Public Health Internships: How to Find the Right One

An internship can be an excellent way to explore careers within the broad public health sector. The industry includes jobs in public policy, epidemiology, research, global health, education, communications, biostatistics, and community health. 

Finding the right public health internship involves researching and applying in a timely, strategic manner. For example, internships at the World Health Organization (WHO) are incredibly competitive, so you’ll want to put your best foot forward and apply for backups. 

Here’s a guide to help you find the right public health internship to suit you and your career.

What does a public health intern do?

Public health is the study of how to promote and protect people’s health and maximize positive outcomes in our daily lives, including how we learn, play, and work. Public health focuses on identifying the causes of health issues, such as low birth rate, gun violence, obesity, and health inequity. Public health workers use data to enforce policies, programs, and strategies to alleviate those issues.

A public health intern assists a team at a corporation, non-profit organization, or government agency, to apply theory to real-world problems with skills like research, analysis, strategic planning, report writing, and communications.

Because the public health field is so broad, there are a plethora of internships available. Public health interns can work in epidemiology at a pharmaceutical firm or as a policy analyst for a think tank in Washington, DC. 

Read more: What Is Public Health? Your Career Guide

Types of public health internships

Public health internships are often competitive, especially at top-tier institutions such as the WHO, the UN, and national- or city-level government agencies. Because they are competitive, they are sometimes unpaid. While it is certainly encouraged to pursue a paid internship, some unpaid internships can act as academic credit at your college or university.

As mentioned above, internships in public health vary greatly within focus areas, such as: 

• Community health

• Epidemiology and research

• Public policy and administration

• Biostatistics and informatics

• Communications

• Education

• Mental health

• Population health

• Emergency and disaster management

• Social science and research

• Health technology

• Medicine

• Environmental health

• Hygiene

• Nutrition

• Sanitation

How much do public health internships pay?

The salary for public health internships can vary greatly. While we encourage paid internships, earning university credits or gaining experience can be just as beneficial to your career. On average, public health interns earn $17 per hour [1]. A nine-week internship with the CDC, for example, pays $750 per week [2]. Public health internships for master's or graduate-level students may pay more than those for undergraduates.

Benefits of a public health internship

There are plenty of benefits to being a public health intern, whether or not you are studying public health in your bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Here are the core benefits of a public health internship:

• Networking: Meet coworkers, managers, and other interns with whom you can keep in touch for future job opportunities—and maybe make new friends!

• Mentorship: You may be fortunate enough to meet someone whose career inspires you, and that person sees a spark in you, too. Ask them to be your mentor.

• Boost your professional skills: You’ll learn how to apply what you’ve learned in school to real-world issues. Often, the workplace environment is entirely different from your studies, so employers like to see that you have this hands-on experience on your resume.

• Career exploration: An internship can act as a “test drive” of the duties you’d like to pursue in the future. Or, it can deter you from applying for jobs in a focus area you didn’t jive with. Both are excellent outcomes because they are learning experiences. 

• Job opportunities: Internships can sometimes turn into a job upon graduation. You can carry those connections and experiences into the future even if it doesn’t. You never know when you might want to reach out to a former colleague on LinkedIn for an informational interview or career advice.

• Fun: Internships can be a great way to spend your summer, especially in a city such as New York or Washington, DC where there are many prestigious public health opportunities. Some internships might even be outside the United States, in a development context. You can meet new people, explore a new place, and expand your horizons.

Remember, an internship is what you make of it. The more you put into it, the more you’ll reap strong connections and learning opportunities.

When seeking internships, it’s essential to be proactive about finding the right one. Below are some places to start your search.

Where to find an internship (+ examples)

Starting your research for public health internships can be daunting. You might want to Google “public health internships” and see what catches your eye. Later on, you can organize your rabbit holes by thinking about which specific jobs, organizations, or focus areas called out to you.

Do I need to major in public health?

Public health internships can be available to adjacent majors such as sociology, anthropology, global health, biology, health care administration, environmental health, social work, nursing, and more.

The best websites to search for internships:

• Google’s job search function aggregates dozens of internships

• LinkedIn (be sure to polish your profile before you apply!)

• Glassdoor

• Indeed

• Idealist (best for non-profit or social good organizations)

• USAJOBS

• Your university’s career center or job portal

As a public health student, you’re probably interested in jobs within the following sectors:

• Government

• Non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-profit organization (NPO)

• Intergovernmental organizations (IGO) such as the UN or WHO

• Think tank

• University

• Corporation (ex. Pharmaceutical company)

• Social enterprise

• Community-based organization

Here’s a selection of top public health internships:

• WHO Internship Programme

• CDC’s Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (CUPS) [3]

  • Columbia University Medical Center – Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP)

  • Kennedy Krieger Institute – Maternal Child Health Careers / Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement-Undergraduate Program (MCHC/RISE-UP)

  • Morehouse College – Project IMHOTEP

  • Morehouse College – Public Health Leader Fellowship Program (MC PHLFP) Program

  • University of Michigan School of Public Health – Future Public Health Leaders Program (FPHLP)

  • UCLA – Public Health Scholars Training Program

  • Kennedy Krieger Institute – Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program (Ferguson Fellows)

• NYC Health Department’s Public Health Internship Program

• NEHA’s National Environmental Public Health Internship Program

• APHA's Public Health Policy Internship

• HOSA’s list of health-related internships

While these are examples of prestigious internships, there are plenty of opportunities with organizations such as ACLU, Public Health Institute, Pfizer, and much more. It’s a matter of identifying your desired focus areas and finding the internship that sounds exciting to you. 

How to land a public health internship

Now that you know a little more about public health internships, here is a step-by-step guide to landing the one you’ll love.

1. Do your research.

Take your time seeking out potential internships to apply for. Look at websites, dig into organizations, and talk to your network. If there is a specific internship you’re excited about, peek on LinkedIn to find someone who has gone through it and ask for an informational interview.

If you’re seeking a summer internship, some application deadlines start in the fall season of the previous year. For a 2024 summer internship, start your search during the fall.

Once you’ve identified some favorites, create a spreadsheet or list. Rank the internships according to focus area and competitiveness. Be sure to have back-ups. Is the internship paid or unpaid? If it’s unpaid, can you apply for course credit? What does the application require—cover letter, resume, recommendation letters?

2. Apply for internships.

Start the application process long before deadlines are due. Paper due dates and exams can pile up during the year, so internship applications can fall by the wayside. Apply for your favorite internships in the areas you’re keen to work in. Apply for a few more to give yourself options. 

Read more: How to Write an Internship Cover Letter: 9 Tips (+ Examples)

3. Learn, work hard, and build relationships.

Suppose you land an internship… congratulations! Now, the fun begins. 

Treat the internship as if you’re starting a new job. Be a sponge: Take every opportunity to learn as much as possible. Be diligent in completing your work. Apply analytical, creative, and strategic thinking. 

Before you end your internship, meet with your manager and ask if they would be willing to keep in touch so you can ask for letters of recommendation when you apply for jobs.

Learn more: Starting a New Job: 18 Tips for Early and Ongoing Success

Get a master’s in public health

Consider enrolling in a master’s in public health to elevate your career in this competitive, rewarding, and in-demand field. Choose from high-ranking programs such as the University of Michigan or Imperial College London.