Category: Summer 2023

Chronicles of my Ipas Practicum: Exploring Program Evidence & Climate Resilience

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Hello! I am excited to share with you the details of my summer practicum with Ipas. I started as Program Evidence Intern on May 15, so this is my first blog of the summer. I hope you enjoy reading about my experiences as I blog over the course of my practicum!

Selection Process: I was fortunate enough to be offered this internship with an organization I have long admired. To form connections at Ipas, I reached out to my now preceptor, Sally, during the Fall 2022 semester for an informational interview. During that conversation, Sally recommended I enroll in qualitative analysis coursework and informed me she would soon be looking for a summer intern. I highly recommend networking to my peers and incoming MPH candidates because it is the reason I landed this position, among others. As promised, Sally shared the internship application as soon as it was finalized. Soon after, I interviewed and was offered the position. Networking not only allowed me to make this connection that led me to acquiring my practicum, but also guided me to take a class on qualitative methods, which was highly marketable during my interview.

Company & Role: Ipas is a global organization that works across Africa, Asia, and Latin America to improve access to make safe abortion and contraception widely available, to connect people with vital information so they can access safe services, and to advocate for safe, legal abortion. By building resilient abortion and contraceptive ecosystems using a comprehensive approach across sectors, institutions, and communities, Ipas believes in a world where all people have the right and ability to determine their own sexuality and reproductive health. At Ipas, I work within the Technical Excellence department on the Program Evidence team, which is responsible for strategic guidance and decision-making to ensure evidence-based programming and continual learning. Including myself and my two preceptors, Sally and Val, there are nine people on this team. My role on this team is to partake in the qualitative analysis and dissemination of the project, “Assessing the resilience of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, communities, & individuals to climate change in Samburu County, Kenya.” This study measures climate resilience of the health system and communities impacted by climate crises.

Skill Development: Thus far, the majority of my time has been spent completing new hire trainings assigned by Human Resources and my preceptors to familiarize myself with Ipas and my role within the organization, respectively. This week, I will begin reviewing the study transcripts and summarizing the prevalent themes. By the end of this internship, I expect to further refine my skills in qualitative analysis and communication.

Networking & Professional Growth: There are a variety of individuals I will collaborate with in this role: my preceptors, the remainder of the Program Evidence team, the other Technical Excellence leads, and the other project staff based in Kenya. Outside of my team, I intend to network with other Ipas employees to grow my understanding of the opportunities and work being done at Ipas. As it so happens, Ipas is celebrating 50 years this year and a gala will take place on June 6, which I plan to attend in order to foster these connections. As the organization functions fully remotely, I am excited to meet my coworkers in person.

I cannot wait to share more with you at the end of my practicum experience! It has been a welcoming experience thus far, so I am optimistic and eager to see what there is in store for me.

– Caroline

Assessing Nutritional Status and Empowering the Community: My Experience in Ecuador

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Please note: All pictures shown in this blog have obtained permission for posting.

Join me on a heartfelt journey in Ecuador as I share one of the most impactful experiences from this summer. I had the incredible opportunity to be part of a medical and nutrition brigade in Canoa, where I actively engaged in initiatives that uplifted and empowered those in need. I will share the heartwarming and eye-opening experience of being part of a dedicated team of nutritionists and doctors who seek to improve the nutrition status of vulnerable populations. Our mission went beyond improving health; we aimed to address social determinants of health, provide culturally adapted nutrition education, and build trust within the community for future interactions.

Assessing Nutrition Status

Working alongside a team of passionate nutritionists, we assessed the nutritional status of approximately 240 individuals, including infants, children, teenagers, adults, and pregnant women in Canoa. Through the collection of anthropometric measurements and interactions with children and families, we gained valuable insights into the nutritional challenges faced by the community. We identified key factors such as economic inequalities, poverty, domestic abuse, lack of access to clean water, and other social determinants of health that were impacting the community’s well-being.

Empowering the Community through Education and Trust

Day 1: Me and the amazing team of nutritionists from La Universidad de San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador.

In Canoa, we prioritized empowering the community through culturally adapted nutrition education and building trust. Through evidence-based strategies, workshops, counseling sessions, and community outreach programs, individuals in Canoa gained the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their health and nutrition, while respecting their cultural beliefs.

