By Jill Pease
- The UF Health Cancer Institute’s Public Service Internship places students in congressional offices to gain experience in federal health policy and cancer-related advocacy
- Interns serve as active members of legislative teams, researching complex issues and drafting materials that inform major health care decisions
- By engaging directly with policymakers and constituents, interns bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world impact
On any given day in the halls of Congress, Ryan Athay may meet with health advocates, research complex policy issues or help write legislation that could impact millions of lives. For Athay, a Master of Public Health student in the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, the experience is more than a line on a resume. It’s a front-row seat to policymaking in real time.
Athay has long held an interest in health care access and was eager to put into practice the lessons he learned in the UF classroom. During his yearlong academic internship in the office of U.S. Rep. Darren Soto of Florida, Athay has been a trusted member of the congressman’s team, recognized for his health expertise.
“I think what really sets this office apart from other fellowships or internships is that we are basically acting as a member of the legislative team,” said Athay, who earned a bachelor’s degree in public health from UF last year and is currently in the M.P.H. population health management concentration. “This experience is so immersive and the perfect opportunity to really sink your teeth in and see the federal health policy process firsthand. I feel like I’m working on my career already.”
Athay is participating in the UF Health Cancer Institute’s Public Service Internship, which places graduate students in Washington, D.C., for internships in coordination with the UF Office of Federal Relations. This gives students exposure to the federal government’s inner workings and cancer-related policy development, said Ramzi Salloum, Ph.D., the associate director for community outreach and engagement at the UF Health Cancer Institute.
“The internship aims to develop the next generation of health policy professionals and leaders by engaging in high-level policy work that prepares interns for careers in health policy, public service and cancer-related advocacy,” said Salloum, who is also a professor in the UF College of Medicine Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics. “The program strengthens UF’s national presence in cancer-related issues and supports UF’s ability to engage effectively with federal partners and policymakers.”
In addition to interning with Soto, students have worked in the offices of Florida U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Kat Cammack, Neal Dunn and Debbie Wasserman Schultz. While the competitive internship program is open to all UF graduate students, several Master of Public Health students have been selected since the program’s launch in 2019, including the past five recipients.
Soto said the first lesson he and his staff impart to UF public service interns is empathy and the ability to put themselves in constituents’ shoes.
“That’s important even as you’re answering phones and emails, which they’ll sometimes do, and developing health policy responses from positions we have,” Soto said. “But then it builds up as they work into attending committee meetings with me, prepping some of my meetings, maybe making co-sponsorship suggestions. And because it is a two-way street, I also learn from their perspectives on the things we’re doing, and their insight is often helpful as I’m making my final decisions on major health care policies affecting the nation.”
When Mary Kai Patterson, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public health from UF, was selected to intern with Soto last spring, she said it was a dream come true. Some of her duties included preparing background materials and talking points for the congressman, as well as accompanying Soto to meetings for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce when health care issues were discussed.
Those experiences underscored the program’s rare access and its value for future health policymakers, Patterson said.
“Being able to sit in the room where policymakers are making impactful decisions was a very surreal moment for me,” she said.
Patterson was influenced by the meetings she had with members of the public, from hospital system representatives to grassroots organizers and people directly affected by cancer.
“It was an opportunity to meet and connect with individuals who had gone through challenging health experiences, and parents, caregivers and siblings,” Patterson said. “It brought these health topics to life in really positive and impactful ways.”
Patterson is now pursuing a career in health care government relations, and she hopes to one day sit on the other side of the table and advocate with lawmakers on behalf of critical health issues. Athay, too, is eyeing a career on Capitol Hill, either in a congressional office or as a government relations consultant for health organizations.
“Throughout my studies, I had this idea that change needed to come from getting rid of everything and starting from the ground up,” Athay said. “Being here has made me realize that is not possible, but you can still make changes, large and small, that really help people.”