Internship/Public Health Practicum General Information
Note: There is a limited number of internship/practicum placements available through IPHA. The IPHA Student Section members prepared a practical guide to finding internship opportunities. Read more here.
Each year, the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) offers opportunities for students pursuing a career in public health to participate in course-credit, unpaid IPHA internships. Undergraduate and graduate students can gain valuable experience while acquiring practical work skills across an array of public health issue areas. IPHA interns receive hands-on experience and insight into the intersection of policy, program, and practice in public health.
Internship Eligibility
Interns or students seeking to complete a public health internship or practicum (hereinafter called “internship”) must be enrolled in school. Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for unpaid IPHA internships. The candidates must be working toward a bachelor’s, graduate, or postgraduate degree. All majors are welcome.
Availability
Opportunities for internships are available for the fall, spring, and summer. The internships are performed virtually, but in-person internships (Springfield, Illinois) may be available upon request.
IPHA will determine the number of internships available during any internship period based on the availability of staff to serve as internship mentors or preceptors.
Internship Key Dates
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| Application Period Starts (Application portal opens) | April 15 | June 15 | January 15 |
| Application Deadline | May 15 | September 15 | March 15 |
| Internship Period * | August 1 - December 15 | January 1 - May 31 | June 1 - August 31 |
٭ These dates are approximate and are subject to change to align with each university/college internship program and the student’s program requirements.
Compensation
All IPHA internships are unpaid. IPHA shall provide a one-year IPHA membership to the intern at no cost.
Application Process
Applications for each period will be accepted until the application portal closes (see Internship Key Dates above). Applications will be screened to determine which applicant best meets the needs of the student’s desired area of interest and the available internship slots. IPHA staff will review the applications and, if desired, conduct an interview with the applicant.
If interested, internship candidates should submit their online application, which can be accessed below.
Guidelines for IPHA Internships
- Internships shall generally be virtual but may be in-person if mutually agreed upon by the prospective intern and IPHA.
- IPHA shall strive to provide an educational experience that is a benefit for the intern.
- Interns do not displace regular staff and work under close supervision.
- Interns are not entitled to employment after the educational learning experience period and are free to accept employment elsewhere in the same or other fields.
- Service as an intern is not creditable to receive benefits or leave accrual.
- IPHA and the intern’s university/college must have a current affiliation agreement on file before the beginning of the internship.
- Internships will be unpaid, but interns may earn academic credits, as permitted by their university/college and IPHA.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has a fact sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act which provides more information about interns of public sector and non-profit employers. A copy of the DOL's fact sheet is available at https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm.
General Information
You can find additional information about the Illinois Public Health Association, our culture, and why you should join our team at https://ipha.com.
As a public health professional organization and affiliate of the American Public Health Association (APHA), we believe in the science, data, and power of vaccines to protect against and prevent illness. Therefore, we strongly recommend all staff, contractors, interns, and members of the IPHA executive council receive the annual influenza vaccine, COVID-19 vaccines, and other recommended vaccines according to CDC’s recommended immunization schedule.
Any internship is conditioned on the completion of pre-internship documents, including, but not limited to: criminal history disclosure; sexual harassment prevention training; and a conflict of interest statement.
The Illinois Public Health Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.