MiOra No-Barrier Internships for Youth Economic Advancement

Youth economic advancement

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

There are many healthcare and STEM internships in LA through academia, government, and industry; however, entry is competitive and often requires physical presence of the intern at the internship location, creating barriers for youth from challenging backgrounds. These young individuals tend to have transportation barriers and may not be able to take time off from jobs or family duties to participate in these opportunities. Targeted, high-quality internships for underrepresented youth break down barriers to enter high-paying professions. We provide relevant work experience and skills training, including AI skills, to enhance resumes and improve job prospects. In addition, important networking skills through internships are especially beneficial for young individuals coming from backgrounds lacking professional connections. As a result, diverse healthcare providers that serve our underserved areas improve residents’ access to care which leads to improved health and economic stability.

MiOra, a national 501(c)(3) founded in Los Angeles in 2016, offers no-barrier public health internships to youth, regardless of GPA or experience. Internships are promoted on social media and the MiOra website, allowing any youth to register freely and start at any time. These flexible internships can be completed remotely at the intern's convenience under management by healthcare provider volunteers. Interns learn to use tools like PubMed and Qualtrics for public health research proposals, Canva and InVideo AI for infographics, and gain experience in IRB applications. They implement community health education events, collect data for impact assessment, and receive weekly guidance and feedback from MiOra staff. Interns also develop skills in Excel, PowerPoint (AI version), data poster presentation, and manuscript development. They gain soft skills, develop confidence, network, and build their resumes such as acquiring HIPAA certification. Additionally, they learn to write professional emails, develop their LinkedIn profiles, and create health messages on social media. Many interns remain connected with MiOra for years, benefiting from ongoing mentorship and resources.
With funding, MiOra aims to increase the size of its internship program and provide hands-on AI skills training to all current and past interns, enhancing employability, promoting economic advancement, and reducing income inequality, while improving community health literacy and health access.

MiOra’s goal is to improve the chances of underserved students become successful in their careers as well as improve the health of LA County residents. In 2023, approximately 45% of admitted freshmen at our universities and community colleges were first-generation college students. These and other students from low-income families, face significant barriers to higher education and quality jobs, which hampers their economic advancement.
Our vision is to expand MiOra by increasing the number of paid staff and the number of youth served. We actively seek new partnerships with academia and industry. In 2023, we launched a bridging program with Western University of Health Sciences College of Podiatric Medicine to improve acceptance rates. MiOra's success will create employment in public health and preventive care, increase the number of highly trained and skilled youth in Los Angeles, and enhance the economic stability, health, and safety of the city.

MiOra has offered no-barrier internships since 2016, collecting demographic & socioeconomic data from interns. To date, about 700 youth, with about 500 from LA County, participated in the internship. Around 80% of interns identified as female, 60% were first-generation students, and 10% have faced food & housing insecurity.
MiOra interns conduct community health education events to improve health literacy. They collect data to assess their impact, and MiOra staff track these activities for quality improvement. The interns have trained about 2,000 people & doubled the level of health literacy, shown in pre-post-surveys. Successful completion of internship is a credit requirement for students at CSULA, and Long Beach, while others receive MiOra certificate. MiOra interns published approximately 20 manuscripts and presented over 30 posters. MiOra tracks the impact of intern work by monitoring citations, social media views, and unique views on the MiOra website.