Pathways to Public Health

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What are public health fellowships?

Designed for recent college graduates interested in a specific training curriculum, centered around garnering mentorship and hands-on work experience. Fellowships aim to jump-start a career, generally last one year or longer, and are paid.

What can I expect from an internship in public health?

A temporary position for a student or early career professional to learn about the field, gain entry-level work experience, and/or satisfy requirements for a qualification. May be paid or unpaid.

View Fellowship and Internship Jobs

What are Service Programs?

A temporary experience providing opportunities to serve communities by supporting health programs. Generally, one or two years and are paid.

Advice On Entering The Public Health Workforce

Secrets of the Government Job Search - How to Apply for Local & State Health Department Jobs

Featured Experience: What is Public Health AmeriCorps?

Whether you’re looking for a way to spend a gap year or gain post-graduate experience, you can help address the public health needs of local communities across the nation with Public Health AmeriCorps.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH AMERICORPS

Featured Public Health AmeriCorps Professionals

Jessica Baker

Educational Attainments:: BA – Health Sciences & Health Administration
Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: Public Health AmeriCorps Member, Henry County Health Department, Indiana
What have you most enjoyed about working in public health?: Working toward bettering people's lives every day. I end every day feeling I was part of a good team and with bright thoughts of the future. It's a joy to decrease the social determinants of health and increase health equity.
What advice would you provide to someone considering a degree or career in the public health field?: Take the leap, you won't regret it. I have encountered hundreds of intelligent people who genuinely care about others and helping them meet their needs.

Brandon Jacobs

Educational Attainments:: MD, MBA. Pursuing an Internal Medicine Physician Licensure.
Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: Public Health AmeriCorps Member, Eskenazi Health Emergency Department Clinical Public Health Program, Indiana
What have you most enjoyed about working in public health?: Public Health AmeriCorps has helped me strengthen my skills with networking and performing as a team. This experience has given me valuable insight into the public health sector so that I am more prepared for holistic patient management.
What advice would you provide to someone considering a degree or career in the public health field?: Public health can look so many ways depending on the organization, position, and the specific field of study. If you like solving problems to promote health equity, you can certainly find a career that fits your strengths and desires.

LanAnh Nguyen

Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: LGBTQIA+ Chat Crisis Worker, Health 360 at HopeLink Behavioral Health, Virginia
How has being a Public Health AmeriCorps member impacted you?: Serving within a public health capacity has deepened my resolve and empathy for underserved and indigent populations.
What advice would you provide to someone considering a degree or career in the public health field?: Ask yourself if you would do this line of work for free forever. Finding your community will help you to find your fit.

Keshia Ward

Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: Mental Health Peer Specialist/Recovery Support Peer Specialist, Public Health AmeriCorps, City of Austin WIC, Texas
How has being a Public Health AmeriCorps member impacted you?: It has given me opportunities to serve in my community while pursuing my educational goals and positively impacting the life of others
What advice would you provide to someone considering a degree or career in the public health field?: Definitely do so. It’s rewarding and enriching.

Maryam Oluwakemi Funmilayo

Educational attainments:: MPH, MA, CHW.
Plans to pursue a doctorate degree in Public Health with a focus on Health Economics and Policy or Global Health.
Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: Public Health AmeriCorps Community Health Worker, Volunteers of America (DFW), Texas
How has being a Public Health AmeriCorps member impacted you?: Being a Public Health AmeriCorps member, I have been gifted with a plethora of lifelong opportunities and connections which I do not and would never take for granted. The trainings alone have improved my skillset and public health knowledge.
What have you most enjoyed about working in public health?: I have enjoyed the daily connection I have with my colleagues, supervisor, and community members who are mostly the clients I work with. I understand the importance of assessing the social determinants of health, before making any conclusions.

Aubree Denker

Educational attainments:: BA - Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Spanish
Pursuing a Master's degree in Public Health
Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: Public Health AmeriCorps Member, Institute of Rural Health with Gem State Public Health AmeriCorps, Idaho
What have you most enjoyed about working in public health?: I have loved the opportunities to explore public health, while gaining valuable experiences and giving back to the community. I have been a part of a wide variety of projects, giving me valuable experience and connections.
What advice would you provide to someone considering a degree or career in the public health field?: There are so many different facets of public health, so I encourage people to explore the opportunities and careers out there. It's okay to not know specifics, and to try things to see what the best fit for you is.

