I found the posting for my Practicum placement as the Federal Advocacy Intern for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) in the email listserv for the PCH Connection under “MPH Practicum (APEx) & Culminating Experience (CE) Opportunities.” I had previous internship experience in the mental health field and knew of DBSA’s work, so I was very excited to pursue this opportunity. I was in search of a Practicum placement at the time and made sure to check the postings listed in these emails.
For the majority of my day-to-day activities, I worked on my deliverables and other tasks assigned to me. This included doing independent research and meeting with other DBSA employees. As the Federal Advocacy Intern, I worked within the Peer and Policy Advancement Team and we met every week to update each other on our work, offer feedback, and provide support. Also, I met every week with Eric Scharf, my Practicum preceptor, to discuss updates on my work and my deliverables. Eric encouraged me to join Zoom calls and other virtual webinars as a DBSA representative to learn more about what was happening in the mental health field relevant to advocacy, education, and policy.
One of my favorite parts of my Practicum experience was working within the Peer and Policy Advancement Team. Everyone was very respectful and supportive, gave productive feedback, and made me feel included and valued in my position. Another favorite part of my Practicum experience was working on my deliverables. Eric and I chose my deliverables as they fell within the goals of what Eric had wanted to accomplish for DBSA, but they also related to my professional goals and pulled from my strengths from previous work experiences.
My previous experience in the mental health field allowed me to work with people affected by mental health on an individual level, but my Practicum placement at DBSA allowed me to dive deeper into the inner workings of the mental health field at a state and national level. I learned an immense amount about mental health federal policy, which was very timely as I happened to be taking PUBH 6012: Fundamentals of Health Policy at the same time. I have been able to take the knowledge and skills that I gained and apply it in multiple different settings - in classes, in professional settings, or in daily life. This internship experience has allowed me to be a better advocate for mental health in the public health sphere.
My advice for incoming students is to put yourself out there! You chose to get your MPH at one of the top programs in the country, but GWU also chose you. Be confident in this and use this experience to find what you are passionate about, even if the process contains trial and error. Even if you are nervous to try something new because you have yet to gain experience or knowledge, putting yourself out there can allow you to see how far you can go.
Katie's LinkedIn profile is featured here.