This experience reinforced the importance of data-driven decision-making and the transformative power of education and trust in empowering communities. It deepened my understanding of the impact targeted interventions can have on promoting positive health outcomes!

By empowering the community and building trust, we laid the foundation for sustainable change and a healthier future in Canoa.

Lessons Learned and Future Initiatives 

Giving a presentation on traffic light nutrition labeling to moms and children in Canoa, Manabí, Ecuador.

My role involved evaluating and analyzing the data collected. Based on the findings, we identified challenges such as malnutrition, stunted growth, and obesity in the community, particularly among teenagers. To address these issues effectively, I evaluated potential initiatives for implementation. One important strategy we considered was the involvement of promotoras de salud, or community health workers. Their cultural knowledge and trusted position within the community make them valuable in providing culturally adapted nutrition education, monitoring progress, and facilitating access to healthcare services. By incorporating promotoras de salud, we empower the community and create lasting change!

I feel incredibly grateful and fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with La Universidad San Francisco de Quito and learn alongside Caro Román and Mónica Villar this summer.

Day 2: Team of nutritionists in a school located in Canoa.

 

– Mili

Highlights from the Highlands in Guatemala

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It’s hard to believe another month has gone by and that I am wrapping up my practicum very soon!  During the second half of my time with Curamericas in Calhuitz, Guatemala, I continued collecting and analyzing data on neonatal outcomes, modifying my interview guide, and then conducting and analyzing these group interviews with the nursing staff to collect their perspectives on managing and improving neonatal outcomes.

I am lucky to have shared most of my time in Calhuitz with another Gillings practicum student, Kay, and for both of our projects we needed to visit the neighboring Casas Maternas of Santo Domingo and Tuzlaj.  This was a great opportunity to learn first-hand about the different catchment areas covered by the organizations’ projects, meet more staff, and switch up the scenery.

We were told the Casa Materna in Tuzlaj had a different feel, that the area was more remote and unaccustomed to seeing foreign volunteers, and that it would be close quarters due to the Casa’s small size.  After a jostling two hours up and down rocky mountain roads, it’s true we found a cozy atmosphere, but with welcoming vibes.  We walked into what felt like a data-organizing party serenaded by Romeo Santos and reggaeton.  There was hot chocolate for breakfast and Philly cream cheese.  Dogs sprawled lazily on the grass rather than lurking fearfully for scraps.  A 13-year old was admitted to the Casa, and rather than experiencing a prolonged and difficult labor, delivered a healthy baby within a couple of hours.  Tuzlaj was full of surprises.

Entrance to the Calhuitz Casa Materna.

One of the main objectives for visiting Tuzlaj, and one of the most engaging parts of my practicum, was to conduct these group interviews with staff about their perspectives on neonatal complications and deaths.  I continue to admire these nurses and mujeres de apoyo for their hard work with limited resources.  These conversations convey a strong initiative and sense of responsibility to prepare and educate oneself due to their isolation and limited access to cell signal.  They share a holistic view of health and social determinants that’s at the heart of nursing, but which we hospital-based nurses can lose during hectic days.  As with many public health issues, it was clear these neonatal and maternal health challenges we were discussing had deep roots in longstanding gender and socioeconomic inequities, discrimination, and language barriers.  The staff knew the solutions still lie in preventive measures such as continuing to strengthen their health education outreach, community engagement, and garnering more support from civic and government partners.

View of Calhuitz and the Casa (tall green building) at dusk.

At the end of my time in Calhuitz, we were pleased to step fully back into tourists’ shoes for a couple days and visit Lake Atitlán on my way back to fly out of Guatemala City.  It’s one of those places that pictures don’t do justice and distance perception must be altered due to the enormity of the volcanoes and the beauty of the water.  We walked to a popular lookout and cliff-jumping site and after Kay confidently took a birthday jump, I of course had to follow. Only afterwards we learned that it was almost 40 feet—twice what it had looked to me.

Numbers that balance at Lake Atitlán, unlike in spreadsheets.

Back in NC I am continuing to work with both the quantitative and qualitative data in order to report back findings to staff and discuss next steps.  It is interesting to see how the data complement each other and also the amount of information available from a data set that was a bit confusing to piece together.  It’s been very meaningful having a practicum that places a foot both in global health and nursing, and hopefully this research work will offer the organization some insight into their outcomes and assist in determining next steps for reducing neonatal mortality.

– Emily