About the Organization

The Centre for Social Medicine (CSM) offers globally-minded international students/volunteers (skilled/unskilled) who are searching for a unique life changing public health & social work internship experience by helping someone less fortunate. The Centre has been engaging international students and other volunteers in wide ranging projects/programs which include specialized medical care to public health and social development in rural & tribal areas of Maharashtra for years. It is right place for those students who want to learn by attending conceptual lectures (30%) while contributing their time and talents in the on-going health and development programs to understand the real India (blend of rich diversified cultures, traditional values, believes & practices in the midst of lack of resources, basic problems etc). Whether you shadow a doctor treating a cancer patient in a tertiary level teaching hospital, serve a tribal child in mobile clinic, a young anemic women in antenatal clinic of rural health centre, a sex worker in a HIV counseling session, a farmer in a rural IT centre you are learning and enriching knowledge while serving humanity with unforgettable memories. The activities of CSM are spread across rural and urban areas, so participants get an overview of challenges and strategies in both settings.

The Mission

To support and encourage interdisciplinary research, training, and services in the field of social medicine and community development for the benefit of students, faculty and the needy community at large.

The Objectives:

• To understand the health problems and needs of the rural and other vulnerable sections of the community with a view to find workable solutions in the existing social structure
• To delineate the structural constraints which limit the scope of health interventions in the community
• To train and nurture the students in the field of social medicine, rural health and allied health sciences
• To conduct and promote research & scholarship in social medicine and allied sciences
• To provide comprehensive community oriented primary health care to the needy
• To bring behavioural changes and empower people for their health and development
• To develop networking and partnership with individuals and organizations

The Approach

The CSM collaborates with faculty, staff and students from various departments and academic programmes across the University including medicine, dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy, biotechnology, bioscience management, ayurveda etc. The Center also encourages international, national, regional, and community partnerships to foster a culture of interdisciplinary team work and a community of scholars at the cross roads of health and social sciences.

Core Competencies

The following core competencies that are required to achieve the objectives of the Center are drawn from within the constituent institutes of the University and sister institutes in the area:
• Community Medicine
• Epidemiology & biostatistics
• Population studies & demography
• Occupational health & agricultural medicine
• Natural and Environmental Sciences
• Social Sciences – Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Behavioural Sciences
• Psycho-immunology (meditation and yoga)
• Biotechnology, Bioinformatics and Information technology
• Management Sciences
• Health Financing and Economics

Learn more about the CSM and its programs here.

Job Description

A wide range of opportunities are available at Centre for Social Medicine for prospective internship students of IE3 Global Internship Program. Selected interns/volunteers may focus their internships in one or more of the following areas leading to a Certificate in Social Health and Development. Special internship programs can be developed for students per their interests.

1. Shadow specialist doctors of general medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, neonatology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, ENT, oncology (cancer therapy), family medicine at a 900 bed post-graduate medical teaching hospital. Pre-nursing interns would also shadow nurses and assist where possible.
2. Observe all clinical diagnostic procedures like radio-diagnosis (x-ray, ultra-sonography, CT Scanning, MRI, mammography etc), laboratory techniques, HIV testing (microbiology, pathology, biochemistry, blood bank – component therapy etc) at the hospital
3. Shadow dental specialists in 14 dental specialties including oral medicine, conservative dentistry, oral and maxillo-facial surgery, periodontics, pedodontics, orthodontics etc at a post-graduate level dental school
5. Assist qualified physiotherapists of different disciplines like general physiotherapy, musculoskeletal, neurosciences, pediatrics, cardio-respiratory, community physiotherapy & rehabilitation etc at a post graduate level physiotherapy school
6. Shadow Ayurved (Indian System of Medicine) doctors to understand the alternative systems of medicine and methods of treatment & therapy

7. Assist general doctors, nurses, lab. Technicians at Rural Health Centres, Mobile Medical/Dental Units, and other Out-reach camps/projects
8. Assist in planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation of public, social health and development projects in rural and tribal areas
9. Undertake short and long term teaching and research assignments in the field of public health, rural health, social and community development, gender equality etc
10. Assist directly in the ongoing multi sectoral social health and development projects and programs of CSM.

