Questions? Contact the University Coordinators for Boston University, at
bu@healthleadsusa.org.

Health Leads is a national movement that mobilizes the nation’s undergraduates to provide high-impact services to low-income families and, in the process, to transform our healthcare system into one that is more effective and more just. Health Leads envisions a healthcare system that addresses all patients' basic resource needs as a standard part of quality care.
Health Leads’ mission is to catalyze this healthcare system by connecting patients with the basic resources they need to be healthy, and in doing so, build leaders with the conviction and ability to champion quality care for all patients.
Health Leads believes that undergraduates have what it takes to make real change – for individual families and for our country’s healthcare system. We are always seeking passionate, committed, social justice-minded students to join our movement. To learn more about our work, our vision, and more, visit www.healthleadsusa.org.
Health Leads Boston is the oldest and largest region in the organization's six-city network. It has grown from a card table in the waiting room at Boston City Hospital staffed by 10 students, to a robust operation that last year alone mobilized 160 college students to serve over 2,000 families.
The Health Leads Model
The Health Leads Desk is a resource and advocacy program that helps families’ access community resources critical to their health, safety, and economic survival. Operating in clinics and hospitals, the Health Leads Desks use a patient ’s visit to the doctor as an opportunity to address the non-medical issues that have an impact on health. At the desk, Health Leads
Advocates talk with individuals and families about their resource needs and connect them with appropriate services related to food, housing, health insurance, childcare, adult education, job training, and other services. The Advocates then follow-up with these clients to provide further assistance that will ensure success in accessing resources and to provide further assistance – easing the frustration of bureaucratic systems, language barriers, and administrative errors that often obstruct families’ access to services.
“This [Health Leads] is exactly the kind of social innovation and entrepreneurship we should be encouraging all across this country.” – First Lady Michelle Obama, TIME Magazine100 Most Influential People Gala
“Health Leads is a part of our team. I can’t do it all. We’re just barely staying above water. The students have excellent listening skills, aren’t limited by time, realize this work is important, and are passionate about it.” - Dr.
Barbara Philipp, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center
“My classmates think you write a prescription, and you’re done. I ask, can the patient read the prescription? Does she need transportation to the pharmacy? Does she have food at home to take with the prescription? These are not questions you learn to ask in medical school, but I learned them at Health Leads.” - Mia Lozada, M.D.
Health
Leads alumna, Internal Medicine Resident, UCSF
Questions? Contact the University Coordinators at Boston University, at bu@healthleadsusa.org.
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The Summer Fellows Program offers undergraduate students an opportunity to gain experience in a clinic setting, develop casework skills in working with patients, learn about the changing health care landscape, and explore what a community of people committed to social change can achieve together.
Based in outpatient clinics at Boston Medical Center and local community health centers,
Summer Fellows work a minimum of 20 hours a week, connecting clients to the resources they need to be healthy (e.g. food, housing, employment). Each Fellow participates in a team with 7-
12 other students from the same clinic setting. A full-time Program Manager, a paid Health
Leads staff member, oversees and supports each team.
Each Summer Fellow brings commitment, creativity, tenacity, and humility to work with clients, and, through this work, strengthens her/his conviction and ability to champion quality care for all patients.
Health Leads Boston is accepting 45 Summer Fellows for Summer 2013 from a variety of universities, including Boston University. You are eligible to apply if you are:

Currently enrolled as an undergraduate (graduating seniors may apply!);

Able and willing to work a minimum of 20 hours a week from Tuesday, May 21 st through
Friday, August 9 th ; and,

Available to attend both, full days of the mandatory Pre-Service Training held for
Summer Fellows on Saturday, May 18 th and Sunday, May 19 th 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM .
Many Summer Fellows take on a part-time job or a class in addition to their work with Health
Leads. If you do so, you must schedule these activities around your commitments to Health
Leads.
If you have already committed to a summer job or class, please consult with the University
Coordinators at bu@healthleadsusa.org
before applying to the Summer Fellows Program.

Available to work from Tuesday, May 21 st through Friday, August 9 th .

Able and willing to work a minimum of 20 hours a week , including three 3-hour shifts in a clinic setting each week and at least 5 hours of client follow-up each week. Note: additional time will be required for travel to and from the clinic setting and other required activities.
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Questions? Contact the University Coordinators at Boston University, at bu@healthleadsusa.org.


