Harvard Medical School Community Engagement Summer Internship Program

The Family Van - Harvard Medical School

Job Description

 
Description of The Family Van:  The purpose of The Family Van is to provide preventative healthcare screening services (blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring, cholesterol monitoring, HIV and STD/STI testing, pregnancy testing, health education, etc.) to underserved populations with the overarching aim of increasing access to care and promoting health equity.  In 1992, The Family Van launched in response to the alarming health disparities in impoverished communities within the Greater Boston area.  The Family Van serves hundreds of patients each year within the following communities: Nubian Square, East Boston, Upham’s Corner, and Codman Square. The Family Van does not have a “typical patient.” Instead, we acknowledge that our patients come to us with various needs, life experiences, and attitudes towards health, and our approach tailors to the individual.

Purpose of the Summer Internship:  The Family Van is looking for students interested in any of the following areas: family medicine, primary care, community health, health education, public health, social justice, public policy, and working with the underserved.  The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, be comfortable working as part of a multidisciplinary team, and have a passion for working with patients who may face significant challenges.  The time commitment for the summer internship is 30 hours/week.

Why do we offer a summer internship?  This summer internship goal is simple – we want to build a culture of diversity and inclusion within the field of health care delivery.  That means that we want to allow brilliant students to work with our clients and our organization in the hope that this internship will be a launching point for a lifelong journey in promoting health equity and serving vulnerable populations.  We do not discriminate based on age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or religious beliefs. On the contrary, we want to make sure that healthcare future field reflects the same diversity as the communities we serve.  

What are the main skills that summer interns can develop by participating in the program?

  • Ability to prioritize and take initiative on multiple and complicated tasks. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced environment
  • Exemplary interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with a wide variety of constituents, culturally diverse staff and community partners
  • Ability to navigate through and problem solve within complex systems
  • Patience, a positive attitude, and flexibility
  •  Ability to collaborate effectively and contribute in a team setting. Functioning as part of a multi-disciplinary team consisting of community health workers, volunteers, medical students, and multiple ancillary staff members
  •  Demonstrate sound personal judgment, show initiative, and resourcefulness
  •  Superior attention to detail, consistency, accuracy, and follow-through
  • Leading a project that aims to improve long-term health outcomes of the patients we serve
  •  Developing a network of advisors who will help you with your long-term career goals and provide you with letters of recommendation in whatever career field you choose to pursue
 
Benefits:  Interns will be hired as temporary employees for the 8-week internship term. The rate is $15 per hour for 30 hours per week.

Requirements:  All applicants must be 18 years old or older as of June 1, 2025.  Applicants can either be high school or college students. Applicants must be able to work 30 hours/week for 8 weeks from June 23rd to August 15th, 2025.  Applicants who are underrepresented in medicine (racial/ethnic minorities and/or disadvantaged status and/or immigration status and/or sexual orientation) are encouraged to apply. 

Additional Notes:

  • Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
  • As the internship will be a hybrid format, the applicant must supply and support their own computer, hardware, software, and internet access.
  • All interns will be added to a special events email list, and will be expected to attend at least one event over the course of the summer
  • Applicants are responsible for getting themselves to and from the service sites, including Nubian Square, East Boston, Codman Square, and Upham’s Corner. Additional travel to events (i.e. Mattapan Farmers’ Market) may also be required

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Questions?  Send any questions to VolunteerFamilyVan@hms.harvard.edu. We look forward to reading your application! 

Applications are due by Saturday, March 15, 2025 @ 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Note: Late applications will not be accepted