Applied Practice Experience (APEx)

MPH student Aman Saiju, a dual degree student pursuing an MPH/MS in Bioethics has been collaborating with the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) Community Outreach and Education Office (COE) to evaluate the DISRUPT Community Scientist Institute program. His goal is to educate community members about cancer research processes and methodologies. By doing so, he empowers them to represent their communities through their research, join Community Advisory Boards, or participate in Institutional Review Boards. His work aims to contribute to the targeted adaptation of the program to sustainably and equitably meet the evolving needs of the community.  

Connecting with community members is the highlight of his journey. Through events and communal spaces, Aman has engaged with a diverse range of people and perspectives, guiding his approach to health and care provision. For him, the wisdom, knowledge, and experiences shared have emphasized celebrating and elevating those he is surrounded by.   

Aman is incredibly grateful to Nicole Bayne, the COE team, and Dr. Mary Beth Terry for supporting this goal and providing invaluable hands-on community health experience. 

MPH student Amanda Pham, pursuing a certificate in Public Health and Humanitarian Action, is spending the summer working in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana, Inc. (MUDE). She is focusing on improving the health and livelihoods of Dominican and Haitian women and girls. Her main project centers on enhancing the prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through a collaborative, multi-sectoral approach. The goal is to foster partnerships among various public entities in the border provinces near Haiti, creating a comprehensive support system for GBV survivors. 

For this project, Amanda traveled to the northwest border provinces (Dajabon, Santiago Rodriguez, and Monte Cristi) to survey major health facilities. Her role involves conducting a needs assessment to evaluate the current capacity of health facilities and personnel, followed by developing recommendation reports and training guides based on the findings. 

Additionally, Amanda is working on a GBV and HIV/AIDS linkage project in collaboration with the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAID). This initiative focuses on educating women and girls about the interconnectedness and significance of GBV and HIV/AIDS. Much of Amanda’s responsibilities include developing educational materials and frameworks, such as a Theory of Change, a Logic Model, and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. She also facilitates capacity-building workshops, educating women and girls on these critical issues. 

This experience is profoundly impactful, and Amanda is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such meaningful work. 

Marcela Valle is an MPH student pursuing a certificate in Child, Youth, and Family Health serving. This summer Marcela is working as a Student Research Worker in the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health. Her current focus is on a critical project titled "Engaging Communities to Reduce Morbidity from Maternal Sepsis" (EnCoRe MoMs). 

Sepsis occurs in about 0.04% of births and is the second leading cause of maternal death in the U.S. Alarmingly, approximately 63% of maternal deaths from sepsis are preventable. The EnCoRe MoMs study aims to develop a comprehensive model of maternal sepsis care to reduce pregnancy-associated morbidity and mortality and to increase equity in maternal health within our communities. 

Marcela is involved in conducting qualitative research for this project. She enrolls select patients who have recently given birth in four local hospitals located in Washington Heights, Inwood, Harlem, and the Bronx. These interviews, conducted in both English and Spanish between the first and eighth weeks postpartum, cover a range of topics including pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences. Patients share their interactions with the healthcare system and providers, their transition home, and their community engagement. Additionally, the interview process includes educating patients about the signs, symptoms, and risks of maternal sepsis. 

With a passion for integrating public health and medicine, Marcela aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of maternal health work to continue aiding communities and individuals, particularly those disproportionately affected. She expresses profound gratitude for the patients whose insights provide a deeper perspective on the disparities affecting their ability to access and receive high-quality care. 

Tamanna Bhatia is completing her Applied Practice Experience (APEx) in England with the Cambridgeshire Older People's Enterprise (COPE), working as a diversity and marketing strategy intern on their Talking Together project. This initiative promotes lifelong learning for older adults in the Cambridge area by inviting researchers and professionals to host teleconference interest group sessions. Through her work, Tamanna is honing skills in qualitative interviewing, community outreach, and culturally sensitive marketing.  

Outside of her internship, Tamanna enjoys exploring the vibrant cities of Cambridge and London, sampling delicious food, and discovering new museums. She believes her experiences working in the field enrich her journey in public health, preparing her to make a significant impact in the community. 