Depending on each intern's interest, components of internships include:

Lecture series

In order to accomplish the above, an interactive lecture series session (two days per week) enriches the intern's conceptual understanding on various issues related to social health and development in resource-poor settings. Faculty of CSM and medical, nursing, physiotherapy, dental colleges (and more) will deliver lectures and demonstrations covering various topics like social and community diagnosis, health care delivery systems in India, community health nursing, nutritional and child health assessment, role of peripheral health workers in rural health, role of blind faiths and beliefs and rural health, community healht and development, healthy villages and promoting schools, concept and involvement of NGOs, environmental health and Information and communication technology in rural health.

Visits to Diagnostic Treatment Facilities at University Teaching Hospital

Observational visits to 900 bed multi-specialty tertiary level PIMS University teaching hospital located on the campus to appreciate the delivery of medical and nursing care to patients. This covers General Medicine, Pediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Surgery, Orthopedics, Opthamology, and Family medicine departments. Interns observe the socio-economic, demographic and morbidity profile of the patients and help interns understand the treatment modalities, options and methods. Interns also make visits to HIV/AIDS Diagnostic and Treatment Centers, TB diagnosis and treatment centers.

Visits to Rural Health Centers (RHC)

Be as a team member in providing primary health care, women and child health, adolescent health, dental & physiotherapy care, health education and counseling through “outreach” activities. RHCs located in remote and tribal areas of Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. Each RHC Team which consist a medical officer, nurses, laboratory technician covers 8-10 villages and serves about 10000-15000 people.

Mobile Health/Dental Clinic

Well equipped Mobile Medical & Dental Clinics serve about 125 remote and tribal villages covering a population of 200,000 on a monthly rotation.

Tribal Health & Development Project

Intern with health care teams at Rural Health Centres & Mobile Medical Units which serve tribal people (Thakar, Mahadev Koli) in impoverished villages that have been largely cut of from mainstream development. These villages are in well known Sayadri hill ranges of Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India. This place attracts lot of city tourists for mountainous trekking, boating, water falls and tribal culture.

Rural e-health Centre

Opportunities to help farmers, rural students & youth, women for their development using e-health, e-agriculture, e-empowerment, e-governance etc. village IT centers.

School Health, Hygiene & Environment Program (SHAPE)

Participate in medical & dental check-up of students; promote hand washing, nail cutting, oral, dental, personal hygiene, nutrition, physiotherapy & yoga, cleanliness, and tree plantation, awareness sessions in resource poor primary and high schools of the drought-prone and tribal areas.

Out-reach Health & Medical Camps

Multi-diagnostic & treatment Camps, Mini Specialty Camps (Dental, MCH, Eye, and Physiotherapy), and General Health Check-up & Screening Camps organized in remotest & underserved villages.

Women Empowerment Programs

Volunteers are welcome to actively engage themselves in ongoing Women Social, Economical & Legal rights & empowerment programs. The programs are specially designed for FSW in urban slums, PLW HIV/AIDSs, poor & deserted women from rural and tribal areas. Participate in awareness session on gender issues like female feticide, domestic violence, and early marriages etc.

Prevention of HIV/AIDS Projects for FSW, MSM and Migratory population

Opportunity to involve in most challenging areas like targeted interventions for prevention of STIs, HIV/AIDS among FSW, Male having Sex with Male (MSM), and Migratory Workers in the Urban slums of Nasik, India. The interventions include STI clinics, counseling, teaching negotiating skills, awareness generation, empowering for collective leadership etc

Rural & Community Development Project

Opportunity to involve in Healthy Village, Green Village initiatives covering activities like village sanitation, waste management, and safe drinking water practices etc

Capacity building Programs for community groups

Opportunity to share your knowledge and skills in capacity building (training-cum-workshops) of field level NGOs, CBOs, village women, traditional birth attendants (TBAs), Traditional healers, school teachers & studnets, local government functionaries in health and social developmental aspects.

Participation in Community Health and Development Activities

Interns may see how Participatory Rural Appraisals are applied in rural health assessments. Tools such as seasonality mapping, timeline, household surveys, school visits and child screening, focus group discussion and how the information is used for the community is learned. Students participate in trainings such the importance of proper hygiene during village visits.

Minor Research Studies and other learning opportunities are available

# of Positions per term

6

Start Dates

any time

Duration of Internship

10-12 weeks

Academic Background

Required: Interest and positive attitude to work in rural, remote areas and urban slums for underserved people living in challenging environments & resource poor settings.

Preferred: Interest in public health, maternal & child health, school health, social work, women empowerment, community organization, counseling, capacity building of community groups, nursing, physiotherapy, dentistry etc.