Michael Turner

Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: Recovery Coach, Buffalo County Health & Human Services, Wisconsin
What have you most enjoyed about working in public health?: I have enjoyed building rapport with my clients and seeing them take steps towards improvement. I love to see the look of relief when they realize that I'm not here to judge them, I'm here to help them realize that they're capable of sober living.
What advice would you provide to someone considering a degree or career in the public health field?: I would truly tell them to examine your heart. Because if you're looking at it strictly to make the big bucks, you have the wrong perspective. Make sure your heart is in it, so you can give it your all. People can tell when you're not truly invested.

Jamie Thibedeau

Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: Recovery Coach, Marshfield Clinic Ladysmith, Wisconsin
How has being a Public Health AmeriCorps member impacted you?: AmeriCorps has impacted my life greatly in positive ways. When I applied to be a Recovery Coach, I knew in my heart that I would learn and grow, and that in the long run, it would put me in the right place and a job offer would come along.
What have you most enjoyed about working in public health?: I have enjoyed being of service to the communities and being a positive role model to everyone I meet. I enjoy being an example. I have enjoyed being a part of the solution, spreading love and light.

Nathan Carroll

Educational attainments:: MPH in Epidemiology.
Current Position and Public Health AmeriCorps service organization:: Public Health Project Coordinator, City of Bloomington Public Health Division, Minnesota
How has being a Public Health AmeriCorps member impacted you?: PH AmeriCorps has been a great introduction to working in governmental public health. I've gained experience in areas including strategic planning, ethics policies, and health promotion. The skills I've learned will be helpful to my future career.
What advice would you provide to someone considering a degree or career in the public health field?: I would encourage them to pursue a PH degree/career. It's a field we've long needed more professionals in. I would also encourage them to consider PH AmeriCorps whether they are undergrad or grad level, because the experience is invaluable.

Public Health AmeriCorps' Mission

Address public health needs of local communities by providing support in state and local public health settings and advancing more equitable health outcomes for underserved communities.
Create pathways to good quality public health-related careers through onsite experience and training, with a focus on recruiting AmeriCorps members who reflect the communities in which they will serve.

Source:

What is Public Health AmeriCorps?

How We Make a Difference

Join Public Health AmeriCorps

Get your Public Health AmeriCorps Badge here

Digital badges help individuals to store, verify, and present participant’s past achievements easily and are used by employers to make better recruitment decisions.

Download Public Health Americorps Badge Guide

Learn more about a pathway to Public Health with Public Health AmeriCorps on our partner sites:

Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)

APHL represents state and local governmental health laboratories in the United States; this includes public health, agricultural, environmental and other related laboratories. Its members, known collectively as “public health laboratories,” monitor, detect and respond to health threats.

APHL supports students and early-career scientists, offering professional development opportunities in laboratories across the United States.

Learn more about APHL Fellowships and Internships

Hear From Some Of Our Alumni

“All the programs have far reaching impacts and they allow people to get the professional development that you wouldn’t normally get through any other means”

Logan Fink, Bioinformatics Lead Scientist, APHL Fellow - 2017

“This fellowship was great because it gave me the option to learn in a public health setting and apply what I learned in school”

Anumita Bajpai, Medical Laboratory Technologist, APHL Fellow - 2020

“Being able to get into a laboratory and experience Public Health on the front lines is incredibly valuable”

Kelsey Florek, Bioinformatics Scientist, APHL Fellow – 2017, Fellowship Mentor

“I got a huge sense of accomplishment from all the things I completed. I got to connect with a host of diverse individuals, building connections I hope will last my whole career. I learned so much about how to be an effective leader from working with my mentor, a division chief”

Scott Riley, Laboratory Scientist, APHL Fellow - 2020

Seven Tips for Success When
Starting in Public Health

Pathway programs help new public health workers enhance their education and further their career, even though they do not offer a degree. They can be school-based internships or fellowships such as CDC’s Public Health Associate Program and service programs like Public Health AmeriCorps.

Download the Seven Tips for Success Guide

Roadmaps to Public Health

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Navigating Challenges in Public Health Pathway Programs

Public Health Pathway Programs (PHPP) build up the public health workforce by developing the next generation of public health professionals. PHPPs provide agencies with a stream of candidates equipped with the necessary skills and experience to strengthen and diversify the workforce. This document provides strategies and best practices for health agencies looking to leverage PHPPs in their own programs

Download The Full Resource For More

Connect with Local, State, and Territorial Health Departments

To find local governmental public health jurisdictions, see - www.naccho.org