Author: Dulce Mendoza

The number of undergraduate public health degrees (UPHDs) awarded has skyrocketed over the past 20 years—more than 18,000 UPHDs are awarded yearly. However, only 8% of recent UPHD holders who enter the workforce are choosing to enter government positions. Most are joining for-profit organizations (34%) and healthcare (28%). Meanwhile, the government health agency workforce is dwindling—about half of all employees in state and local public health agencies in the United States left their jobs between 2017 and 2021. UPHD graduates are wonderful candidates to begin rebuilding the governmental public health workforce, but that potential is currently unrealized. Local and state public health agencies can better tap into the new generation of UPHD graduates by establishing pathways to governmental public health careers through paid experience opportunities, such as internships, fellowships, and other programs. 

The benefits of becoming a host agency include: 

• Supporting students and recent graduates: experience opportunities provide valuable hands-on experience and training to students and recent graduates, preparing them for public health careers.  
• Benefiting from fresh perspectives: students and recent graduates bring new ideas and perspectives to the workplace, which can improve the agency's work. 
• Bringing cost-effective, short-term, flexible assistance: students and recent graduates are perfect for short-term projects. Some experience opportunities come with external funding, making them a cost-effective option for short-term support. 
• Developing your current staff: experience opportunities provide an ideal opportunity to offer supervisory experiences to current employees interested in gaining leadership and managerial experience.   
• Discovering prospective employees: experience opportunities allow agencies to identify and mentor talented students and recent graduates who may be interested in working for your agency in the future. 

Types of Experience Opportunities 

The public health field accommodates a multitude of interests and skills. Below are common types of experience opportunities with examples of current hosting opportunities. Check out our Pathways to Public Health page to search for more programs.  

General public health experience opportunities  

• AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. Host sites can receive AmeriCorps members working on the nation's most pressing challenges, including public health issues. To become a host site, visit the AmeriCorps Partner Webpage.   
• Public Health AmeriCorps aim to support the recruitment, training, and development of the next generation of public health leaders. Host site opportunities are currently limited. Agencies interested in future hosting opportunities can reach out to  publichealth@americorps.gov.  
• AmeriCorps VISTA members are placed in organizations supporting sustainable change in areas that affect public health, poverty, education, climate, access to benefits, and more.  
• The Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program is a two-year program designed to prepare recent college graduates and early career professionals to meet emerging and future challenges in the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. Those interested in becoming a host site can sign up via the Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program Host Site/Host Site Supervisor Form.  
• Agencies can leverage CDC-funded experience opportunities to become host sites. Learn more about these opportunities.  
  • The Public Health Associate Program (PHAP) places early-career public health professionals in public health agencies and nongovernmental organizations to gain broad experience in public health program operations and increase host site agency capacity. Those interested in becoming a PHAP host site can sign up for upcoming webinars to learn more. 

Epidemiology internships/fellowships  

• The CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship is a two-year program designed for recent master's or doctoral graduates in epidemiology or a related field at the state, local, territorial, or tribal levels. Agencies experiencing challenges with recruiting epidemiology positions can take advantage of this opportunity to identify and mentor talented students and recent graduates who may be interested in staying with your agency. Those interested in becoming a host site can visit the Prospective Host Sites Webpage.  
• The Graduate Student Epidemiology Program (GSEP) is a Maternal and Child Health leadership program and internship opportunity led by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. Those interested in becoming a host site can learn more about the benefits and requirements here.  

Environmental health internships/fellowships  

• The National Environmental Public Health Internship Program links students with internship placements at qualified state, tribal, local, and territorial environmental health agencies. Those interested in becoming a host site visit the Prospective Host Sites Webpage. 

Public health laboratory internships/fellowships  

• The Public Health Laboratory Fellowship and Internship Programs offer various funded laboratory experience opportunities, such as internship programs to prepare students for careers in laboratories and support public health initiatives. Those interested in becoming a host can visit the internship page and fellowship page for more information.  

Qualifications and How to Apply to Become a Host Site    

Requirement and eligibility criteria depend on the individual program. Whether you are a state, local, tribal, territorial, or freely associated state public health agency, opportunities exist to host students and recent graduates.  

The opportunities above are only some of the many options available. Host site experience opportunities can be found through professional organizations, job boards, government websites, and other resources. Before applying, it's essential to research the specific requirements and expectations of the program to ensure that the program fulfills your agency’s needs and that your agency meets the eligibility requirements. 

If you're ready to start your search, check out Public Health Careers.org for additional opportunities!  

 

About the Author   

Dulce Mendoza is a first-generation college graduate. She holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Administration from Arcadia University. Dulce has completed several internship and fellowship programs, including the CDC Lewis Scholars Program at Columbia University, an abroad internship with Moorfields Eye Charity, an internship with the Veterans Health Administration, and the CDC Public Health Associates Program (PHAP). While in PHAP, she worked within the Communicable Disease Bureau at the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services and responded to public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic.