I had the opportunity to complete a 16-week practicum at the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) in Ottawa, Ontario, under the supervision of Program Manager Ecaterina Damian. CSIH is located in the heart of downtown Ottawa next to the Rideau Centre and just minutes away from the Byward Market and Parliament Hill.
The primary focus of my practicum was assisting with the implementation of the Canada Pavilion at the 2018 International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) in Amsterdam. I was also involved in planning for the Canadian Women in Global Health (CWIGH) project.
CSIH was selected to be the developmental lead for the Canada Pavilion at AIDS 2018. While assisting with this project, I learned a lot about the movement to decriminalize the non-disclosure of HIV/AIDS, the ever-present stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, the U=U (undetected=untransmittable) campaign, and the diverse representation of people affected by HIV/AIDS. While working on this project I had the opportunity to engage with a variety of national, provincial and local stakeholders and to contribute to the success of the Canada Pavilion.
The Canadian Women in Global Health (CWIGH) project was initiated to increase women’s visibility, representation and leadership. Throughout this project I participated in several conference calls with stakeholders, created a social media strategy and helped prepare/disseminate the call for nominations.
My practicum at CSIH provided me with a great experience to enrich my knowledge about public health both nationally and globally and allowed me to sharpen my research, communications and analytical skills. CSIH is a very dynamic and collaborative workplace with multiple different expertise. I thoroughly enjoyed my practicum at CSIH and although next year’s projects will be different, I am confident that you will have a great practicum at CSIH! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at hkl324@mun.ca