Internship Location: Madison WI
Organization Type: State Government
Policy Areas: Health, Environment, Higher Education
My internship in the office of Wisconsin State Assemblyman Jimmy Anderson was eye-opening. Throughout the internship, I learned the inner workings of the state government and began to piece together how politics influences citizens on a daily basis. This internship was composed of constituent education, policy research, office organization, and attending hearings and press releases. I used my ability to critically analyze policy and primary research learned in my health policy classes during the bill drafting process and when looking for information to educate constituents on. I earned a great appreciation for State Representatives and of course their staffers who keep things moving at the capital. As a citizen, this experience was beneficial to me to see how people can play a role in informing representatives of important policy matters and how I can keep up to date with what is happening in the capital. Additionally, it has given me the ability to critically analyze the politics of the state government. I would highly recommend this opportunity for all of the lessons learned in this direct interaction with state government. I will use this experience to inform my approach to providing healthcare in the future. Patients are not just a set of symptoms to be treated, but an accumulation of experiences in the social determinants of health, financial hardships, and cultural experiences that have led to the patient coming into the hospital to be treated. Government is the method by which all of these aspects of life are affected and a potential solution to alleviate these conditions.