Gap Year Fellowship

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:

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