When applying for and selecting an internship:
Think about learning goals for your internship
- Do you want to develop new skills?
- Enhance your professional connections?
- Apply theories and knowledge you learn outside of the classrooms?
- Are you looking to diversify your knowledge and skills, test out new areas of interest, or gain more experience in an area in which you are familiar?
- Are you looking for an internship that is more likely to lead directly to a job after graduation?
Some other considerations
- Organization and structure – Consider size of organization, their mission, expertise, and population they serve
- Compensation – Paid or unpaid internships?
- Location – Do you have location preferences?
- Career Industry or Function – Do you want to explore new roles within an industry or a similar role in a new industry?
- Timing/Deadlines: Many summer internship postings are in early-November to late-February. Stay ahead of strict deadlines.
How to obtain an internship:
CareerConnect:
- Employers post internships with our office. We generally receive and post these beginning in November.
Making Connections to Employers
- Through Career Fairs and Expos as sponsored by our office and other Harvard schools
- Through Career Treks
Networking with Alumni and others
- Many internships are not posted and opportunities surface through informational interviews and outreach. Connect with alumni, faculty, recruiters, and professionals who work in your area(s) of interest.
- Find out where others in your department have worked.
Below are a few of the places that our students have completed internships:
- Boston Public Health Commission
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Pfizer,
- Humana, Inc.
- Shire
- JSI Research & Training Institute
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Prevention Research Center
- Brigham & Women’s Hospital
- World Health Organization
- UnitedHealth Group
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute
- Beacon Health Options
- Health Policy Commission
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Kaiser Permanente
- United Nations Population Fund
- Rand Corporation
- World Bank Group
- Clinton Health Access Initiative
- RTI International
Additional internship links
- American Cancer Society
Search for Intern under “Select Position Type” - American College of Healthcare Executives
- American Public Health Association/Internships
Lists a wide variety of internship opportunities.
- Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPPH) Internships
Posts a wide range of opportunities for students at member schools.
- Doctors without Borders
Provides a wide variety of competitive internships. The deadline for summer is May 1st.
- Families USA
A nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Offers both internship and fellowship opportunities. - Family Health International
Offers internship opportunities. - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation internships
- Go Government
Briefly describes numerous U.S. Government internship opportunities.
- International Medical Corps
Offers a variety of graduate internship opportunities.
- John Snow
Offers internship opportunities both in the United States and abroad.
- Management Sciences for Health
Offers opportunities for individuals to do internships in the U.S. and abroad.
- Massachusetts Biotechnology Council Internships
Posts a variety of internships with their member organizations.
- Maternal and Child Health Information Resource Center
The MCHB Internship Program (GSIP) is designed to enhance students’ skills in data analysis, promote training in MCH epidemiology, and to provide assistance to state and local health agencies with data-related projects. - Mayo Clinic – Internships
- Merck & Co., Inc.
Offers an internship program with a generous stipend and housing.
- Oxfam America
Offers internships and volunteer opportunities.
- Project Hope
Offers internships that vary depending on specific program needs.
- Rand Corporation
Offers excellent fellowships and internships.
- United Nations
Internship programme.
Volunteer
Through Harvard Chan
In Boston:
National:
International: