October 11, 2022

Lorena Melendez-Chavez, an MPH student in the department of Community Health and Prevention, and Sarah Dilday, an MPH student in the department of Health Management and Policy, both completed Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant internships over the summer.

The Title V program is a partnership between the federal government and states aimed at promoting the health and wellbeing of mothers, children, and families.

To learn about their experience, we asked a series of questions below.

Lorena Melendez-Chavez

Q: In this role, what were your duties?

A: During my Title V internship, I was partnered with the State of Vermont working at the Department of Health in Vermont at WIC. I was in charge of developing a Qualitative Data collection plan to obtain feedback from participants about the different WIC services.

Q: What drives you to work in MCH?

A: I enjoy working in the field of MCH because I get the opportunity to educate and help vulnerable populations to ensure that they receive the adequate health services and support to enhance their well-being in the different stages of their life.

Q: How have you seen this work have an impact?

A: I think the work I realized during my internship have an impact in the field because allows non-English speaking, low-income, rural communities and low internet access share their feedback and opinion on the different WIC services in order to increase equity in providing program feedback, which leads to program improvement strategies specific to marginalized populations.

Q: What are you most proud of so far in your public health journey?

A: My most proud so far in my public health journey was to get accepted into the Title V internship. The reason of this was because I knew it was a very competitive internship and many people would apply and when I get selected I knew I had something to offer and was one of the most rewarding experiences I had because I got the opportunity to meet great people from WIC department and network with other people in the field of MCH. But in general, I celebrate the small achievements in my school work because they help me to grow as a person and as a public health professional.

Q: Why did you choose to pursue public health as a career and why Dornsife?

A: I chose to pursue public health as a career because it was the perfect field to combine both of my passions which are nutrition and research. I knew I wanted to be in public health because I wanted to learn practical skills related to program planning, program evaluating and grant writing skills, very important skills that only Dornsife, a school that is committed to partner with communities and organizations to improve the health of underserved populations, can only teach you how to do things the correct way, and that is why I choose Dornsife for my graduate studies.

The mentorship opportunities I have found in Dornsife have been key in my development as a student and professional in the field. Their faculty and staff are committed to help students by helping them to find resources and opportunities to achieve their potential. This is great!

Q: What are your hopes for your future career?

A: My hope for my future career is to be able to work in governmental agencies, specifically a Title V agency where I can put in practice my knowledge and skill learned during my summer internship at the state of Vermont and the tools and resources gained from Dornsife and their excellent faculty.

No matter where I end up, my work and my passion will always be in the field of MCH, Latino health, and ensuring to improve the health of underserved populations through research, innovative programs and policies.

Sarah Dilday

Q: In this role, what were your duties?

A: As a Title V intern, I worked with the Florida Department of Health in their MCH division. Specifically, FDOH is working on the electronic version of their state-wide prenatal risk screening system. The prenatal risk screening system identifies social determinants of health and environmental factors that may increase a pregnant individual's risk of adverse outcomes. Thus, based on eligibility, the system refers patients to free and reduced-cost programming.

My role within this project was to create a communication and roll-out plan in preparation for communication with relevant stakeholders (e.g. coalition leaders, healthcare organizations) regarding the systems change.

Q: What drives you to work in MCH?

A: Women's health and reproductive health has always been a passion of mine. As a queer woman, I am committed to reducing inequities within my community through policy, advocacy, and education efforts.

Q: How have you seen this work have an impact?

A: I am very proud of the communication and roll-out plan I provided the Florida Department of Health. I contributed to their communication capacity with stakeholders during such an exciting transition. I look forward to seeing my plans come to life as they roll out the electronic version of the prenatal risk screening system in 2023. FDOH's state-wide Healthy Start program and prenatal risk screening system are unique to Florida and certainly expand the accessibility of services available to pregnant individuals through free and reduced-cost programs.

Q: What are you most proud of so far in your public health journey?

A: I am most proud of the community built at Drexel, and the wonderful work that myself and my colleagues contribute to in MCH. I have had so much support in the opportunities I have pursued, and I am proud of the work I produce in research, internships, and classes.

Q: Why did you choose to pursue public health as a career and why Dornsife?

A: Public health touches on every aspect of our lives and contributing to structural, rather than individual, solutions is precisely why I am here. Public health policy, specifically, has deep implications for the health and well-being of our communities as well as the actions of medical providers.

I chose Dornsife for the amazing opportunities it provides students. Specifically, I am a Dornsife Public Health Research Fellow, which has allowed me to work with Ali Groves, PhD, MHS, as a research assistant in the global health field. My close work with Dr. Groves and her research team, in addition to mentorship within the MCH program, is invaluable to my experience at Drexel.

Q: What are your hopes for your future career?

A: I plan to pursue a career path at the intersection of my passions, health policy and MCH. Specifically, I hold sexual health, adolescent health, and LGBTQ+ health near to me, and I hope to find a career relevant to these passions in policy advocacy.

Learn more about the Maternal and Child Health Program at the Dornsife School of Public Health.