Doctoral Candidate Jennifer Moore Gains Invaluable Experience as an Intern at AHRQ
Moore is spending the summer gaining a firsthand understanding of the federal government’s role in providing all U.S. citizens with access to quality care.
When U-M School of Nursing doctoral candidate Jennifer Moore attended a town hall meeting at the White House on health care reform specific to women’s health earlier this summer, she said the experience not only moved her emotionally but impressed upon her the impact that nurses can and should have on the nation’s health care system.
“I had the opportunity to speak with individual women who shared stories about how health care reform has already made a significant impact on their lives,” said Moore of President Obama and U.S. Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’s meeting, an intimate event attended by less than 40 people. “Families have been positively affected by the passage of this legislation in ways that brought tears to my eyes. Their personal stories reminded me of the obligation that I have as a nurse to protect the access of evidence-based, quality health care for all people.”
Moore’s participation in the meeting came as part of her three-month internship with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in Washington D.C. this summer. She was one of only 15 graduate students—and the only nurse—to be selected from a competitive pool of over 400 applicants representing nursing, medicine, and public health fields. Her mentors for the internship are Dr. Beth Collins Sharp, Senior Advisor for Women’s Health and Gender Issues and Senior Advisor for Nursing, and Dr. Cecelia Rivera Casale, Senior Advisor for Minority Health. Both mentors work within the Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations at AHRQ.
Moore’s primary projects this summer include analyzing data from national health care databases specific to women’s health issues and to gender, racial, and socioeconomic status. For each analysis, she will produce a summary report and presentation slides for public use on the AHRQ website, as well as present the findings to AHRQ leaders and staff. Through these experiences and others, such as representing AHRQ at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services meetings, Moore is gaining a firsthand understanding of the federal government’s role in providing access to evidence-based, quality care for all U.S. citizens.
“AHRQ is very committed to ensuring that the voices and perspectives of all types of health care providers are represented at the table,” commented Moore. “The mission of AHRQ is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. Therefore, the expertise from a diverse group of people is essential. It is exciting for me, as a nurse, to be able to contribute to this mission.”
Moore will return from Washington D.C. in August and will defend her dissertation, “Women’s Decisions and Perceptions of the Induction of Labor Experience” in September. Her committee members include UMSN faculty Dr. Lisa Kane Low, Dr. Carolyn Sampselle, and Dr. Marita Titler, and obstetrics and gynecology physician at UMHS, Dr. Vanessa Dalton. After the completion of her defense, Moore plans to begin a career that combines her love of nursing, research, policy, and program development. Said Moore, “My internship at AHRQ has provided me with valuable experience that I will take with me as I transition into my next role.”