Available to participate in regularly scheduled activities, held at a location at Boston
University, at these times: o Every Wednesday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM (On-going Training, Case Support Group, and
Desk Planning) o Four (4) Tuesday evenings 6:30 to 8:30 PM (Social Change Seminar)

Available to attend both, full days of the mandatory Pre-Service Training held for
Summer Fellows on Saturday, May 18 th and Sunday, May 19 th 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM .

Attends three (3) shifts per week in a clinic setting, spending this time working with patients in-person. Shifts are available weekdays from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Shift length varies from
2.5 to 3 hours, depending upon the clinic.

Conducts at least five (5) hours a week of phone follow-up with clients independently.
Undertakes the additional follow-up activity needed to maintain consistent, high quality service to clients.

Attends activities designed to enhance service to clients and further skill development, held
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM every Wednesday at Boston University. These activities are comprised of Ongoing Training, Case Support Group, and Desk Planning sessions.

Attends Social Change Seminars, held four (4) Tuesday evenings 6:30 to 8:30 PM at Boston
University, to extend learning by relating the fellowship experience to broader health care policy, poverty reduction, and community development issues.

Maintains clean and up-to-date client records, and documents hours of volunteer service weekly.

Responds promptly to questions/requests by email, phone, and in-person.

Participates in a mid-summer evaluation with the Program Manager.

Completes a Volunteer Experience Survey at the end of the summer fellowship.
Summer Fellows will be excused from no more than three (3) days of work over the summer.
Health Leads staff will assign Summer Fellows to clinic settings. Unfortunately, requests to serve in a particular institution cannot be honored.
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Questions? Contact the University Coordinators at Boston University, at bu@healthleadsusa.org.

Health Leads is delighted to offer on-campus housing free of charge to students from Boston
University. Students are responsible for completing the steps needed to access this housing once notified of their acceptance as Health Leads Summer Fellows.

All students interested in the Summer Fellows Program must submit an application . This requirement applies individuals who are currently serving as
Advocates and those who have worked as Advocates and/or Summer Fellows in the past.

Applications must be submitted via our online application system and are due by
Tuesday, March 12 th no later than 10:00 PM EST.

To request a link to the application, please email the University Coordinators for Boston
University, at bu@healthleadsusa.org, with “Boston University Summer
Application” in the subject line and your first and last name only in the body of the email . You will be sent a unique link tied to your email address. Caution: Do NOT forward this link to anyone else or their answers could overwrite yours!
Before beginning work at Health Leads, Summer Fellows must submit health documentation to be cleared to volunteer in the clinic setting. This is a process mandated by the hospitals and health centers with which Health Leads works. If you are offered a Summer Fellow position, you will be asked to submit this information by Friday, May 10 th .

The documentation results of a tuberculosis skin test (TST) administered within the last three (3) months. This documentation must include the date the test was given, the date it was read, as well as the millimeter (mm) of duration.
Most Summer Fellows will need to obtain a second TB test within the first three weeks of starting the fellowship . The second test can be from any time within the last
12 months.

A copy of your immunization records. These records must include: 2 MMR vaccines and a Varicella vaccine or proof of Chicken Pox Disease.

A completed form allowing Health Leads to obtain a Criminal Offender Record
Information (CORI) report for you from the Massachusetts Department of Criminal
Justice. We will provide you with this form and guidance in completing it.
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Questions? Contact the University Coordinators at Boston University, at bu@healthleadsusa.org.

Interviews will be conducted by Health Leads’ University Coordinators and will last approximately one half hour. If you are selected for an interview, it will be scheduled on one of the following days:

Thursday, March 21 st

Sunday, March 24 th

Monday, March 25 th

Tuesday, March 26 th
Applicants who have worked with Health Leads in the past are exempt from the interview requirement.
Health Leads’ University Coordinators will notify applicants of acceptances by:

Thursday, March 28 th by 10:00 PM EST
We hope that you accept our offer! All applicants offered a Summer Fellow position must reply to the offer by email by:

Monday, April 1 st by 10:00 PM EST
If you decide to volunteer with Health Leads, please note that you will be required to attend training on both the following dates:

Saturday, May 18 th 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM

Sunday, May 19 th 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
If you have any questions, please contact the University Coordinators at Boston University, at bu@healthleadsusa.org
.
Thanks for your interest in Health Leads. We look forward to working with you!
Questions? Contact the University Coordinators at Boston University, at bu@healthleadsusa.org.
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