Equity in Action Summer Internship Program
The RBHS Office of Interprofessional Programs is excited to host a six-week paid summer interprofessional program, Equity in Action Summer Internship Program (EASI) at Rutgers University. Students are paid a $3,000 stipend. This program is open to Rutgers graduate health professions’ students in good academic standing.
The program focuses on social determinants of health with a social justice lens (e.g., racial equity, environmental justice). Students work in interprofessional teams of 3-4 and are placed at one of our participating community sites in the greater Newark or Central New Jersey areas where they co-create a program with the guidance of a community site preceptor and EASI co-directors.
Interprofessional teams of students develop a deep understanding of social determinants of health by working directly with the people served by an agency, reviewing and discussing evidence-based materials, and attending in-person and virtual workshops that provide new skills and a broader understanding of diverse populations who are under-resourced.
Denise V. Rodgers, MD – Vice-Chancellor for Interprofessional Programs at RBHS
On July 1, 2013, Dr. Denise V. Rodgers was appointed Vice Chancellor for Interprofessional Programs at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. She is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Rodgers is board certified in family medicine and is a diplomate of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Sarah W. Kelly, EdD, MPH, CPH, Program Co-Director
Sarah W. Kelly is the Assistant Dean for Student Experiences and Alumni Affairs at the Rutgers-School of Public Health. Dr. Kelly is involved in all aspects of student affairs and student services programming including student reporting, development, advising and strategic planning aimed at supporting students’ educational success and professional growth and creating a culture conducive to learning.
Maria B. Pellerano, MA, MBA, MPH, Program Co-Director
Maria Pellerano is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Ms. Pellerano participates in teaching medical students and Family Medicine residents. Her research and teaching focus on effective interventions to improve community health and wellness outcomes. She also co-directs the medical school’s Distinction in Service to the Community (DISC) Program and serves on the DISC advisory committee.
Program Details
The Equity in Action Summer Internship Program (EASI) at Rutgers University is supported by the RBHS Office of the Chancellor and hosted by the Office of Interprofessional Programs at RBHS. In 2024, 15 students from six RBHS schools participated in the RU-EASI program and provided 300 days of service to six community sites
How to Apply
Eligible students may apply starting in November. Online application will be available in late November. Students must be in good academic standing and EASI Program Co-Directors will confirm academic standing with individual schools.
Curriculum Snapshot
Each summer, EASI provides students an understanding of one community’s social determinants of health with a social justice lens. Students are required to participate in the program from Monday to Friday and will spend 3 or 4 days a week at their assigned community agency.
Learn More
The EASI Co-Directors will be holding orientation sessions via Zoom for interested and eligible students in December and January. Please check back for specific dates and times. If you are unable to attend any of the sessions, please email maria.pellerano@rutgers.edu or kellysw@sph.rutgers.edu to get more information.