Patient Interviews, Epidemiology, and Public Health in the Real World

This afternoon, the interns stepped deeper into the clinical side of healthcare by learning how to conduct a patient interview and navigate a patient’s history. Dr. Zainab led them through an engaging lecture on building rapport, asking the right questions, and making patients feel heard and supported. A couple of brave volunteers even hopped on stage to put their new skills to the test in front of their peers… and they did an amazing job!

After that, the interns met Rory Wilson, a postgraduate fellow who worked on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the NHS. Rory gave them a crash course in Epidemiology 101, opening their eyes to the study of disease patterns and how this field shapes public health decisions. Many of the interns shared that they hadn’t really considered epidemiology before, but left the session feeling newly excited about its possibilities.

To close out the day, Director Kat Lewis held an engaging discussion on Health Promotion and Management, working through the history of Public Health and all the things that protect us without us even noticing. Then the interns met with their groups to finalize their ideas and start writing their workshop proposals! They’re going to bed tonight dreaming of future career paths (the opportunities are endless!) and excited for skills day tomorrow!