Although infectious diseases do not affect Americans as widely as chronic health issues like obesity, diabetes and hypertension, problems such as lead poisoning and inadequate nutrition can have a huge impact. "I've found it weird to say that transitioning from Central America to Central New York, the differences in poor health outcomes really aren't that great," says Hodgens.
The health center is located in the near west side of Syracuse, serving a mostly Latino community in one of the country's poorest neighborhoods. At the facility, Hodgens worked primarily as a translator for patients and staff, helping out in other ways as needed. His work allowed him to assist the clinic staff to deliver better care while helping patients negotiate both language barriers and the complex public health process. He explains that while there is a system set up for patients to receive medical care, few people take full advantage of it.
To pursue the internship with the clinic, Hodgens was able to obtain funding as a Diversity and Social Justice Project (DSJP) Service Associate for 2008. The program is designed to support students who wish to make connections between their own disciplinary or interdisciplinary work and the mission of the DSJP. Hodgens has had prior experience with summer grants: before going to Nicaragua, he spent last summer researching with Associate Professor William Pfitsch and Christian A. Johnson Excellence in Teaching Professor Ernest Williams in the biology department. Hodgens' brother had also previously received a DSJP grant to work on a similar project in Syracuse, which inspired Hodgens to apply for one, as well.
After his experiences last fall and this summer, Hodgens says he hopes to continue in the field, planning to attend graduate school for public health and to combat inequalities in healthcare, either in the U.S. or internationally. A biology major, he is also a member of the varsity lacrosse team and the philanthropy chair of the Psi Upsilon fraternity, as well as a member of the newly founded Students for International Public Health Awareness (SFIPHA).
For future hopeful interns, Hodgens has one piece of advice: look around you. He stresses that it's not necessary to go to a big city or somewhere abroad to find a meaningful internship – he was surprised to find an experience this summer very close to where he lives. "Living at home has been a bonus too," Hodgens notes. "You can't beat the rent and my 'roommates' are pretty cool."
-- by Laura Bramley
For Hodgens, the internship this summer was a great way to balance his semester in rural Nicaragua with similar work in an urban public health clinic in the U.S. He says it was and "eye-opening experience" to see the problems that healthcare faces in a typical American city, especially since the causes for poor health here are not as different from those in a developing country as one might expect. Although infectious diseases do not affect Americans as widely as chronic health issues like obesity, diabetes and hypertension, problems such as lead poisoning and inadequate nutrition can have a huge impact. "I've found it weird to say that transitioning from Central America to Central New York, the differences in poor health outcomes really aren't that great," says Hodgens.
The health center is located in the near west side of Syracuse, serving a mostly Latino community in one of the country's poorest neighborhoods. At the facility, Hodgens worked primarily as a translator for patients and staff, helping out in other ways as needed. His work allowed him to assist the clinic staff to deliver better care while helping patients negotiate both language barriers and the complex public health process. He explains that while there is a system set up for patients to receive medical care, few people take full advantage of it.
To pursue the internship with the clinic, Hodgens was able to obtain funding as a Diversity and Social Justice Project (DSJP) Service Associate for 2008. The program is designed to support students who wish to make connections between their own disciplinary or interdisciplinary work and the mission of the DSJP. Hodgens has had prior experience with summer grants: before going to Nicaragua, he spent last summer researching with Associate Professor William Pfitsch and Christian A. Johnson Excellence in Teaching Professor Ernest Williams in the biology department. Hodgens' brother had also previously received a DSJP grant to work on a similar project in Syracuse, which inspired Hodgens to apply for one, as well.
After his experiences last fall and this summer, Hodgens says he hopes to continue in the field, planning to attend graduate school for public health and to combat inequalities in healthcare, either in the U.S. or internationally. A biology major, he is also a member of the varsity lacrosse team and the philanthropy chair of the Psi Upsilon fraternity, as well as a member of the newly founded Students for International Public Health Awareness (SFIPHA).
For future hopeful interns, Hodgens has one piece of advice: look around you. He stresses that it's not necessary to go to a big city or somewhere abroad to find a meaningful internship – he was surprised to find an experience this summer very close to where he lives. "Living at home has been a bonus too," Hodgens notes. "You can't beat the rent and my 'roommates' are pretty cool."
-- by Laura Bramley
