MPH Internship Profiles – Eric Gabriel

Concentration: Health Administration

Field Placement Site: NC Agromedicine Institute

My field placement experience was amazing! It consisted of completing the annual Institute report on all program activities from the previous year. Learning data analysis and data entry was a great experience for myself. It was also the first year we implemented the new Qualtrics survey analysis software switching from paper records to completely online records. My experience also included completing IRB certification and CITI research training prior to completing my Institute literature review which will be included in my final portfolio.

I also handled most administrative activities including meeting planning, post activity analysis from events such as screenings and referrals for our farmers, fishermen, and foresters. My experience included learning about policy and coverage gaps affecting our farmers by sitting in a board of directors meeting hosted by my preceptor Robin Tutor. The meeting consisted of our community partners which include NC State and NC A&T State University coming together for collaborative efforts regarding finances and program funding.

Advice that I would give to future students is to begin the search for your agency early to give yourself options regarding which places give stipends or pay as some students may need to pick up extra work depending on their financial situation. Another tip is to consider internship location in terms of proximity to your house or apartment to make sure your agency is within driving distance. My last tip is just to work hard and enjoy the process because this experience can be a great learning and networking opportunity down the road.