Penn Abroad Ambassador Himanshi Verma

Student standing next to pillars at the Qutub Minar
CAS '24
Neuroscience
GRIP: CASI Internship with Public Health Foundation of India
vermah@sas.upenn.edu
Program
Global Research & Internship Program (GRIP)

Program:

  • GRIP: CASI Internship with Public Health Foundation of India

Ask me about...

  • Participating in a fieldwork experience.

  • Being an Indian American in India.

  • Working in an environment where the primary language was not English in addition to there being other cultural differences in the workplace.

  • Interacting with people outside the office setting including shopkeepers, auto drivers, etc.

  • Traveling to different states in India.

  • Navigating the intense heat!

  • Advice on the CASI internship application.

My Experience Abroad:

Interning at the Public Health Foundation of India gave me the unique opportunity to explore ways in which we can promote positive health outcomes through a nonclinical lens. I was specifically exposed to Indian health policy being used to address essential health issues, health literacy in the form of developing nutritional health materials for adolescents, and public health fieldwork experience. My fieldwork experience allowed me to explore healthcare delivery in a more rural setting and understand the importance of designing interdisciplinary health interventions. The internship overall reaffirmed my desire to pursue medicine with an additional focus on the role of health education, health policy, and public health interventions in improving health outcomes for all.

Other Highlights:

  • Traveling to different cities in India to assess the efficacy of the national adolescent health program. Through this experience, I saw a variety of healthcare infrastructures and interacted with a wide variety of healthcare workers.

  • Exploring the beautiful historical landmarks in Delhi and Gurgaon and going on a food tour in Old Delhi.

  • Meeting family members and attending my first authentic Indian wedding.

  • Visiting multiple places in India with my co-intern including cities in Gujarat, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Mount Abu.

  • Using the wide variety of transportation options including E-ricks, autos, the Delhi metro, and the Indian railways.

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