Public Health student, Camille Barrett, who is completing her Master of Public Health degree recounts a rewarding internship experience with Special Olympics Maine this summer. Read below:
Over the summer, I had the privilege of interning with the Maine state chapter of Special Olympics (SOME). This international nonprofit is built on inclusion, courage, and creating joyful experiences with families, athletes, and the community. I saw this firsthand while working with their health team. The team’s purpose is to provide programs to help athletes accomplish health goals. The intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) population experiences numerous disparities in accessing equitable and inclusive healthcare. Athlete testimonies showed me this firsthand. In the MPH program, we learn about the adversities populations face that hinder health improvement, and the team I worked with had a mission to dismantle these barriers. Through a partnership with clinicians, SOME offers health screenings for every athlete at events. Athletes can see providers for mental health, dentistry, podiatry, physical therapy, audiology, optometry, and health promotion. If necessary, athletes then receive a referral to a provider in their area. The health team will follow up with the athlete to ensure they have contacted the necessary provider.
This experience helped me see, outside the classroom, how difficult accessing healthcare can be. I also gained knowledge about the inequities the IDD population faces within this healthcare system. The health team screened 129 athletes at the health promotions station. 60% of these athletes required a referral, and 88% of the referrals fell into the obese category given their age and height. In addition, 74.5% of athletes were wearing the wrong shoe size. This was jarring to me, and it solidified my understanding that organizations like SOME are vital to improving public health. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to learn from, interact with, and befriend athletes, as each experience helped me grow both personally and professionally. I recommend that everyone, especially students in the Muskie School, volunteer with Special Olympics, as it turned my classroom learning into applicable real-life knowledge and experience.