In November, the La Follette School opened applications for its new Undergraduate Certificate in Health Policy, admitting 53 students to the program.
More than two in five students (44%) intend to pursue health professional training, many of whom are interested in combining medicine and public health. Just over a quarter (27%) say they are heading toward careers in social science and policy, and 13% are pre-law. The rest of the cohort indicates a variety of career paths toward public health, business, life sciences, computer science, and the humanities.
“We’re ecstatic to welcome a whole new group of students from across UW-Madison,” said La Follette School Director and Professor Susan Webb Yackee. “No matter what their academic focus, they hold one thing in common: all are committed to improving the policy landscape around health.”
For the Certificate program, students complete three health policy courses, along with an internship relevant to health policy. Several students have already secured internships for the Spring 2022 semester, including opportunities in health IT, the legislature, a community health center, and a local nonprofit organization.
“In their applications, students showed a great deal of interest in improving health equity,” says Mary Michaud, who teaches in the program and advises undergraduates for the La Follette School. “Because of their mix of backgrounds, students will look at problems through an interdisciplinary lens, which reflects exactly the kind of learning needed to address complex public problems.”
Organizations interested in hosting a Certificate student intern are welcome to contact Marie Koko, the La Follette School’s career development coordinator.