Experience

MAINE DARTMOUTH MEDICINE RESIDENCY
• United States
• Technology, Information and Internet
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Resident Doctor

  • Jun 2018 - Present


National Academy for State Health Policy

• United States
• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Policy Specialist

  • Jan 2015 - Jun 2015

  http://www.nashp.org/staff/rachel-thomas http://www.nashp.org/staff/rachel-thomas



MaineCare

• Policy Writer

  • Oct 2013 - Jan 2015

  I manage and track the development and decision making processes surrounding MaineCare (Medicaid) policies. My primary responsibilities are long term care and family planning services. The technical duties of this position include analyzing and developing programs, writing policy and guiding rules through the lawmaking process. To date, I have been responsible for 37.5 million dollars of policy changes. I manage and track the development and decision making processes surrounding MaineCare (Medicaid) policies. My primary responsibilities are long term care and family planning services. The technical duties of this position include analyzing and developing programs, writing policy and guiding rules through the lawmaking process. To date, I have been responsible for 37.5 million dollars of policy changes.



Maternity Care Coalition

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Research and Evaluation Intern

  • Nov 2012 - Sep 2013

  I assisted the Project Manager by creating program evaluation and tracking methods. We were able to come up with methods for several programs that satisfy the direct service providers who use them daily, as well as the office staff who monitor long term project progress. I also completed a project to develop a definition of empowerment specific to MCC, and identified a tool to measure empowerment, an organizational core outcome, in their client population. I assisted the Project Manager by creating program evaluation and tracking methods. We were able to come up with methods for several programs that satisfy the direct service providers who use them daily, as well as the office staff who monitor long term project progress. I also completed a project to develop a definition of empowerment specific to MCC, and identified a tool to measure empowerment, an organizational core outcome, in their client population.



Thomas Jefferson University Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

• Administrative Staff

  • Nov 2011 - Sep 2013

  In this position I was initially responsible for communicating negative/benign biopsy results and related instructions to patients and patients physicians. Over time I began to take on administrative responsibilities and then specialized tasks, including quality control projects, insurance pre-certification and EMR attestation. In this position I was initially responsible for communicating negative/benign biopsy results and related instructions to patients and patients physicians. Over time I began to take on administrative responsibilities and then specialized tasks, including quality control projects, insurance pre-certification and EMR attestation.



The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Leadership Fellow

  • Apr 2012 - Jun 2013

  The fellowship offered an opportunity to develop a novel program to reduce health disparities and participate in professional leadership development. A partner and I created and implemented an empowerment based after-school program for 7th-8th grade girls. Program outcomes included: an increase in number of participants over time, improved communication skills and reproductive health knowledge. At the end of our fellowship program, we were able to connect a student group from Thomas Jefferson University to the community center to support program sustainability.



JeffHEALTH (Jefferson Helping Africa Link to Health)

• Community Health Educator

  • Jul 2012 - Aug 2012

  In Akarambi, I taught Community Health Workers (CHW) about reproductive health with the help of a translator. Two JeffHEALTH group members and I developed lesson plans and discussed topics based on CHW requests and needs, including all family planning methods available at local health centers. We also presented a review of family planning methods at a community meeting, representing the first time JeffHEALTH was asked to make this kind of large scale presentation. In Akarambi, I taught Community Health Workers (CHW) about reproductive health with the help of a translator. Two JeffHEALTH group members and I developed lesson plans and discussed topics based on CHW requests and needs, including all family planning methods available at local health centers. We also presented a review of family planning methods at a community meeting, representing the first time JeffHEALTH was asked to make this kind of large scale presentation.



Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory

• Seasonal Administrative Assistant

  • May 2011 - Aug 2011

  This position helped me to develop diverse administrative skills, from communication with the public and providing necessary services to internal and visiting professionals, to office organization and personnel database management. After completing assigned tasks I would assist administrative staff with additional projects, such as formatting the yearly MDIBL Bulletin. This position helped me to develop diverse administrative skills, from communication with the public and providing necessary services to internal and visiting professionals, to office organization and personnel database management. After completing assigned tasks I would assist administrative staff with additional projects, such as formatting the yearly MDIBL Bulletin.



Peace Corps

• United States
• International Affairs
• 700 & Above Employee

• HIV/AIDS Services Volunteer

  • Dec 2008 - Dec 2010

  Immersion in the Ethiopian culture and Amharic language helped me to integrate into the community, and to work successfully and professionally in an intercultural work environment. I gained skills in community assessment, wrote grants, reports and facilitated trainings for community organizations to address needs identified in the assessments. These skills helped me to create relationships in the community resulting in a stronger local network of HIV concerned organizations. Immersion in the Ethiopian culture and Amharic language helped me to integrate into the community, and to work successfully and professionally in an intercultural work environment. I gained skills in community assessment, wrote grants, reports and facilitated trainings for community organizations to address needs identified in the assessments. These skills helped me to create relationships in the community resulting in a stronger local network of HIV concerned organizations.



World Health Organization

• Bangladesh
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Intern at the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development

  • Mar 2008 - Apr 2008

  I performed database management for the NHD Body Mass Index database in order to track progress towards the first UN Millennium Development Goal: to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty. After completing BMI input for available country reports, and reviewing existing data for accuracy, I was responsible for compiling a preliminary Waist Circumference & Waist-to-Hip Ratio literature review for a WHO endorsed review of health risk cutoff points. I performed database management for the NHD Body Mass Index database in order to track progress towards the first UN Millennium Development Goal: to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty. After completing BMI input for available country reports, and reviewing existing data for accuracy, I was responsible for compiling a preliminary Waist Circumference & Waist-to-Hip Ratio literature review for a WHO endorsed review of health risk cutoff points.