Adithi Kumar, an MPH student pursuing a certificate in Public Health and Humanitarian Action, is currently working with The AfriChild Centre in Uganda.  AfriChild is a child-focused multidisciplinary research organization dedicated to improving the lives of children across Africa regarding well-being, education, and health. The Centre leads through rigorous research, capacity building, and impactful advocacy, collaborating with partners such as the International Rescue Committee, UNICEF, and Ugandan Ministries.  

Adithi's work focuses on research and learning for interventions that combine early childhood development and livelihood programming to improve the well-being of children in refugee settings in Uganda. She is involved with several projects. These include developing tools for the Kulea Watoto project and extracting data from the National Ugandan Annual Police Crime Report. She is also developing research uptake forums, creating qualitative codebooks, and piloting research tools. Additionally, she is engaged in data analysis, training research assistants, writing research grant proposals, and conducting scoping reviews. Her work extends to field data collection and program evaluation with Kulea Watoto and The Remnant Generation. 

Adithi's field operations are based in Kampala and extend to West Nile (Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement), Western Uganda (Kyaka 2 Refugee Settlements), and Lyantonde. This experience has been invaluable for Adithi. She has been deployed directly in communities deep within the settlements, presented at multi-partner consortium meetings, and been involved in various capacities. These opportunities have provided an integrative perspective that will strengthen her global health endeavors moving forward. 

Adithi is also a UN Youth who believes the "UN 2.0 needs to be rid of bureaucracy and barriers. With an up-and-coming generation of young leaders, my hope is that we shape UN 2.0 the way it should be – a justice propagating machine and not just a bystander." (https://un-two-zero.network/contents/adithi-kumar/.)

MPH student Sofia Cruz is pursuing a certificate in Health Policy and Practice while working with Kaiser Permanente (KP) under their Health Plan Quality department for her Applied Practice Experience (APEx). She is collaborating specifically with the National Women and Children’s Health team (WCH). Although her work is remote, her main site is based in Oakland, CA, with team members contributing from other KP regions nationally. 

Sofia's project focuses on producing a comprehensive evaluation plan for the newly launched Pregnancy and Mental Health project, which includes a rollout package for KP clinicians and nurses and resources for KP members. Her work has involved feedback sessions and presentations to stakeholders, including KP clinician leaders, the Black, Indigenous and People of Color Patient Advisory Council, and the National WCH team. Additionally, she has surveyed user engagement and gathered valuable insights, analyzing qualitative data to provide actionable recommendations.  

Sofia has applied nearly all the approaches she learned this past semester from her Public Health Program Planning and Research Design and Data Collection courses, such as producing logic models, creating in-depth surveys for internal distribution and Voice of Customer feedback, and many other practices.  

This experience has allowed Sofia to collaborate with team members dedicated to innovation and empowerment. She is grateful for the mentorship and the opportunity to contribute to impactful projects. Stepping into this new setting in public health has been incredibly rewarding and has made her excited for her future with an MPH! 

This summer, Lillian Hohag is completing her Applied Practice Experience (APEx) at the Reykjavík Global Forum (RGF) through the Council of Women World Leaders (CWWL) Fellowship Program. RGF is a prestigious global forum in Iceland that brings together women in leadership positions from various sectors and regions. They aim to create a collaborative space for women to learn and share strategies for improving women's lives in their home countries or sectors.  

This year's RGF highlights four main action items: equal representation, equal pay, equal parental leave, and ending gender-based violence. As a program coordinator, Lillian works in various areas, including schedule creation, speaker profile development, website content creation, and action guide development. This role allows her to apply skills learned in her Mailman courses such as Public Health Program Planning, Health and Human Rights Advocacy, Evidence to Action in Child Health, and Investigative Methods in Complex Emergencies in PopFam.  

In addition to practicing her skills and creating content, Lillian benefits from the strong mentorship of experienced women at RGF and CWWL. This mentorship provides invaluable guidance and support, enriching her experience beyond the classroom. 

