On Monday, August 4, 2014, the Forum for Collaborative Research hosted its annual Washington Area Interns Networking Day.  The program included a guest panel consisting of public health and policy leaders from Washington, D.C.

 Panelists and Moderator*:

	Jeffrey Crowley, O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
	Corinna Dan, Office of HIV/AIDS, Department of Health and Human Services
	Christine Lubinski, Center for Global Health Policy, IDSA
	Veronica Miller*, Forum for Collaborative HIV Research
	Ivy Turnbull, AIDS Alliance
	Andrea Weddle, HIV Medicine Association

The event started off with introductions from all panelists and intern participants.  We had diverse intern representation from AIDS United, Association of American Medical Colleges, Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, Institute of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, Management Sciences for Health, Miriam's Kitchen, National Associatino of Community Health Cetners, National Institutes of Health, The Praxis Project, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, University of California at Irvine, and USAID.

The above listed public health leaders discussed their experiences with domestic and international public health policy, the challenges they have faced in their careers, and their most rewarding experiences in the field.  They graciously answered questions from participants, and provided career advice for aspiring public health and health policy professionals.

Participant Feedback Highlights:

• "I learned that one's career path is unpredictable in many senses, and that you have to work tirelessly while following your interests." -Christopher Martin, Association of American Medical Colleges Intern
• "[I enjoyed] having a chance to connect with experienced veterans in the field I hope to break into." -Anonymous Participant
• "[I learned that] there are a wide range of opportunities in public health and global health. Experience is important and can outweigh a professional degree." -Anonymous Participant

We would like to thank all of our speakers for taking time out of their busy schedules to participate in this panel. The Forum will be holding its third Washington Interns Networking Day in summer 2015 - watch this space for updates and further details. If you would like to subscribe to the HIV Forum listserv, please click here to sign up.