– The internship is a way for me to network and learn more about the Norwegian public sector, which is not always easy as an international student, Bianca explains.
– An internship is a great experience to prepare for working life. We get to use what we have learned at the university in a more practical way, Mads says.
Bianca Florentina Niculescu and Mads Kjernsby Rismoen are students at the Health Economics, Policy and Management master’s program. This fall they are interns at the Norwegian Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet).
Using the internship as inspiration for the master’s thesis
– When I first saw the internship at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, I got excited and hoped I would get it, Mads says.
Mads has previously worked in the Norwegian public sector, with people with disabilities.
– My position at the Norwegian Directorate of Health is more challenging for me personally and requires more office work. It is a great way to take a step further in my career before finishing my master’s degree, Mads says.
– The internship has helped me prepare and get inspiration for my master’s thesis, he continues.
– The application process was easy. We had to write a cover letter in English or Norwegian, and then applying for the internship, Bianca says.
She thinks writing a cover letter applying for an internship is great practice for future job applications.
Meeting and working with new people through the internship
– I was very excited getting the internship. I didn’t know what to expect, but I really like it. It is nice to work with and meet new people. The internship is even better than expected, Bianca says.
Both Bianca and Mads felt welcome starting their internship at the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
– Everyone has been very friendly. I was both excited and nervous when I started my internship, but they take good care of us. They always answer questions right away if you have any, Mads says.
It has not been an issue that Bianca does not speak Norwegian.
– Everyone is very supportive and social, speaking to me in English, she says.
Mads is collecting and analyzing data on Norwegian health care workers
Mads is working on a project on the health care worker crisis in the Norwegian municipalities. He is collecting statistics on health workers, working mainly in Excel, and using numbers from Statistics Norway to create descriptive statistics.
– There is currently a lack of educated health care workers in Norway. We are trying to see if there are any differences between the municipalities, Mads explains.
Later he will be looking more at economy. There is currently a turnover in the Norwegian counties, and loads of statistics to go through.
– I have learned a lot about budgeting and economy in Norwegian municipalities and counties. I now understand why there is a lack of trained health care workers here, he says.
Bianca is working on a project on primary health care in Romania
Bianca is working on a project dedicated to developing primary health care in Romania. The project is supported by grants from Norway and is a collaboration between the Norwegian Directorate of Health, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services.
– I have done research on the primary health care system in Romania, and how it compares to the Norwegian system. I have done practical tasks, like organizing meetings and translating documents and conversations from Romanian to English, she says.
– I am learning a lot about the collaboration between Norway and Romania. I didn’t know Norway was this involved in developing the health care system in Romania, she continues.
Flexible working hours during the internship at The Norwegian Directorate of Health
The interns at The Norwegian Directorate of Health does not have a fixed work schedules, but are expected to deliver high quality work and keep their deadlines.
– The flexible work hours makes it easy to combine work and school, Mads explains.
Bianca worked on her project remotely, when she was away for a while.
– It was nice being able to work when I could not be here physically, she says.
– Everyone should do an internship if possible. It is a great way to gain experience, get a wider perspective, and learn in a different way. It also relieves stress from being a student. I manage to not think about school 24/7, Mads says.
– An internship gives you skills and knowledge you cannot get from a university course. It is time consuming, but also a unique experience. It is worth it putting in the extra work, especially as an international student, Bianca adds.
Students learn more about the public sector in Norway through their internship
Bianca and Mads explains that it has been interesting to discover Norway’s involvement in different EU-projects.
– The internship helped me understand Norway’s position within the EU and the health sector. Norway is not in the EU, so this was a big revelation for me, Bianca says.
She would like to continue working in the public sector in the future.
– I would like to continue working in public sector rather than in a private organization, if possible. The internship really confirmed this should be my plan, Bianca says.
– I have not decided what I want to do for work yet, when I finish my master’s degree. The internship has given me experience and insight, and maybe there is a possibility for me to work here, Mads says.