Job Application for Link Health Gap Year Fellowship - Houston at A Healthier Democracy

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Job Title: Gap Year Fellowship - Houston
Commitment: 1 Year
Start Date: August 1st, 2025
Classification: Paid Contractor
Hours: 15 hours/week
Pay: $1,000.00/month

Job Summary:

The Link Health Gap Year Fellowship is a paid, part-time opportunity based in Houston, offering a $12,000 stipend for a flexible, 12-month commitment. This role is hybrid and designed for students taking a gap year who are eager to gain hands-on experience in community health, leadership, and healthcare systems innovation.

The Link Health Gap Year will supervise the Patient Navigator program in Houston, TX. Patient Navigators will assist individuals and families in navigating and enrolling in government assistance programs such as HEAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Lifeline, and other state/federal benefits as a way to address social determinants of health. This role integrates social services, client support, data management, and public assistance knowledge with a focus on health equity. Link Health’s Theory of Change: Link Health actively seeks to assist eligible people in the navigation and enrollment in benefit programs that address crucial needs like affordable internet, food access, healthcare support, and housing resources.

We use community-centered approaches that leverage data, technology, and partnerships to achieve this. This will reduce barriers & connect underserved populations to the benefits available to them for improved economic stability and health outcomes.

Eligibility

This fellowship is open to post-baccalaureate students, medical students on a gap year, and concurrent graduate students.

Fellowship Benefits:

Mentorship from Harvard Medical School faculty
Certified Patient Navigator training
Opportunities for research and community engagement
Personalized letters of recommendation

Duties/Responsibilities:

Develop and lead pilot programs that improve healthcare access and benefit navigation
Build strong relationships with clinic sites to ensure successful implementation and collaboration
Oversee 5 Senior Patient Navigators, ensuring they are prepared for clinic shifts and are effectively managing their own teams of 4–6 patient navigators
Conduct weekly check-ins with Senior Patient Navigators to assess readiness, support team dynamics, and ensure quality
Ensure team success by identifying and reporting operational needs to the executive team
Participate in weekly executive team calls to share updates and support strategy
Understand Federal Benefit programs thoroughly to manage and train Patient Navigators effectively
Spend 2–3 afternoons per week onsite in Houston-based clinics to provide hands-on support and leadership (an average of 3 hours/ shift)
Interact with patients and clinic staff in both English and Spanish
Serve as a patient navigator by directly assisting patients and providing hands-on support

Required Skills/Abilities:

Must live in Houston, TX for the duration of the fellowship
Must be able to pass an informal Spanish fluency assessment
Must have reliable transportation to and from Universities, Health Centers, and other appropriate partnership opportunities

Take a look at our work here:

Instagram Preview: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Thw-dgPjy/

First Name

Last Name

Preferred First Name

Phone

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Will you be located in Houston, TX for the duration of the Gap Year Fellowship (July 2025 - July 2026)?*

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What school were you most recently affiliated with?*

Please share your Linkedin Profile:

The ability to speak Spanish is required for this role. A portion of the interview will be conducted in Spanish at a DELE B2 level. Choosing 'Yes' means: I understand and am prepared to speak Spanish during my interview.

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Are you available to begin the fellowship on August 1st, 2025 and commit to a 12-month, part-time schedule (15 hours per week)?*

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What prompted you to take a gap year? Does this fellowship align with your plans and values? Why?*

Describe your leadership experience, including roles and settings (e.g., leadership roles in school, your community, etc)*

Describe your patient care experience, including roles and settings (e.g., clinical or volunteer work).*

What qualities or skills make you an ideal candidate to lead a team of patient navigators? Keep in mind, Patient Navigators are volunteers, often college students.*

Do you have any additional skills or certifications relevant to this fellowship? Select all that are relevant. *

Basic webpage creation with WordPress

Personnel management experience in a previous paid role or student leadership position

Digital design using Canva or Photoshop

Health and Public Policy experience

Grant and research writing

Project management experience in a previous paid role or student leadership position

Other:

If you chose 'other', please elaborate:

Do you have any questions or additional information you'd like to share about your candidacy for this fellowship?

Is your schedule flexible for a start date of mid-July 2025?

Select...

Link Health Gap Year Fellowship - Houston

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