I interned at the Health Policy Center of the Urban Institute, a DC-based think tank that conducts economic and social policy research. At the Urban Institute, I contributed to research about Medicare Advantage trends. I refined the data analysis skills I gained at MIT, cleaning nationwide data sets using statistical programming languages, crafting graphs and maps, and analyzing trends uncovered in the data. I also witnessed the conclusion of a study on the financial implications of expanding Medicare benefits, and I greatly valued the opportunity to contribute to the publishing process.

I met many brilliant and kind people during my time in DC, both through the MIT Washington program and my internship. I left the summer equipped with new connections and insights into the policy world. Overall, I had a great experience conducting policy research at Urban.