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An externship at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta was an “amazing experience” for IU McKinney Law student Arriana Fitts, who worked in the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, completing legal epidemiology work for HIV criminalization laws.

Fitts (left) is a third-year student earning a health law certificate at the IU McKinney Hall Center for Law and Health.

During her summer at the CDC, Fitts met with Dr. Jose Montero, director for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support, as well as Robert Charrow, general counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She toured the CDC Tobacco Laboratory and the Emergency Operations Center.

“Since beginning law school, I have been trying to find a way to integrate my interests in public health and law and this allowed me to do so,” Fitts said. “I was able to learn how to conduct legal epidemiology, legal mapping, and code. This internship provided me an opportunity to expose myself to a career that matched my academic and personal interests. With all of the health courses I have taken, I was able to integrate classroom knowledge and theory with practical application and skills developed in a professional setting.”

It was just one of the many health-law related externships available to students through the Hall Center for Law and Health. Other summer externships included:

• Jacob Butz, 3L, Springbuk, Indianapolis
• Emily Beukema, 2L, Hall Render, Detroit
• Jima Fahnbulleh, 3L, Southside OBGYN, Indianapolis
• Paige Ferise, 2L, Indiana Legal Services, Indianapolis
• Jonathan Tarro, 2L, Hall Render, Indianapolis
• Anthony Singer, 3L, American Red Cross, Indianapolis

Both Fitts and Ferise were recipients of the Sandy and Bernie Miller Health Law Fellowship, established in 2018 by Sandra H., '82, and Bernard O. Miller. It is awarded to J.D. students who work in unpaid summer positions as part of their participation in Hall Center for Law and Health.