As a research assistant to Dr. Lewis Kazis within the Boston University School of Public Health's Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, I was responsible for many aspects of project development, execution, and management. This includes the development of Grant (private institution and federal) and Institutional Review Board applications; conducting extensive, in-depth research for and development of literature reviews, research papers, and questionnaires; the organization of multiple aspects of large research projects, including coordination of meetings with collaborators from across the globe, development of meeting agendas, and frequent communication with stakeholders at all levels. In addition to this, I was also responsible for the maintenance of websites, databases, and datasets relating to research projects. This position increased my passion for health systems research and highlighted the extreme importance of equity in research and healthcare.

As Project Manager and Research Assistant in the Division Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, I was responsible for maintaining and organizing many research projects at one time and assisting where needed. In this position, I assisted with everything from contacting and scheduling meetings with project collaborators to analyzing data for research papers. Through this opportunity, I learned the importance of multi-tasking and professionalism through this position, and the experience I gained was invaluable.

The Federation for Children with Special Needs is an organization which “provides information, support, and assistance to parents of children with disabilities, their professional partners, and their communities” (FCSN 2018). As an intern, I was tasked with helping around the office in any way I could. Most notably, I helped Federation staff prepare for their annual fundraiser gala by organizing auction items; I assisted the call center at the Federation by following up with parents who had called in for advice or help; and I compiled a list of mental health resources for Vietnamese individuals living in Boston for the Vietnamese community liaison at the Federation. Through this 200+ hour internship, I made lasting connections with the Vietnamese community in Boston necessary to conduct my thesis research and learned valuable information about disability rights and advocacy.

The Florida Psychiatric Society (FPS) is a professional association committed to continuously improving the ability of more than 1,200 psychiatrist members to provide quality treatment for persons with mental illnesses. During my time at FPS, I have acted as an Office Assistant, an Information Technology (IT) intern, as well as a Social Media Manager. FPS has given me the opportunity to interact with psychiatrists from all over the state, taught me the professionalism necessary to conduct business within an organization of this type, and showed me the necessity of advocacy organizations.

Being a Resident Assistant was an extremely rewarding experience. In this capacity, each semester, I provided campus resources, advice, and programs that fostered a floor community for a total of 64 University of Florida students. In addition, I performed administrative duties behind the hall’s front desk including handling packages and directly interacting with students and parents. I learned and developed many foundational skills including organization and time management, public outreach, program development, and professionalism.