Early this summer, the Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC) welcomed seven interns to assist various departments and gain valuable work experience. Hailing from six states, they bring an outstanding range of skills, interests, and motivations. Meet the newest members of the PCDC team.
Faith Arimoro
Performance Improvement Intern
School: Mount Sinai Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine
Major: Public Health with a Concentration in Health Care Management
Hometown: Newington, CT
What drew you to this internship opportunity?
I would like to have a career dedicated to improving health care in marginalized communities. PCDC’s internship offered me the opportunity to gain real-world experience working to improve primary care — the cornerstone of health care — in low-income communities. Additionally, having been around for 25 years, PCDC has valuable organizational knowledge of the field, but is young enough to be innovative. I knew I could learn a lot from this organization.
What are your responsibilities?
As a PI intern, I work on projects related to increasing the efficiency with which primary care practices set up and maintain patients’ appointments. I provide research assistance on health care performance improvement, assist with data collection, and provide technical assistance.
What do you hope to take from this experience?
I hope to understand the fundamentals of quality improvement science, deepen my understanding of the US health care system, and strengthen my ability to develop tools to improve health care management.
Fun fact: I spent three weeks teaching preschoolers in Kampala, Uganda, during college.
Will D’Epagnier
Communications and Video Intern
School: Emerson College
Major: Visual and Media Arts production
Minor: Writing
Hometown: San Juan Capistrano, CA
What drew you to this internship opportunity?
I think it’s admirable what PCDC does for communities that are in need of quality care services. I work for a student-run nonprofit focused on mental health so I was enticed to gain experience from an established nonprofit in the health care industry.
What are your responsibilities?
My main responsibility is to create video content that highlights the services offered by PCDC. I also write articles for PCDC’s website and assist in other clerical tasks within the Communications department.
What do you hope to take from this experience?
I look forward to expanding my skills in producing video content and writing articles for a specific audience. I’m excited to gain more knowledge in what it takes to successfully run the communications, marketing, and public relations of a nonprofit organization.
Fun fact: My favorite kind of food is Japanese. I could eat sushi every day.
Daniel Osifo
Capital Investment Intern
School: St. John’s University
Major: Health and Human Services
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
What drew you to this internship opportunity?
I was seeking more experience within the financial side of the health care field and I wanted to intern at a place that directly impacted communities. PCDC seemed to be perfect because it provides loans to health care facilities that wish to expand within their communities.
What are your responsibilities?
I research financial vehicles in which PCDC can distribute loans. I also collect information on the benefits and uses of impact investments and how they can influence change in communities, as well as learn about the benefits and uses of New Market Tax Credits.
What do you hope to take from this experience?
I hope to learn about the different procedures and processes when securing loans, recording finances, and analyzing data. I also hope to gain the ability to interpret various financial data and documents relevant to this field.
Fun fact: I am a big movie buff, and I especially love horror movies.
Nicole Pereira
Performance Improvement Intern
School: UCLA, Fielding School of Public Health
Major: Health Policy and Management
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
What drew you to this internship opportunity?
I was seeking an opportunity that would allow me to operationalize the value of the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model, from research perspective into clinical practice and transformation. PCDC’s innovative work and exclusive mission aligned perfectly with my ultimate goal of advancing policy initiatives that support enhanced primary care access and sustainable models that deliver integrated care.
What are your responsibilities?
My responsibilities include performing research assistance, data analysis, performance improvement recommendations for clients, site visits, project management and coordination support, document management, and clinical site recruitment.
What do you hope to take from this experience?
I aim to deepen my understanding and application of how quality metrics incentives and provider-performing payment systems can inform the evidence base for optimal provider organization and functionality in primary care.
Fun fact: I enjoy a good spicy food challenge!
Brian Ruiz
Performance Improvement Intern
School: Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health
Major: MHA in Health Policy and Management
Hometown: Elgin, IL
What drew you to this internship opportunity?
The emphasis on primary care and the consulting type of business model at PCDC were both attractive qualities to me, but it was ultimately the mission and vision of PCDC that really drew me in. PCDC genuinely cares about making a significant impact in the communities that they serve, and they invest in projects that truly make a difference. I am excited to be a part of that!
What are your responsibilities?
In collaboration with a Performance Improvement coach, I provide clients with technical assistance so that they meet all necessary requirements to establish and sustain Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) accreditation as established by the National Committee for Quality Assurance and New York State.
What do you hope to take from this experience?
I hope to gain a better understanding of what is required to become a PCMH and how to help different clients adjust their workflows to comply with the established standards while making a positive impact in their communities.
Fun fact: I was in the US Navy for five years and spend two of them in Okinawa, Japan, with the US Marine Corps.
Cameron Swift
Development Intern
School: Cornell University, College of Human Ecology
Major: Policy Analysis and Management
Hometown: Westchester, NY
What drew you to this internship opportunity?
I am interested in pursuing a career in health care policy and management. I was drawn to this internship at PCDC because I wanted more exposure to the industry, as well as the opportunity to be surrounded by other individuals working to improve the delivery of quality health care.
What are your responsibilities?
I perform database work and research on constituents, prospects, donors, sponsors, etc.
What do you hope to take from this experience?
I hope to learn more about the challenges associated with the delivery of primary care and gain the skills to help improve the US health care system so it benefits all individuals.
Fun fact: I am a New York State certified EMT.
Annie Wang
Communications Intern
School: New York University
Major: Business and Political Economics
Hometown: East Brunswick, NJ
What drew you to this internship opportunity?
I was drawn to PCDC because I’m very passionate about social justice, and PCDC’s mission seemed to strongly align with my own. In the past, I’ve volunteered at other health care nonprofits, specifically those that focused on mental illness. Therefore, I wanted to continue this path of interest.
What are your responsibilities?
As a Communications Intern, I have the opportunity to work on redesigning and updating websites, creating graphics, and writing articles for PCDC.
What do you hope to take from this experience?
I hope to get some content published (both visual and written) and master Adobe Illustrator. Overall, I hope to get PCDC’s name, story, and impact out there so that people know the dedication our organization has to quality primary care.
Fun fact: I can still do all three types of splits.
–Written by Will D’Epagnier, intern with PCDC’s Advocacy and Communications group