This internship site is available to a wide range of interested students, due to the variety of programs run by the CSM. Students interested in any aspect of health and issues related to social services and develoment as it relates to health are encouraged to apply. Students persuing a career in medicine are able to shadow doctors from any department in the hospital, which includes a very large dental wing.

Students interested in issues germane to nutrition, community or rural development, income, gender, social justice and systems of governance as they pertain to health care would find this internship fascinating. Students interested in conducting research on these topics will have access to data and may be able to arrange interviews as needed.

Skills/Experience

Flexibility is key. Interns must be prepared to adapt to a wide variety of learning situations. Must be able to adapt to Indian culture and living in a rural area. Interns should understand the internship is designed and conducted with major learning objectives that every participating intern should 1) acquire clear understanding of the concepts of social health and development, 2) be exposed to ongoing projects, programs and facilities in preventive/curative/rehabilitative services at primary to tertiary level health care settings, 3) be exposed to various determinants of health in rural and urban life, 4) be able to demonstrate skills on Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques.

Language Ability

The official communication language at the PIMS University is English. It means that the international students can communicate with faculty and co-students of different disciplines in English. However, communication with general public, patients and their relatives within and outside the University should be in Hindi (National language) & Marathi (State language). The CSM Faculty & Staff will extend all necessary support for translation in professional as well as social arrangements. Hindi or Maharathi is useful in daily life and travel but not necessary for the internship.

Other Requirements

Interns do not require any special equipment. It is preferred if the students are carrying their laptop for report preparation and program monitoring during their internship, as well as to access internet in their rooms. Of course, they may use the computer systems of the center, if required.

Total costs vary depending on how long you plan to be abroad, where you will be living, your personal spending habits, and current exchange rates. The following estimates will give you a ballpark figure for this internship. Get help with the math from our handy Cost Calculator.
ALL ESTIMATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

IE₃ Program Fee

The IE₃ program fee is $3450 for the first term for both in-state and out-of-state students and $1000 for each additional term, regardless of credit earned. You do not pay tuition for the term(s) you are abroad. Visit your University's IE₃ page for details, costs for additional terms, and campus administrative fees.

Estimated One-Time Expenses

Expense Type	Price
Host Site Fees	The cost of airport pick up, housing, food and transportation for internship purposes is $550 per month.  Find housing and food details under the “Additional Information” tab. **Any services or facility fees which are not covered in the program fee will be decided by the Program Director and charged extra to the students on site as per the policy of the PIMS University.
International Travel	$1100-1400
Visa Fees	$150
Recommended Immunizations	$300-700

*See Additional Cost Information below.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Expense Type	Price/month
Housing	included in the CSM program fee
Food	$30: most covered in CSM fee
Local Transportation	$150 (for personal travel to cities)
Recreation	$150
Personal Expenses	$50

Compensation

none

Additional Expense Information

Please note that the intern cost in Loni will be very low outside of the $550 site fee that covers airport pick up and drop off, housing, food, internet and library fees and transportation for internship purposes. The costs for travel to the nearest cities (Pune, Nasik, Mumbai, Goa) is estimated in the cost total for local transportation.

Housing

The students of IE3 Global Internship Program will be accommodated in a 108 room “Silver Jubilee International Centre” which conforms to high standard of quality in construction, located in the Campus. The spacious, well ventilated rooms of the International House are luxuriously furnished with double-occupancy bed, reading table, chairs, electrical fittings (tube lights, fans etc), intercom telephone, internet connectivity and attached bathroom and a balcony. The International House is also equipped with well furnished waiting lounge, Water coolers with purified drinking water, Common Kitchen, Washing machines for laundry for common use of the occupants. The International Centre has round the clock security and attendant facilities. The room services include periodical cleaning and change of linen (bed sheets, pillow covers, and blanket). A dedicated University official serves as a Warden-Friend-Guide-Philosopher is available within the International Centre during official hours for all the incumbents.

Food

The Indian Food (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) for students of IE3 Global Internship Program will be served at Postgraduate Student Mess run on Club basis, which is located just opposite to the International Centre of the University. Students have to spend for any other extra refreshments, soft drinks, bottled water etc, separately. When interns are on field visits/trips, food will be served at local restaurants as per the prevailing conditions at the work site.

For information on the accomodations and campus please see the attachment.
HousingandfoodatCSM.pdf