Programme summer internships 2026
This summer, we had the pleasure of hosting two undergraduate students from UCL's Social Data Institute Internship Programme.
During their time with us, Sammy Khaddaj and Maya Sidhu worked on key projects to support the economic and political rationale for sustaining anti-racism and anti-discrimination work in public health, and helped establish a baseline framework for evaluating co-production initiatives. Their valuable contributions have brought great insights, while offering a firsthand look at the diverse range of public health careers during a pivotal moment in their professional development. Below they share their reflections on their experiences with us" - Safia Marcano, PHTRI Programme Manager.
My internship experience with ADPH London was very positive and rewarding, giving me the opportunity to work on an evidence-based research project exploring the economic rationale for anti-racism in public health from a local authority perspective.
A key focus of the project was understanding the economic cost of inaction, and how failing to address racial inequalities can generate avoidable costs across public services and wider society through poorer health outcomes, more intensive service use, reduced productivity, sickness absence and wider social and economic consequences.
Sammy Khaddaj, BSc Economics
This strengthened my understanding of how anti-racism can be considered not only as an issue of equity, but also as an important component of effective prevention and efficient use of public resources.
Throughout the project, I developed my research and analytical skills while gaining a broader understanding of public health and the different determinants that influence health and wellbeing.
In particular, I learnt more about the social, economic and environmental determinants of health, including housing, poverty, education, employment, community safety and environmental conditions, and how inequalities across these areas can contribute to differences in health outcomes.
I also gained greater insight into the role of Directors of Public Health and local authorities in using evidence to support preventative investment, reduce inequalities and improve population health. The internship strengthened my interest in research and public health, and I would like to continue developing my research experience and would definitely consider pursuing a career within public health.
I had the opportunity to intern with the ADPH London programme over my summer holidays and had a great time in doing so!
I worked on two projects, one was writing up a report Articulating the Political Rationale for Anti-racism Work in Public Health, and the other was developing a Co- Production Evaluation Framework for Anti-Racism and Health Equity in Public Health. Both projects were really interesting for different reasons.
I found the project on articulating the political rationale for anti-racism work interesting due to the fact that following the local elections across the country, the national rhetoric towards ethnic minorities is evidently moving in a destructive direction and its undeniable that healthcare is an area of local politics that ought to remain a non-partisan issue.
Maya Sidhu, BA History and Politics of the Americas
It was really fascinating to be able to fully immerse myself in this live political issue and understand the discrepancies between the parties, and draft ways in which these gaps can be filled.
Moreover, from a micro-political level, the co-production work helped me really gain an understanding into how communities are involved in anti-racism work and provided me with a deep insight into how this needs to be developed across the lifecycle of co-production work, rather than tokenistically involving communities to tick a checkbox.
When considering my internship from a political standpoint, I learned how important the framing and wording of public health initiatives is in being sure that access to and the quality of public health is constant across all communities.
Participating in this internship has been a transformative experience. It has significantly increased my confidence in a professional setting, leaving me far more prepared to navigate my final year of university and the upcoming job application process. My time at ADPH London opened my eyes to the breadth of opportunities within the field and broadened my career aspirations.
I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who I had the opportunity to meet during the placement, particularly Safia who supported me throughout the entire process.