Public health internships and fellowships provide hands-on experience through research, evaluation, supporting your community and gaining valuable training.
You’ll learn about the importance of accessibility and education in treating and preventing illnesses, leading to improved health for an entire community—not just one individual.
Paid, unpaid, part-time, full-time, remote or in person. The options are endless but all help prepare you for a variety of careers in this vast field. Depending on your specific interests, you might become a community health specialist, research assistant, prevention specialist, or educator.
Take your time to research the various career paths of public health, identify what skills you want to gain, and carefully choose from the thousands of organizations devoted to public health.
Below are a list of resources to support your search for the best resource for your next internship and / or fellowship steps. While this list is certainly not exhaustive, many students find it to be a useful way to get started. Please note that opportunities can change, so please contact the organizations directly to determine what positions they have available and their application process.
National Internships
- American Public Health Association
American Public Health Association (APHA) offers unpaid internships in Washington, DC, in various departments including Government Relations, Learning and Global Public Health, and Public Health Policy.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a federal agency that fights to protect the health and safety of people. Their website has an extensive list of public health fellowships and internships.
- Cato Institute Internships
The Cato Institute is a non-profit policy research organization located in Washington, DC, and is seeking interns for the summer, fall, and spring terms. - Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) Internship Program
The CBPP works on public policy issues affecting low-income families and individuals. Full and part-time paid internships are available in health policy (among other fields). Interns should have research, fact-gathering, writing, analytic, and computer skills.
- Child Family Health International
CFHI’s 30+ programs in 10 countries connect students with local health professionals and community leaders transforming perspectives about self, global health, and healing.
- Congressional Budget Office Summer Internship Program
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Summer Internship Program accepts graduate students and exceptionally qualified undergraduate juniors and seniors for a ten week paid internship in Washington, DC, with limited travel reimbursement.
- Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Administration on Aging has a Volunteer Internship Program in which students gain professional federal experience with aging services and research programs within the federal government.
- EduMed.org
EduMed.org provides educational resources to help students explore careers and internship opportunities in medical and health fields. Check out their guide to internships here: https://www.edumed.org/resources/student-online-guide-to-internships/
- Environmental Protection Agency Careers and Internships
If your focus is on environmental public health, this may prove one of your best job resources. The Environmental Protection Agency provides answers to many employment and internship questions.
- Graduate Student Epidemiology Program (GSEP)
A Maternal and Child Health leadership program and internship opportunity. GSEP is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and strives to ensure interns have the foundation necessary to work within various professional settings to contribute to the health and well-being of our nation’s women, children, youth, and families. - Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Technology
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) is a U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) facility. It is an institute focused on advancing science and education, and it operates research participation programs for DOE, CDC, and other federal agencies.
- U.S. Public Health Service
The U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) offers opportunities for students to serve their country while completing or continuing their education.
- US Office of Personnel Management Internship Program
This Internship Program provides students with paid opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while completing their education.
- World Health Organization Internships
The World Health Organization (WHO) as the leader in global public health issues is committed to building future leaders in public health. WHO’s Internship Programme offers a wide range of opportunities for students to gain insight in the technical and administrative programmes of WHO.
Vermont Internships
Fellowships
Academic fellowships are typically sought after by highly driven students looking for supplemental funding and learning opportunities in a given field of study.
Fellowships are prizes that graduate students or postgraduate scholars typically compete for, and fellows are selected based on their potential to make a positive, long-lasting contribution to their academic discipline.
Graduate fellowships subsidize costs related to their graduate school experience, like tuition. Fellowships may also include a cost-of-living stipend and health insurance, and they sometimes cover expenses related to a grad student’s professional development, such as fees for academic conferences.