Bridging the Gaps: Community Health Internship Program (BTG:CHIP) is a seven-week community-based service learning experience available to D.O. students in the summer between their first and second year. BTG works to train a future health workforce for a challenging environment in which they must function as both providers and patient advocates, work collaboratively with a variety of health disciplines, and understand how to integrate non-biomedical factors into the assessment and management of patients/clients. Interested students complete an application and interview to be accepted. The program runs from late June until early August and is a full-time (40 hours/week) commitment.
Students are assigned to community organizations based on their area of interest and site availability. Student projects are consistent with the goals of the community organization in which they are placed. Students decide on their specific project with the help of an academic and a community preceptor.
In addition to the community experience (32 hours/week), students spend time in training sessions (8 hours/week) in order to build and improve skills needed to work with underserved and underrepresented populations. Topics covered include including culturally-sensitive communication and utilization of community resources.
In the fall, students participate in a symposium where they present their work during a poster session attended by community representatives, public health officials, agency personnel, grant makers, faculty, and other students.
Application Process:
- Attend a recruitment session (January)
- Fill out an application form (January/February)
- Complete an interview (January/February)
- Find out if accepted (February/March)
- Meeting for accepted students (April)
- Visit assigned sites (May/June)
- Program begins (June)
