This summer I interned at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the Office of Strategic Coordination, where I contributed to the Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society and Complement Animal Research in Experimentation Common Fund programs.

My work involved conducting a comprehensive landscape analysis and literature review to better understand the use of New Approach Methodologies in biomedical research and regulated drug approval. I had the opportunity to interview various NIH team members and synthesize their insights with data. My work culminated in a final report that included actionable recommendations for enhancing their community engagement and biomedical research training framework.

I am extremely grateful to the NIH team for their warm welcome. I enjoyed attending various seminars, engaging with different institute working groups, and participating in team leadership meetings, all of which deepened my understanding of the role policy plays in healthcare. I look forward to leveraging these skills in my future endeavors, particularly in improving healthcare initiatives and developing science communication strategies.