HIV/STI Counseling

One of the most exciting parts of my sophomore year thus far has been my experience working as an HIV/STI Counselor for the Student Wellness Center at Ohio State. This process started back in July of 2017 when I decided to apply for the position. A few interviews later, I found myself in the middle of a three-day training to become an HIV/STI Counselor! The training was slightly overwhelming, simply because our leaders had to explore all possible diseases, sexual practices, and types of clients. For most of last semester I was shadowing an experienced counselor, and I began to conduct parts of the session as I became more comfortable. I am getting ready to become a solo test counselor, and I can’t wait for all the challenges and excitement this brings!

I wanted this position for a number of reasons. The biggest, most important was that I am absolutely fascinated by HIV and sexual health in general, so every opportunity for hands-on education is great. Second, I wanted to do something new that would challenge me and grow my skill set. In the case of counseling, it has increased my ability to listen thoroughly and lead uncomfortable conversations exponentially. I know this is a skill that will come in handy for the rest of my life. Third, I love Ohio State and am amazed by their health services, so I wanted to be a part of that. It is such a privilege to have free, confidential HIV/STI counseling available to all students three days a week, not to mention the free condoms and referrals.

This position has made me consider new career possibilities, such as community health education and health behavior. Even if I do not end up in those jobs, counseling has already taught me many lessons that I can take into any public health field.