Today, we’re delighted to shine the spotlight on Sarah Savage, who has joined us for an eight-week summer internship as part of her International Applied Practice Experience (Practicum) for her MPH in Global Health Practice at the University of South Florida.
During her time with us, Sarah will be contributing to a range of projects. These include exploring the use of assistive technology to support the education of young people living with autism, developing easy-read health information for persons with learning disabilities, supporting our My Healthy Heroes project, and contributing to our involvement in the Healthy Caribbean Coalition’s regional Hope for the Future campaign.
We caught up with Sarah to learn more about her journey into global health and what inspired her to pursue her studies in Global Health Practice.
What inspired you to pursue a Master of Public Health in Global Health Practice?
Growing up, I had a special interest in health topics and cultures throughout the world. I loved to learn about different countries, and I loved to learn about topics such as infectious diseases and vectors. I started college on a different career path but quickly remembered the interests I had as a child. With this, I switched my studies to health education, and ultimately was led to pursue my MPH in Global Health Practice!
Can you tell us a bit about your academic and career journey so far and what led you to this internship?
I received my bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida, where I majored in Health Education and Behavior and received minors in Disabilities in Society, as well as International Development and Humanitarian Assistance. After that, I moved back home to receive my Master of Public Health at the University of South Florida where I have a concentration in Global Health Practice.
Throughout my time at UF and USF, I’ve had internships with organizations that have led me to be passionate about working in different communities. At UF, I interned at a community health organization called UF HealthStreet where I was able to survey health needs in Alachua County, Florida, and provide health resources and education to many different community members. At USF, I interned with BayCare Kids, an educational offset of one of Florida’s hospital chains. Here, I was able to teach different educational classes to kids and participate in outreach events to learn more about the community and share health resources! These opportunities allowed me to learn about different cultures and community aspects of health, relevant to my global health interests. My education and my experiences led me to this internship with Lake Health and Wellbeing!
What interested you most about working with our NGO and choosing St Kitts and Nevis for your practicum?
What interested me the most about working with Lake Health and Wellbeing for my practicum was the wide variety of projects that are occurring here! I know where my passions lie in public health, but I also believe that it is really important to constantly learn and grow as a professional. Working with this NGO, I have the opportunity to not only focus on special projects that cater directly towards my health interests, but have the ability to assist in other projects, as well, allowing me space to grow as a professional and learn more about a community apart from my own!
Which project are you most excited to be working on during your internship, and why?
I am very excited to be working on the Assistive Technology and Autism in Education project. As aforementioned, I have a background in health education and an interest in disabilities in society. I believe that education in all forms is key to the health and wellbeing of individuals. Gathering qualitative data on AT and autism education trends is something I find very interesting, and I’m excited to see how the data gathered will apply to applications and recommendations. Apart from that, I am excited to work on all projects and learn as much as I can!
What skills or experiences are you hoping to gain from this placement?
I’m very excited to gain practical experiences and skills from this placement. My education has been so important to me, but I believe that there is no better way to learn than through practice. I am hopeful that being involved in these projects will teach me several invaluable skills, such as how to gather data in a community context, how to be culturally competent and aware, how to use community feedback to advise recommendations, and more! Overall, I believe that this process will help me learn how to be a better public health professional. I am very excited for the experience to learn and grow my skillset!
What are your long-term career goals in global health, and how do you see this experience shaping your path?
Very far in the future, I hope to work for the United Nations and assist with attainment of their Sustainable Development Goals, or work with the World Bank’s Disability Inclusion Branch to assist with worldwide investment in education and health for individuals with disabilities. Until then, I hope to work for an NGO or governmental agency focused on health and education to improve the lives of the public.
I believe that this experience will give me invaluable skills that will shape me as a future public health professional, including working in a community that is not my own. Aiming to work in global health, I believe that it is very important to learn about and experience working in different cultures. This experience is one of the first steps in allowing me to do so!
Looking back on your journey so far, what advice would you give to young people considering a MPH in Global Health Practice?
For anyone considering pursuing a Master of Public Health in Global Health Practice, I would recommend taking full advantage of the experience to learn all that they can! One of the things I have really appreciated about my education has been the ability to develop projects and deeper understandings on many different topics. I’ve focused my schoolwork on issues such as the spread of malaria in Papua New Guinea, obstetric fistulas in Sub Saharan Africa, crises regarding infrastructure and education amidst conflict in Yemen and Venezuela, the impact of climate change and natural disasters in the Caribbean, climate fueled flooding in Southeast Asia, and more. The ability to explore so many different issues has allowed me to develop a greater understanding of health problems worldwide, and it’s something that I have really appreciated about my journey in education! Along with that, I think it’s important to keep an open mind in pursuing global health. The field of public health has so many opportunities. This can be daunting at times, but it’s also something that is very exciting!
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