Internship Location: Madison WI
Organization Type: Private Sector
Policy Areas: Health
My internship with the School of Medicine and Public Health’s Division of Rheumatology at UW Hospital was an eye-opening experience that allowed me to see how public policy intersects with healthcare delivery. Throughout this internship, I was involved in projects which offered a practical perspective on the real-world challenges of administering public health programs and sustaining high-quality care. One of the key things I learned was how to navigate the complexities of healthcare systems, particularly the administrative aspects. I have developed a better understanding of the collaborative nature of public health, as my work involved interacting with professionals from various backgrounds to solve multi-faceted problems. The skills I’ve developed through La Follette courses, such as policy evaluation, and stakeholder communication, were integral to my success during this internship. For example, my coursework on budgeting and financial management equipped me to analyze data effectively and contribute meaningfully to discussions about resource allocation. One thing that surprised me was how much healthcare delivery relies on partnerships and communication across departments, even more than I had anticipated. It was fascinating to see how public policies translate into administrative actions, with ripple effects across clinical and patient outcomes. The most valuable aspect of this internship was the opportunity to work at the intersection of public administration and healthcare. This experience gave me a sense of how policy decisions play out in real-time, which is something that coursework alone cannot fully replicate. I would absolutely recommend this internship to future students. It provides a rare opportunity to apply policy skills in a specialized and impactful field, while also exposing you to the complexities of the healthcare system. For anyone interested in public health, healthcare policy, or administrative management, this internship offers a perfect blend of practical learning and professional growth. This experience also shaped how I think about my future career. It confirmed my interest in working at the intersection of policy and public health, and it helped me understand the type of environments in which I thrive—those that balance analytical work with collaborative problem-solving.