Margo Rosner

My Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) supervisors worked with me to design a position that let me explore my interests in health promotion and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention. Much of this assignment involved planning BCHD’s annual Know Your Status Ball and Conference. I worked to strengthen relationships with community partners and formed new partnerships with diverse community organizations, all of whom offered services at the event. We saw a 34% increase in testing numbers from the previous year’s event!

We also got to introduce a new component of BCHD’s condom distribution program—a home-based condom delivery system. With guidance from my host site, I researched, planned, and carried out this program that let people at greatest risk for HIV and other STDs register online for monthly condom shipments. PHAP has given me a once-in-a-lifetime field experience, and my host site has given me all the support I needed to thrive there. The skills I’ve gained from PHAP are invaluable, and I am excited to build on them throughout my public health career.