Internship Highlight: Nicole Winn, MPH'25

From Internship to Innovation: Nicole Winn Develops Tools & Resources for Long-Term Care Facilities

Nicole Winn, an MPH candidate in Dartmouth's accelerated residential program, recently completed an internship project with the Vermont Department of Health as part of her practicum intensive. "I was drawn to the Vermont Department of Health because of my passion for public health equity and my desire to gain hands-on experience in infectious disease management. I wanted to understand how state health departments operate, especially in addressing community health challenges like disparities in vaccine uptake and access," says Nicole.

During her internship at the Vermont Department of Health, Nicole focused on vaccine education initiatives aimed at improving vaccine uptake in long-term care facilities—populations that are particularly vulnerable to infections. As part of her work, she analyzed statewide immunization data to identify facilities with the highest vaccination rates and interviewed staff to uncover best practices and incentives that contributed to their success.

Nicole developed two key resources for long-term care facilities: the Staff Vaccination Rates Guide and the Resident Vaccination Rates Guide. These guides include strategies for improving staff immunization rates, as well as tools to support resident vaccine education and access. These resources were distributed to all long-term care facilities across Vermont, directly supporting infection control efforts. By highlighting successful facilities, Nicole provided actionable models for others to replicate, strengthening statewide preparedness.

Building on her work during Dartmouth's practicum intensive, Nicole is excited to continue her internship with the Vermont Department of Health. This time, she is working on developing an evidence-based antimicrobial stewardship toolkit to address urinary tract infections and asymptomatic bacteriuria in long-term care facility residents. The toolkit aims to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use through education, ultimately improving resident outcomes.

Reflecting on how Dartmouth has prepared her for this work, Nicole shares:

“Dartmouth’s interdisciplinary approach, including coursework in health inequities, qualitative methods, epidemiology, global health, and quality improvement, has equipped me with a broad skill set to tackle real-world challenges. The support and mentorship from Dartmouth’s faculty and staff have made me proud to have chosen Dartmouth for my MPH.”

Written by: Mia Soucy

POSTED 2/26/2025 AT 12:45 PM IN #internship #studentspotlight #mph