The FRONTERA Summer Internship is an intense and focused immersion experience that provides trainees with: a fertile environment in which to work with supportive faculty mentors; resources and access to public health leaders engaged in relevant border initiatives; and engagement in community-based research projects. Participating trainees will gain exposure and insight into the serious health issues affecting communities along the U.s.-Mexico border while
attending binational meetings, visiting border communities, participating in service-learning projects, and conducting research. Our goal is to provide trainees with the foundation and understanding ofthe health disparities affecting Hispanics in the U.S. - Mexico border region.
The FRONTERA model relies on three inter-related components: a) role model mentoring; b) hands-on research training; and c) border health immersion activities. Each FRONTERA trainee is matched, according to hislher area of interest, with a faculty mentor whose research has an impact on border health. Former trainees have conducted research on issues such as diabetes, tuberculosis, Human papillomavirus, breast and cervical cancer, promotora-Iead prevention interventions, migrant workers and immigrants' health. Upon identifying an appropriate match, trainees will assist faculty mentors with ongoing research projects or create their own independent project under the mentor's guidance.
Relying on the Arizona Hispanic Center of Excellence (AHCOE) extensive network of academic partners and border health-related organizations, FRONTERA trainees will participate in service-learning and border-health related meetings and activities, such as a health care census and immunization campaign in Yuma County, the Arizona-Mexico Commission's Health Services Committee meeting, and the three-day border service-learning orientation.

Program Duration: 

June thru August, 2010 (3 months)

Work hours:  Students will be required to participate in the program from Monday to Friday