Summer 2025 Intern: Health Policy Internship: Modernizing Influenza Vaccine Development
About the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy
The Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy is committed to improving health, health equity, and the value of health care through practical, innovative, and evidence-based policy solutions. Through its health policy analysis and development, the Institute advances actionable and effective solutions to address the most daunting health care challenges. The Institute educates the next generation of health care leaders with the interdisciplinary perspective to solve complex problems.
About the Duke-Margolis Summer Experience Internship Program
The Duke- Margolis Summer Experience Program is a 10-week summer internship program that offers students opportunities to contribute to a variety of health policy projects through a collaborative and mentored summer research experience. The intern
Intern Project Description
Focus Topic: Biomedical Innovation, Evidence Development, Population Health, Public Health Preparedness, Regulatory Science
The Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy is exploring the potential for modernization of the influenza vaccine development to more effectively meet the needs of all stakeholders, including patients, industry, health care providers, policymakers, and regulators. Using an extensive network of subject matter experts and knowledge gained from past research, Duke-Margolis will engage in meaningful dialogue, consensus building, and syntheses of complex ideas to inform the development of actionable policies and processes. To determine key regulatory and reimbursement policy considerations in the US for building a modernized influenza vaccine process that better meets the needs of key stakeholders, this project will undertake the following objectives:
- Identify the gaps in knowledge of the current vaccine and vaccination process which may be improved upon through new technology, new methodologies, and innovation in virology, viral strain surveillance, vaccine development, and vaccine administration.
- Building upon the results from Objective 1, determine the regulatory, manufacturing, distribution, and procurement policy changes that would address the identified gaps to guide a modernization of the annual influenza vaccine effort.
- Develop a policy brief that will summarize the key takeaways from project convenings to build toward a roadmap of regulatory and reimbursement policy considerations for a reimagined influenza vaccine approach in the US to reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from the disease.
Intern Project deliverables could include:
- Deliverable 1: Literature review chronicling prior reforms to influenza vaccine development
- Deliverable 2: Interview guide for subject matter experts in virology, strain surveillance, vaccine development and other technical areas
Preferred Intern Skills
- Research experience,
- written and oral communication skills,
- experience with qualitative literature reviews,
- ability to work independently and collaboratively,
- flexibility to changing responsibilities with a fast-moving project
The project is multi-disciplinary and would be a good fit for students with interests in systems-level policy solutions. While the project has a US-specific focus, there are elements of international collaboration, .e.g. working with the World Health Organization that may appeal to some students.
Majors/Minors: no preference
Education Level: Rising 2nd/3rd/4th UG or Masters
Non-Duke/Duke student preference: no preference
Program Dates: May 19- July 25, 2025
The position is contingent on funding availability
Instructions/Other information:
- For the Statement of Interest: in no more than 500 words, please answer the question: Why are you interested in the project that you applied for and how does the internship align with your professional goals?
- For Transcripts, please make sure to upload an unofficial transcript and to remove the security features on PDF file.