Niccolò Morgante and Pietro Falco are students at the European Master in Health Economics and Management at the University of Oslo. This fall they are interns at the Norwegian Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet).
– We are following the Economic Evaluation in Health Care track, focusing mostly on economic evaluation of private companies. At the Norwegian Directory of Health, we get to see the other side, the public sector in Norway, Niccolò says.
– Our natural career path is in the private sector. The internship makes working in the public sector possible as well, which is positive, he continues.
– We are learning how the public sector here is connected to EU-regulations and projects, Pietro says.
An internship is a way to gain knowledge and experience
– Starting a new internship can feel very overwhelming and confusing. There is a lot of new words and acronyms, but as soon as you start working it makes more sense. It is a positive experience, Niccolò says.
Pietro thinks doing an internship is a great opportunity to learn and to grow.
– Through my internship I have gained a better understanding of how the government works in Norway, and I can apply this to other countries in the future as well, he says.
Pietro and Niccolò learned about the internship at the Norwegian Directorate of Health through a listing sent to all the students taking the internship course.
– The internship listing did not include any specific tasks or topics, only information about the Norwegian Directorate of Health and their work, Niccolò says.
The students sent their resumes and application letters to the directorate and were invited to attend a meeting with Irene Olaussen, programme coordinator for the Norwegian participation in EUs health programme EU4Health at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and responsible for the interns at the directorate.
– During the meeting we learned about projects at directorate, stated our preferences and interests, and were signed to different subprojects, Niccolò says.
Interns at The Norwegian Directorate of Health is doing a variety of complex tasks
Niccolò and Pietro is working on the EU4Health programme. EU4Health is EUs fourth health program. With a €5.3 billion budget, the main aim of the project is to develop a European Health Union. In Norway the project aims to strengthen health contingency, improve public health, create a strong digital health system, and contribute to new knowledge.
Pietro is summarizing and analyzing data related to new regulations on health contingency. The goal is to make information understandable and accessible, so others do not have to go through the regulations.
– I am preparing the information for a presentation that will be held in Brussel in November, by the director of the Norwegian Directorate of Health, Bjørn Guldvog, Pietro says.
Niccolò is working on is a sub-project on cancer under the EU4Health programme, that was recently approved.
– The project has given me an understanding of how we address administrative issues of health in the EU and in Norway, and how projects like these take shape. I am currently doing systematic research related to the project, going through documents and websites, Niccolò explains.
The students are learning more about complex, political processes
As part of the part of the EU4Health programme, Pietro and Niccolò have learned a lot about how the EU will approach future health crises and trends.
– You understand how much the EU is putting into this program, both economically and professionally. The EU is trying to have a voice in terms on health, because health care is a global matter, Pietro explains.
Working on an EU-program have given the students a better understanding of how the EU-processes work.
– Often a policy is seen as fixed. EU says something, then there is a new regulation, and then something happens. In reality, there is people behind the policies. People are creating the policies, Niccolò says.
– In Italy, the EU is often criticized for being slow when implementing measures, but sometimes it is not easy to implement measures right away. Sometimes, there are no funds for the programs. It is a complex process, Pietro explains.
Internships can be combined with classes at the university
– An internship can be difficult to land, but if you manage to get one, it will be a great way to learn something new. You build your knowledge, experience, and your network. You add something to your career, Pietro says.
The students explain that with flexible work hours, an internship is possible to combine with classes at the university.
– It is possible to come into work in the morning or the afternoon, and then leave for class. You can finish what you started to do at work when you get home or work on your tasks during the weekend, Pietro explains.
Niccolò explains that even if the internship has flexible work hours, you need to see if it fits your schedule.
– An internship is more time consuming than a class. If you have a lot of classes, it is not the best fit for you. You need to dedicate time to it, he says.
Encourage organizations to hire international students
Niccolò and Pietro do not speak Norwegian, but explain that speaking English has not been an issue at the Norwegian Directorate of Health. For organizations wanting to hire interns from UiO, Niccolò has one clear message:
– Do not accept Norwegian speaking students only. If you want to be a diverse and inclusive workplace, you need to be able to hire international students. It makes a difference. Having international students as interns can be a way to challenge your employees, he says.
The students will use their experience from the internship to decide where they want to work in the future.
– I think I would like to work in the private sector first, but I am not ruling out possibly working in the EU in the future, Pietro says.