Internship - Regulation and Prequalification/RPQ - 2 opportunities

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Regulation and Prequalification Department (RPQ) works with Member States and partners to improve the access to essential medicines and other health technologies of assured quality, safety and efficacy or effectiveness. RPQ works within the Access to Medicines and Health Products Division (MHP) division departments in the wider framework of Universal Health Coverage and category 4 of the General Programme of Work and cooperates with disease-oriented programmes (among other HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, reproductive health, maternal and child health, immunization, NCDs and mental health) towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The department works with a wide range of UN organizations, international partners and expert networks, and WHO Collaborating Centres.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The World Health Organization (WHO) has a mandate to tackle substandard/falsified (SF) medical products as part of WHO’s fundamental role in protecting public health. The WHO team dealing with Incidents and SF medical products (ISF team), within the Regulation and Safety Unit, manages the Global Surveillance and Monitoring System (GSMS) for SF medical products, designed to significantly improve the quantity and quality of available data, and provide technical support.
Further information is available here: www.who.int/medicines/regulation/ssffc/en/

NOTE: these terms of reference will be used to fill two separate internship positions within the same team. The duties listed below will be allocated to each intern based on their abilities and preferences.

Terms of reference
Under the supervision of technical officers in the ISF team, the interns (2) are assigned the below duties:

- Support to the management of the GSMS database
- Enter records of and assist in management of incidents and complaints of substandard/falsified (SF) medical products (including complaints for medical devices)
- Identify process improvement areas, in particular, to increase the quantity and quality of incoming data, in relation to an upgrade of the IT system
- Conduct preliminary risk assessment (with supervision) of incidents of SF medical products
- Conduct media monitoring for potential incidents
- Update data fields following a system architecture update
- Verify consistency and quality of entries across all data fields
- Support maintenance of focal point network (accuracy of records, access to GSMS and e-course system, etc.)

- Support to operational projects
- Support the management of the regulatory focal point network by identifying specific needs for the sub-regions and implementing corresponding services/solutions (regional analytical reports, dashboards, training, etc.) preparation, follow up on lessons learned, etc.
- Support the design and implementation of specialized and joint training activities with customs, law enforcement, and public health officials: preparation, follow-up on lessons learned, etc.
- Support the rollout, monitoring, and evaluation of the WHO handbook on National Action Plans for preventing, detecting, and responding to SF medical through the collection and collation of country baseline and implementation data and indicators.
- Fulfil any other required duties, including ad-hoc research tasks in the field of public health (e.g. quick literature reviews, landscape analysis, stakeholder mapping, meeting preparation etc.).

Learning objectives
The purpose of the WHO Internship Programme is to provide an enriching learning experience for students and recent graduates. The Learning Objectives outlined within each internship vacancy are a key component of the programme.
Within this internship, the intern will:
- Know how to conduct basic risk assessment of incidents of substandard/falsified (SF) medical products
- Understand the purpose and importance of the analytical insights generated through the Global Surveillance and Monitoring System on SF medical products to the benefit of WHO Member States
- Understand the basics of data architecture (used by the ISF team and WHO)
- Understand the collaboration and/or difference of work between WHO headquarters, regional and country offices
- Know how to organize information in order to conduct a preliminary risk assessment of incidents
- Understand the basics of incident management
- Understand the variety of tasks required to manage a network of data reporters
- Understand the importance and basic principles of managing a network
- Understand how to structure a concept note
- Communicate clearly about health regulatory matters
- Know how to prepare different background documents for meetings

DURATION OF INTERNSHIP

The internship period is 24 weeks.
Tentative start dates 8 or 22 April 2024

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education
Have completed the equivalent of three years of full-time studies in Pharmacy, Medicine, Biomedical, Health Sciences, Public Health, or related fields at a university or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; AND be enrolled in a course of study at a university or equivalent institution leading to a formal qualification (applicants who have already graduated may also qualify for consideration provided that they apply to the internship within six months after completion of their formal qualification).

A Master's degree in Pharmacy, Medicine, Biomedical, Health Sciences, Public Health, or related fields would be an asset.

Skills
Core competencies
- Teamwork
- Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
- Communication

All interns should be able to demonstrate the following skills in line with the WHO core competencies:
- Systematic and thorough approach to fulfilling and completing tasks
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality work product
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills (including data visualization)
- Good organization and capability to manage a varied workload/deliver on time
- Ability to “think outside the box” and to work in a dynamic and diverse environment
- Previous internship experience in a professional environment

In addition, interns need to be familiar with commonly used computer programmes (Microsoft suite of tools). Knowledge of statistical and/or graphic design software (e.g. R, Stata, ArcGIS, Photoshop, Canva, etc) may be an advantage.

Experience
- Experience with data analysis, statistical packages and interest in the design of graphical display and analysis of health information in an international comparative perspective, such as for health system performance assessment
- Experience in research and/or in drafting reports and/or concept notes and/or proposals
- Field and/or developing country experience
- Experience in the area of health regulation and/or SF medical products (academic work or research)

Languages
Essential: Working knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of one or more UN language(s).

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Interns do not receive a salary. They do however receive a living allowance. The allowance depends on the duty station and other external support (grant, scholarships, etc.) received by the intern. In Geneva, the maximum amount of the allowance provided by WHO is CHF 1620 per month. The exact amount of the living allowance will be calculated for each intern, after selection, based on a legal financial disclosure form that the individual will complete. In addition, all interns in Geneva will receive a lumpsum of CHF 20 for each working day to buy lunch at WHO campus or elsewhere. WHO also provides all interns with accident and medical insurance coverage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

- Please note that internships at WHO are very competitive and only a small number of applicants will be accepted every year. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted
- Living abroad is expensive and finding accommodation can be challenging. All intern candidates should be aware of these factors before they consider applying for a WHO Internship.
- If selected for a WHO Internship, candidates will be required to provide certified copies of proof of enrolment in an eligible course of studies, a completed WHO medical certificate of fitness for work, and the contact details for reference checks.
- Interns are not eligible to take up a consultant or other non-staff contract in WHO for a period of three months following the end of the internship. However, no such restriction applies to temporary or longer-term staff positions if the vacancy has been advertised and a competitive process completed.
- WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
- WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
- The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
- The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int
- WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
- Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Department of Staff Health and Wellbeing (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.