Hazleton well being coverage and administration college students succeeding in workforce

HAZLETON, Pa. — As a part of the curriculum within the bachelor of science diploma in health policy and administration (HPA) program at Penn State Hazleton, college students are required to finish an internship in a well being care-related setting with the goal of gaining invaluable expertise and contacts within the business.

Gisely Nunez’s internship was all that and extra.

A senior in this system, Nunez earned a full-time job as an engagement specialist at Service Entry and Administration after finishing her internship there in fall 2022. The corporate is a nonprofit human providers supplier based mostly in Studying, however Nunez carries out her tasks remotely.

Nunez mentioned she appreciated how the HPA program not solely gave her the data to enter the well being care discipline, however by way of its internship element, offered her with a possibility to work within the discipline whereas incomes her diploma.

“The HPA program is nice as a result of it’s extra than simply every little thing we study within the classroom, it’s additionally an effective way to type connections and to be launched to careers that we might not suppose are on the market due to our internships,” she mentioned.

At Service Entry and Administration, Nunez first sat in on conferences and took part in trainings, however moved on to higher-level tasks as her function inside the firm grew. She finally discovered methods to full paperwork, work with service coordinators, and carry out outreach to people with continual diseases or practical disabilities about out there packages and assets.

“I assist individuals who can’t get round and assist themselves,” she mentioned.

The takeaways had been related for Margaret Duncan, a third-year HPA scholar. She accomplished a paid internship on the pharmacy in Redner’s Warehouse Markets in Shenandoah. There, she discovered about rules associated to medicines, methods to correctly ship and retailer medicines, and methods to confirm shipments.

“My expertise with the HPA program has been nothing however optimistic,” Duncan mentioned.

Beth Greenberg, lecturer in well being coverage administration and coordinator of this system, mentioned the curriculum is designed to show college students how to reach the workforce.

“The internship is such an vital a part of the HPA program as a result of it gives college students a novel, mentored alternative to use the talents and data they gained within the classroom and prompts them to broaden their community of healthcare professionals, boosting their confidence and professionalism as they enter the job market,” Greenberg mentioned.

Nunez mentioned she appreciated how Greenberg went the additional mile to make her expertise within the HPA program a optimistic one.

“It was good to know somebody was there to assist me once I felt defeated looking for one.” she mentioned. “You would inform she actually cares about us and what we’re studying.”

Nunez’s internship expertise was such a helpful one which she nominated her preceptor at Service Entry and Administration, Molly Dressler, for the Penn State HPA Preceptor of the 12 months Award. The award honors a person who works with a scholar inside the group at which they’re interning. Dressler was named one of many winners for 2022 and was acknowledged throughout this system’s annual Mayer’s Lecture in April.