This summer, Sarah Branoff is collaborating with Women and Rural Development Networks (WORUDET) in Northern Uganda. Her primary project, She Cares, aims to expand access to self-managed contraception and explore women’s experiences with the self-injectable DMPA-SC (Sayana Press) in the Palabek refugee settlement.  

In partnership with WORUDET and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Sarah is documenting stories of change from She Cares program participants—including family planning clients, midwives, Village Health Teams (VHTs), and drug shop owners—through in-depth interviews. She is also contributing to the design of a mixed-methods program evaluation, which features a case series exercise with women who have adopted self-injection of Sayana Press, key informant interviews, and service delivery data extraction and analysis.  

Her APEx experience has provided an immersive introduction to sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with a community-based organization and thanks the Jennifer Schlecht Practicum Scholarship for their support.  

This experience has improved her understanding of sexual and reproductive health and enhanced her skills in program implementation and evaluation. 

This summer, Aleya Phillip and Kassidy Wade are completing their Applied Practice Experience (APEx) in Zambia with ICAP Global Health at Columbia University. Aleya is pursuing a certificate in Global Health, while Kassidy is pursuing a Sexuality, Sexual and Reproductive Health certificate. Their work centers on a cervical cancer prevention and community engagement project, addressing one of the most pressing health concerns in Zambia due to the high incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer.  

Zambia has made significant strides in cervical cancer prevention, particularly with the introduction of an HPV vaccination campaign in 2019 and the shift towards HPV DNA testing, which has been designated by the World Health Organization as the gold standard for cervical cancer screening. In the Western Province of Zambia, where healthcare access is limited, Aleya and Kassidy are evaluating the implementation of this new screening method. They are engaging with women and community-based volunteers to assess the acceptability and feasibility of self-collected HPV DNA testing.  

Their work involves clinic visits, discussions with local cervical cancer providers, and community engagement discussion groups. These activities have provided valuable insights into the barriers and motivators affecting screening uptake in the region. Aleya and Kassidy are currently analyzing data and compiling a final report that will inform the future development of the cervical cancer program.  

Outside of their work, Aleya and Kassidy are taking full advantage of their time in Zambia by exploring the country's breathtaking landscapes. They are appreciating Zambia’s natural beauty and exploring its landscapes. 

This summer, Krishna Arunkumar completed her Applied Practice Experience (APEx) at Oko Farms, an aquaponics urban farm located in Williamsburg, New York. Oko Farms is dedicated to providing food and wellness education for the local community, offering sustainable farming solutions in an urban setting.  

Krishna's primary focus during this internship has been to develop program monitoring and evaluation tools that help the farm better understand and address the needs of individuals. By creating surveys to assess farm events and programs, Krishna has provided invaluable support in improving how Oko Farms delivers its services. Additionally, she has collaborated with partner organizations like One Love Community Fridge to ensure the farm’s resources are used effectively within the community.  

Krishna also contributed to public health educational materials, gathering information on the nutritional, cultural, and historical significance of the diverse crops grown on-site. Her work has deepened their understanding of the services offered at the farm, while also highlighting the challenges the farm faces in an urban environment.  

In addition to the specific projects, Krishna has been involved in the farm's day-to-day operations, gaining firsthand experience in sustainable farming practices. With her APEx now complete, Krishna is hopeful that the data gathered from their surveys will help support future grant applications and program improvements at Oko Farms. She is excited to continue supporting the farm in the fall and beyond. 

This summer, Michelle Ayala completed her Applied Practice Experience (APEx) with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, focusing on preventing heat-related health issues among vulnerable populations.  

Michelle's role involved direct outreach to street vendors who spend long hours working outdoors. She distributed cooling kits containing electrolytes, cooling blankets, instant cold packs, and water. These kits also included educational resources about cooling center locations and the dangers of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.  

By engaging directly with vendors, Michelle helped raise awareness of the risks associated with extreme heat and aimed to reduce life-threatening incidents during the hot summer months. Her work emphasized the importance of community outreach in public health, focusing on empowering individuals to protect themselves from environmental health threats.  

With her APEx now complete, Michelle remains committed to continuing her public health journey and making a positive impact on chronic disease prevention and health education.