Second-year MPH students at the Brown University School of Public Health are actively engaged in internships and projects through the Applied Practice Experience (APE) program. These opportunities take them to diverse agencies and organizations in Rhode Island and across the country. Our Student Spotlight series this summer follows their stories.
For his Applied Practice Experience, Eli Wasserman embarked on an important journey as a health communications intern, collaborating with Open Door Health and the Rhode Island Public Health Institute to bridge the information gaps in healthcare specifically tailored to the LGBTQ+ community in Rhode Island.
In this role, Eli worked on website development and on creating post-clinic visit materials related to HIV and STI testing, PrEP counseling, hormone replacement therapy and harm reduction counseling. He aims to encourage STI testing and to promote visits to the Open Door Health clinic through persuasive calls to action.
“My passion lies in bringing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services to community health centers, particularly in addressing the needs of the queer community,” Eli said. “During my senior year as an undergrad, I had the opportunity to work with Fenway Health, a prominent community health center in Boston. This experience was truly enlightening—it allowed me to collaborate with fellow queer individuals and work on issues that are vital to our community. I was able to contribute to the promotion of essential services and it solidified my determination to focus on queer sexual and reproductive health.”
