Health Communications Fellow

Health Communications Fellow
Education: Bachelor (BA, BS, etc.) Location: New York, New York, 10018, United States Posted by: Transcendent International, LLC
Job Category: Communications, Editing & Writing , Project management Salary: $15/hr Last day to apply: March 14, 2009 Last updated: January 28, 2009
Type: Full time Language(s): English Job posted on: January 13, 2009 Area of Focus: Research and Science
Description:
Health Communications Fellowship LanguageMate is a leader in the development of language solutions. As a recipient of over a dozen NIH innovation research grants, the company is working to transform the delivery of health education and health services to underserved communities. Persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) are among the most vulnerable of the country’s population and face significant barriers to obtaining adequate care at medical facilities; they are more likely than others to defer essential medical care, leave a clinic without adequate medical advice, and miss follow-up appointments. Enabling healthcare providers to communicate with LEP patients in a linguistically competent and culturally sensitive manner is at the core of our mission. Our team consists of experts in linguistics, anthropology, cross-cultural communication, health education as well as professionals in information technology, interactive design and multimedia production. Our corporate name, Transcendent International, embodies our vision: by providing language solutions, we strive to help LEP individuals and service providers transcend the boundaries of language, culture, and geography. What Does the Fellowship Offer You? Through our fellowship program, we aim to nurture future leaders, innovators, and champions of public health. Many of our projects pertain to language access in the healthcare industry and the improvement of patient-provider communication, particularly when patients are non-English speakers and/or have low functional health literacy. Specific elements of the program include: • Learning how to peruse the literature in order to compile secondary research on the language access issue in healthcare • Identifying solutions and best practices for cross-cultural communication • Assisting in writing grant proposals: from idea conception to proposal submission • Providing support for the implementation of research activities, including questionnaire design, conducting focus groups, and data collection Individuals chosen for this fellowship will work on NIH-funded projects, as well as take an active role in the grant-writing process. Each Fellow will be paired with a Fellowship Mentor in a chosen domain of interest. Mentors are experienced researchers in public health, many of whom are graduates of our fellowship program. Fellows will be guided by mentors through the grant-writing process while gaining hands-on experience in community-based participatory research and study design. Additionally, they will have the unique opportunity to collaborate with the New York University School of Medicine, a partner in our research consortium. Fellows will also participate in brainstorming sessions, weekly research meetings, and monthly journal clubs. At the end of the eight month period, all Fellows will complete a final project in the form of a journal article for peer-reviewed publication (subject to timing of submission deadlines and other constraints). Alternatively, if the fellow is a current student, he or she may arrange to complete a thesis or capstone project with the support and guidance of our staff. Location Our offices are located in bustling midtown Manhattan, adjacent to Bryant Park and all subway lines. Most work will take place on-site; however, Fellows often have the opportunity to conduct field research in collaboration with partner institutions such as NYU School of Medicine, Charles B. Wang Community Health Clinic, La Alianza Dominicana and other community-based organizations. Duration and Stipend The Fellowship is structured in four-month increments. Preference will be given to candidates who can participate in two consecutive four-month terms and can make a full-time or nearly full-time commitment (30-40 hours per week) during those eight months. A stipend of $15 per hour will be provided. Beginning in the second term, full health benefits will also be provided. The Fellowship can lead to a full-time, salaried position for the right candidate. Eligibility This fellowship offers a unique opportunity for both practical application of public health methodology and the acquisition of top-level research skills. It is an ideal career-builder for bright, motivated individuals who have a strong interest in public health, social services, social entrepreneurship, linguistics, and cross-cultural communication. As such, candidates should possess the following: • A strong interest in and sensitivity to language, cultural issues, and/or immigrant rights. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. • Analytical perspective with strong attention to detail. • Fluency in a second language is highly desirable, but not required. • Experience or familiarity with innovative uses of software applications, internet resources, multimedia or other technology-enabled approaches to health education. • Experience with qualitative and quantitative research, data collection and analysis, primary and secondary research. • Master’s candidates or degree holders and beyond, with an emphasis on public health, public administration, medicine, medical anthropology, and related fields. Exceptional undergraduates may apply. • A solid foundation in academic public health research methodology, but will also possess creative thinking skills and the capacity and desire to think “outside the box” Those who do not meet the criteria for our fellowship program should consider applying for internship opportunities
How to Apply:
Application Process Candidates may apply online at www.languagemate.com/fellowship, by uploading the following required documents: • Résumé and cover letter, stating the reasons the candidate believes he/she would be successful in this position. • An academic writing sample (minimum of three pages, double-spaced, not including a title page) on a topic of the candidate’s own choosing. • If applicable, candidates may upload a sample of their work (such as a video or audio file, electronic copies of print materials, etc.). If work samples are not available for upload, candidates may send their work by mail. Deadlines for Submission and Notification Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Successful applicants will be contacted within one to two weeks of submission, depending on the volume of applications.