Jonathan Platt, an epidemiology student at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, spent six months working with ICAP staff in Mozambique through the ICAP Next Generation program. Platt described his experiences of cultural immersion and professional development in an article featured on Columbia University’s student public health blog, _Student Voices_.

Platt conducted preliminary analysis for a study that examines adherence to HIV treatment regimens. He also assisted with the pre-implementation steps of an intervention aimed at improving the retention of newly diagnosed HIV patients in treatment programs.

“The process of building a study from the ground up is a satisfying mix of integrating the best practices from previously successful research, adapting that research to the realities of the local context, and developing and identifying the knowledge and capacity to innovate and challenge accepted paradigms within your field of work,” wrote Platt.

Each year, Columbia University students participate in ICAP’s “Next Generation”:https://icap.columbia.edu/student-center/internships program, an initiative that enables students to spend two to six months engaged in the design, implementation, and evaluation of ICAP-supported programs while working alongside public health experts.

Read the full “Student Voices”:http://columbiapublichealthstudentvoices.wordpress.com/  article.